Winning the War Against Tobacco: A Multifaceted Battle

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Winning the War Against Tobacco A Multifaceted
Battle
The fight to reduce smoked tobacco consumption
has been going on for at least two decades, but
the war is still not seen as won. Since its
instability is one of the most preventable causes
of diseases and death worldwide, the response of
the governments, the public health organisations
and the civil society must be radical and
all-embracing. Tobacco control report is a
multidimensional response system including a
variety of methods and programs for modifying the
destructive effect of smoking on people and
society. One of the pillars of tobacco control
strategies is the responsible creation of
awareness and support for education on prevention
by governments and other stakeholders. Through
their movements, these campaigns aim to pass on
accurate information on health risks related to
tobacco use at different levels, such as various
types of cancers, cardiac diseases, respiratory
illnesses, and other life-threatening health
conditions that can stop new children from
beginning to use tobacco. Moreover, introducing
the audience to understanding why tobacco
products are extremely addictive and have various
harmful chemicals can push present users to
consider both cessation and seeking help in
quitting.
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Tobacco taxation and pricing policies appear
among the most powerful measures to bring a
decrease in smoking consumption, especially among
those who are highly sensitive to costs. With the
high rates of excise tax imposed on tobacco
products by the government, these become pricey,
thus people find them to be a less affordable
option for others and it eventually communicates
to the intended users a discouraging message by
making them think twice before taking up the
habit. The double benefit from cigarette taxation
is that the income from it can be reflected
positively by being invested in programs on
tobacco control, the healthcare services sector
and public education campaigns, thus creating a
positive cycle of increasing public health. As an
indispensable aspect of tobacco control measures,
a smoke-free environment adoption helps protect
non-smokers from the risks attributed to
secondhand smoke exposure even in public domains
like parks and workstations. The complete
prohibition of smoking inside public spaces,
workplaces and all enclosed premises contributes
to a healthier and more supportive setting
conducive to smoking cessation by either
committed quitter or light users. This indirectly
helps in curbing the total smoking of people by
creating an environment which discourages smoking
and keeps people away from direct access to
smoking triggers.
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Implementation of tight restrictions on tobacco
advertisements, promotions, and sponsorships is
paramount to fighting back against the mass
spread and predatory marketing of the tobacco
industry. This strain of marketing usually aims
at market segments which are deemed to be
susceptible and undermines the quality of youth
and low-income populations by exploiting their
desire to fit into a certain social group and
emulating people whom they look up to. Strict
regulation over advertising and promotion of
tobacco products will have a decisive impact on
the rate of smoking prevalence, especially in the
youth population that suffers from image
distortion and inadequate role models. The
provision of cheap, comfortable cessation
services and programs for those who are ready to
quit cigarettes and for the ones who are ready to
quit using tobacco products is one of the most
necessary services. The services may be of
different kinds, and they may include a variety
of interventions, such as counselling, nicotine
substitutive remedies, medications and own-rhythm
behavioural changes customised for each patient.
By offering more services such as counselling and
low-cost clinics, the government can equip
smokers in two ways, first, it can assist smokers
to prevent further addiction and secondly, it can
ameliorate the economic burden associated with
tobacco-related illnesses in public health.
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Though a lot of work has been done towards it,
the obstacles in tobacco control are still the
major issue. The tobacco industry remains a
skilled decorator who works hard to discourage
recognition and enforcement of antismoking
measures, creating tobacco products as an
emerging party. Moreover, seeing that the
socio-economic causative factors underlying
tobacco consumption, with much emphasis on low-
and middle-income countries, remains a serious
problem. To beat tobacco in the world we have to
make a firm decision to do so and work with
multiple approaches. By bringing the combined
efforts, data-driven policies, and a promise to
dollar every effort for safeguarding our public's
health and above the tobacco use challenge is
likely to be an achievable goal as the foundation
of our healthy future will be a smoke-free one.
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