Introduction
In the XXI century, tobacco use is one of the few true addictions common in the human population. The danger of tobacco lies in its ability to cause both mental and physiological dependence. Moreover, the negative impact of smoking ingredients is not limited to the smoker but extends to others. The prevalence of smoking among all age groups requires adequate control, considering all the factors contributing to the containment of this epidemic.
Background
Smoking is one of the most common causes of lung and cardiovascular diseases. According to epidemiological and medical studies, tobacco use leads to the majority of “noncommunicable diseases” (Peruga et al., 2021, p. 744). The lack of proper control in previous years has turned this type of addiction into a full-blown epidemic. It has been proven that tobacco smoke derivatives directly affect the occurrence and development of many dangerous diseases (FDA, 2020). Specifically, the current epidemiological data regarding the prevalence of health issues in people smoking actively justifies the further necessity to consider the issue closer. For the first time, the dangers of smoking were discussed in the middle of the XX century.
At that time, there was no adequate state regulation of smoking, and non-smokers were not shielded from exposure to tobacco smoke. According to medical estimates, tobacco control policies over the past ten years have helped to reduce smoking-related diseases by 25% by reducing the availability of tobacco-containing products (Peruga et al., 2021). Therefore, further reinforcement of tobacco control by offering a substitute is expected to improve the situation to an even greater extent. Specifically, the analysis has shown that there are significant knowledge gaps in the efficacy of alternative approaches to encouraging people to quit smoking. Consequently, the importance of examining the role of alternative approaches for the management of smoking is evident. Furthermore, the specified issue justifies the policy intervention as the means of introducing alternative strategies and measuring their effects.
The primary current law designed to regulate smoking is the Tobacco Control Act. This law allows “to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products” (FDA, 2020, para. 1). This law aims to prevent smoking among children and adolescents through preventive marketing strategies. For example, tobacco companies cannot sponsor significant sporting events and must display large, visible tobacco warnings on packaging (FDA, 2020). These preventive measures reduce the level of smoking among the population. Overall, the policy is effective in the reduction of smoking rates, yet it lacks efficacy in preventing people from developing the specified habit. In 70% of cases of diseases of the lungs and cardiovascular system are diagnosed in smokers, which justifies the need for tobacco control policies (Peruga et al., 2021). However, medical experts disagree on the risks associated with alternatives to tobacco (Ashcroft & Langley, 2020). On the one hand, these products help eliminate tobacco addiction and prevent smoking among children. However, on the other hand, they can also be addictive, and their harm to health has not been fully explored. Currently, core knowledge gaps include the strategies for encouraging people to quit smoking.
Current Intervention
The World Health Organization has launched a global campaign to control the use of tobacco products. It includes measures to prevent the spread of tobacco and the introduction of state regulation (Peruga et al., 2021). During the ten years of the existence of this program, the recommended measures partially or entirely covered approximately 63% of the world’s population (Peruga et al., 2021). The decline in the number of active tobacco users and people exposed to it indirectly has led to a substantial reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in many countries.
Proposed Intervention
An alternative to the classic smoking cessation strategy can be a harm reduction strategy that has been actively developed in recent years. This approach includes the development of alternative (mainly technological) methods of tobacco use, which are positioned as safer for the smokers themselves and their environment. These devices’ primary target audience is young people who have recently started smoking (Ashcroft & Langley, 2020). However, under the Tobacco Control Act, all products containing tobacco must undergo a mandatory risk assessment.
Conclusion
Medical science and epidemiology are increasingly drawing the attention of the public and states to the dangers of active and passive smoking. Classical measures include government regulation, tax policies, and social initiatives. They certainly contribute to the positive dynamics in this matter but still face particular difficulties. New, more technologically advanced tobacco harm reduction measures are also proliferating. The combination of the strengths of the proven and alternative approach can further increase the effectiveness of the fight against this dangerous epidemic.
References
Ashcroft, R. E., & Langley, T. (2020). Ethics and harm reduction approaches in tobacco control. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 23(1), 1–2. Web.
FDA. (2020). Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act – An Overview. U.S. Food & Drugs Administration. Web.
Peruga, A., López, M. J., Martinez, C., & Fernández, E. (2021). Tobacco control policies in the 21st century: Achievements and open challenges. Molecular Oncology, 15(3), 744–752. Web.