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Smoking solutions - Stopping the Tobacco Manaceby Ralf Elgrant
World wide nearly 5 million people die due to tobacco related illnesses. Some 10000 Chinese die every week from smoking dangers. Authur Richard in his article Smoking Prevalence - China on Road to Destruction paints a serious situation about smoking in China which warrants concerted solutions to tobacco smoking. The following are some possible solutions to deal with this menace; Smoking Laws Because cigarette smoking affects other people beyond the smoking individual through second hand smoke and third hand smoke it is imperative to effectively enact smoking laws. Many countries are controlling smoking by banning smoking in bars, restaurants, hotels and many other public places. In the UK for example it is mandatory for public buildings and pubic transport to display no smoking signs. Most states in America today do not permit cigarettes in public places. Smoking laws have been credited as a smoking solution due to sharp drops in heart attacks in communities that previously had a high prevalence of such. This would obviously significantly reduce the health care bill and consequently the tax-payer's burden. Anti smoking laws can also be used to regulate cigarette advertising by tobacco companies. In South Africa for instance, cigarette advertising is banned including the advertising of any other product showing people smoking or holding cigarettes. Tougher laws against tobacco companies in the US have helped reign them in albeit with much resistance and counter maneuvers. The down-side being the transfer of the tobacco burden to developing markets such as China, Africa and the rest of Asia. Many western establishments are now contracting farmers in developing countries to grow tobacco and manufacture cigarettes. Access to Information Improved access to smoking related information is also key to effective smoking solutions. Most people who smoke hardly have any idea of the end result of their smoking habit. Information on the dangers of smoking must be made widely available especially to teen smokers. The fastest growing group of smokers at over 80000 new smokers per day globally. Over 3000 per day in America. Many people who want to quit smoking hardly have a clue as to were to start. Some try on their own but are quickly reigned in by the sometimes severe nicotine withdrawal symptoms that follow and are bullied into continuing. A little information on how to prepare to stop smoking and how to deal with withdrawal symptoms would surely make a whole world of difference. On a global scale smoking is increasing in developing countries. Not only that more and more women are also getting to smoke in these countries as women are finally being considered equal and capable partners. This is at a time when smoking statistics are falling in the developed world due to increasing knowledge. Stopping the spread of the tobacco menace in these developing and poorer countries will take more resources to destroy ignorance to the dangers of smoking cigarettes. Access to Stop Smoking Products and Programs Even if information were made available it would be of limited and less effective purpose if stop smoking products still remained out of the reach of many. Also of importance are quit smoking programs which usually offer free stop smoking products and are also key to reducing the number of smokers. Individuals, communities and governments will have to spend more on purchasing quit smoking aids such as nicotine chewing gum . These products when used together with quit smoking programs have been shown to be highly effective smoking solutions. Quit smoking programs will take quitting smokers by hand stage by stage to ensure they succeed. This can be done on a mass scale with 30 to 50 smokers on a program in any given locality. To increase access, some effective quit smoking drugs such as Chantix will need government subsidization. This is the tragedy of tobacco usage; it is a costly damage to repair. Stop Smoking Campaigns More smoking solutions would also include massive stop smoking campaigns via TV, Radio and the Internet. Billboards, SMS and over medium can also be effective in communicating the stop smoking message. Campaigns must only be careful not to leave the targeted audience convinced yet stranded by failing to guide on the next step after driving the message to quit home. Other methods especially to do with teens would be for parents and guardians, schools and other authorities to spend more time with the young people to understand their behavioral patterns. This would help to quickly identify changes induced by tobacco smoking. Return to articles on tobacco and health from Smoking Solutions - Stopping the Tobacco Menace
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