Smoking Cessation
Efforts Around The World

If the first Europeans who came to the North American continent had taken any lessons from the early native peoples who were already on the continent, there might have never been smoking addictions, and no talk of smoking cessation efforts. Early ceremonies were held with offerings of a ceremonial pipe, and other than occasionally using it for commerce, that was the only time they smoked it.

Once it got to Europe, all bets were off. Europeans loved tobacco, and they liked how it made them feel. They also used it for pain relief from syphilis, which was rampant at that time. However, as it began to spread into other countries throughout Europe, Asia and Africa, they began to realize it was also addictive, and some countries even made using it punishable by death.

It is estimated that more than 1.1 billion people smoke regularly across the world. Some of the statistics are staggering; here are some of them, as of 1999:

• 30% of adults worldwide are regular smokers


• 53% of tenth grade boys in Moscow smoke


• 37% of all Carribean men smoke


• 60% of all men in Spain smoke; 53% of women physicians in Spain smoke


• 73% of all Vietnamese men smoke


• Not one U.S. state approaches the smoking levels of any country


• About half of all men in developing countries smoke


• In China, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and the Republic of Korea, 60% to 70% of all men smoke


• In Russia, 2/3rds of all men smoke, the highest rate in the world

With statistics like this, it's no wonder that health organizations around the world are trying to employ smoking cessation, especially since we know the health dangers associated with smoking. One event taking place to help bring awareness to this issue is World No Tobacco Day, which will take place on 31 May 2009 and is sponsored by the World Health Organization. The WHO will encourage governments to adopt tobacco health warnings that meet criteria for maximal effectiveness, as well as encouraging some of those warnings to include pictures; that may be a bit over the top.

Or maybe not. In a 2004 report, they came up with estimates showing that the numbers of smoking related deaths could jump at much as 500% by 2050 from 2000 figures, an astounding number that shows their belief that what's occurred to date hasn't been working. They support raising taxes on cigarettes at least 10%, as studies have shown that, at least overseas, that seems to be the best smoking cessation process they have.

The WHO is also working with countries to establish more treatment centers staffed with qualified psychiatrists. Many American companies have started marketing their smoking cessation products in countries such as India, and are seeing some very positive numbers, as those same sales figures decrease in the United States under both more scrutiny of the products and fewer American smokers.

Economically, it also seems to make sense. Most European nations have some form of socialized medicine, and it's been shown that smoking cessation is the least expensive form of health care, with some of the most established benefits if smokers actually quit smoking.

Smoking is a world problem, and the world is responding by trying to come up with ways to get most of it into smoking cessation programs. The world could be a much healthier place if they can get beyond this particular addiction.

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