Avoidance of direct and indirect exposure
to tobacco smoke is of primary importance not only for healthier lungs, but as a
preventative measure for the other priority NCDs: cardiovascular disease, cancer, and
diabetes. Tobacco control policies aim to reduce tobacco consumption, reduce
non-smokers' exposure to tobacco smoke, and prevent tobacco uptake.
Legislative strategies, which are proven to be supportive of anti-tobacco policy, include:
- prohibition of the sale or advertisement targeting of tobacco to
minors and pregnant women
- Increasing taxation on tobacco products and ending subsidies
- agricultural incentives to replace the production of tobacco with
other cash crops
- economic incentives to replace tobacco related employment that may be
lost with other job opportunities
- legislated tobacco-free zones, work places and public buildings such
as hospitals, schools, airports, shopping areas, restaurants
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Those at greatest risk would be current
smokers, pregnant women, small children, young girls and groups targeted by the tobacco
industry in advertising campaigns. For these at-risk populations, awareness building about
the consequences to their health and that of their children, significant others and
colleagues is of particular importance, together with strategies for avoidance. Groups
comprised of similar constituencies must be co-opted to relay these health messages
- Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, paediatricians
- Day care providers
- Educators
- Sports groups
- Teen idols
- Owners of establishments frequented by children
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Providing
treatment/services for smoking cessation is the single most cost-effective strategy for
preventing or delaying the progression of CRDs. Smoking cessation services include but are
not limited to the following:
- frequent health care provider reminders to smokers to quit and
charting of smoking status on all patients
- cessation counselling face to face or by telephone
- pharmacotherapy
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