Queen Letizia Attends ‘Tobacco or Health’ Conference in Portugal

Spain’s Queen Letizia was present at the opening ceremony of the 7th Conference on Tobacco or Health (ECToH) at the Sheraton Porto Hotel in Porto, Portugal on Thursday.

The Queen delivered a speech at the opening, which she began with offering condolences to the victims of the terror attack in London on Tuesday that has claimed four innocent lives. “We all stand firmly together against any form of terror or threat to our common values of freedom, democracy and human rights,” she said.

She then spoke of the consequences of tobacco on a person’s health, saying that “tobacco products are the only legally available products that can kill up to one half of their regular users”.

“But true data and scientific evidence come together with stubborn reality. And that reality shows that millions of people in the world still smoke, although it is also true that thousands give it up thanks to the prevention policies promoted by governments and associations. So, it could be said that lives are saved with every single step taken to cease its use,” Queen Letizia said to the audience that included the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.

The conference, which aims to discuss “the design of tobacco control policies in Europe and around the world”, is organised by the Portuguese League Against Cancer in connection with the Association of European Cancer Leagues. 400 doctors and scientists from across Europe are attending.

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Tagged Conference, Health, Portugal, President Rebelo de Sousa of Portugal, Queen Letizia of Spain.