Smoking has
been one of the major issues that has occupied the minds of the medical
profession for the past four decades. Until the 1960s, there was no clearly
detailed understanding alerting the nations of the consequences of smoking on
the lives of individuals, and its impact on society as a whole. This in return
has transformed the issue from one of individual and consumer choice, to one of
epidemiology, public health, and risk for smokers and non-smokers alike.
More than 8
million lives has been saved since the anti-smoking campaign started in 1964 in
US, not counting the effect it has had in other countries. Now this is a huge
number as it shows an average of 160 000 lives per year over the fifty years in review. This is in contrast to the number of smokers recorded nationwide in some countries especially Bangladesh, Russia, Indonesia and China helping increase the global
population of people who smoke to close 1billion in 2012. Perhaps it could have
been double this number if anti-smoking campaigns did not take place recording significant success stories in different continents across the globe.
According to a number of studies
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the
anti-smoking measures implemented in the U.S. following the 1964 report from
then-Surgeon General Luther Terry that outlined the deadly consequences of
tobacco consumption, has managed to save nearly 8 million of lives and a total
of 157 million years of life. Terry’s report, which called for stringent
measures to curb smoking habits among people, had sparked a massive campaign
aided by tax increases, smoking restrictions and bans in public places among
other measures.
It is encouraging to know that there
has been a steady progress over the past century, as now, a 40-year-old man can
expect on average to live 7.8 years longer than he would have in 1964, and 30
percent of that improvement can be attributed to tobacco control. The gains for
women have been slightly less, 5.4 years, but tobacco control accounts for 29
percent of that benefit," stated Theodore R. Holford, the lead author of
the study.
Although there were increases in
number of cigarettes consumed and global number of smokers over the past five
decades, the researchers noted that global smoking prevalence and the number of
smokers in proportion to the total population has declined.
While these countries celebrate this
achievement, it is disturbing to know that the number of people who smoke in
developing countries like Nigeria and other low and middle-income countries has
increased over time, offsetting the progress made in countries such as the
U.S., Canada, Iceland and Mexico, where smoking prevalence has decreased by
nearly 50 percent.
As the overall number of
smokers worldwide is still rising, this study shows how important it is for all
countries to implement a range of tobacco control measures to curb the terrible and yet deadly toll of tobacco-related illness and death.
Therefore we urge all Nigerians at home and abroad to support our cause and join us
in making this strong appeal for both chambers of the National Assembly to pass comprehensive tobacco control legislation that is enforced across the country NOW that the President signs into law speedily!
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