A new handout of the I Plan for a Long Life campaign. Ministry of Health will focus on cancer risk factors

The campaign includes new TV spots that pay special attention to the biggest cancer risk factors: drinking alcohol, smoking, excessive tanning and physical inactivity.

- Treatment is not enough, it is part of building health capital. We need to think about public health in the context of building health," the health minister stressed.

Meanwhile, it appears that the coronavirus pandemic has radically changed the behavior of Poles in terms of taking care of their health. A big problem is the growing consumption of alcohol and the high percentage of smokers.

- Poles are drinking more and more strong alcohol. More than 18 percent of Poles show excessive consumption, and more than 7 percent abuse alcohol. What's more, younger and younger people are reaching for alcohol. Currently, 26 percent of Poles use tobacco. Unfortunately, these trends are not in decline. In contrast, more than 32 percent of smokers are between the ages of 18 and 24. Even younger people are also reaching for a cigarette. That's why the campaign spots show what awaits us if we don't give up the habit," pointed out Deputy Health Minister Waldemar Kraska.

The importance of prevention was argued by the director of the Świętokrzyskie Oncology Center, Prof. Stanislaw Góźdź.

- 70 percent of patients who come to us are in the third and fourth stages of the disease. Our centers have state-of-the-art treatments and diagnostics, but often we can't help because patients come forward too late. I believe that the new iteration of the I Plan a Long Life campaign is the right direction - the message must be clear and strong. It's all up to us, everyone is responsible for their own health," said the ŚCO director.

Read more about the campaign HERE