Over the past few decades many governments have been taking action in order to reduce the effects of tobacco on their populations, and its also apparent that in most of these countries tobacco usage has been declining.
So I was wondering if anyone has come across data suggesting which policies are the most successful and which countries have had the biggest decline in usage. Some policies I can think of are;
. High ‘sin’ taxes (universal)
. Education (hopefully universal)
. Banning tobacco advertising (widespread)
. Bans in public places (becoming more widespread)
. Warning labels (common)
. Graphic warning pictures (uncommon)
. Plain packaging to remove all branding (to come in to effect in Australia)
. No ‘displays’ cigarettes to be sold under the counter only (proposed in the UK)
Have any other policies been used that I haven’t heard of? And just as important is what the impact upon health outcomes have been.
I think the major arguments were due to the negative effects of second hand smoke, at least as phrased in the UK. Reducing smoking was a widely acknowledged secondary benefit, I don’t think making things more pleasant was widely articulated as a reason for legislation given the massive arguments over infringing on liberty etc.
This article from the Independent claims that over 2 billion fewer cigarettes were smoked as a result of the ban in the first year alone. In the same time period there was a drop of 5.5% of people smoking compared with 1.6% in the year before.
In addition a study claims that a 2.4% drop in heart attack admissions the year after the ban can be attributed to the ban. Which suggests that bans are a pretty effective way of countering the effects of smoking.
Sin taxes, moderate effectiveness. It convinces those on the edge of quitting to quit and the poor to quit. Can’t recall the source, but it pissed THIS smoker off royally. I’m still smoking, fuck them.
To be honest, I consider the warning label (ineffective) and graphic ads (highly effective in the UK and commonwealth states) and more conventional education quite effective.
Banning them in public places is a risk, a risk of rebellion. In many countries, not a biggie, in the US, we’re armed… BUT, the Tory states banned it all over the place, as the second amendment doesn’t exist in those states. Try it in Montana. Yes, many of us feel that way, if a TOTAL ban came into effect or we can’t smoke all frigging day in today’s high stress workplace.
Blank/vanilla/crap covered looking boxes don’t matter. As a hint, I smoke Lucky Strikes, the original ones with no filter. I’ve smoked them for 30 years. I’m still breathing, but am currently considering quitting due to the air quality at home, while I was away, the air quality wasn’t irritating. At home, HIGHLY irritating, largely due to ozone.
When they decided to go graphic on the cigarettes here, my wife and I laughed, as we were used to them abroad, but they DID have an impact for those ready to quit.
As for me, I smoke and enjoy it. It’s a stress reliever. Now, the question is, stress relief from a cigarette or killing the stress causer. Consider that I spent over 27 years in the US military and much of that was special operations. Hmmm, I know, you’d rather deny me my nicotine and introduce me to your mother in law, huh? Don’t work QUITE that way, she might win me over, then YOU are screwed.
Just remember, I have a gun and I’ll make you clean it!
It’s in front of the VFW and is horribly rusted…
The only two that really work IMHO are taxes, which price smoking out of range for many people, and make a major financial disincentive, and banning smoking in public places, which makes it hard to find a place to light up.
Everyone knows smoking is unhealthy, and ugly pictures, and more awareness is not needed, unless there is a tribe in the amazon who has just been given a carton of cigarettes.
I’m not alone in saying preachy crap makes me want to start smoking again just to piss off the preachy turds who honestly don’t think people know this - smoking is very bad for ones health.
As for white labels, hiding smokes under the counter and banning adverts, perhaps this helps with a few 12 year olds with utterly no media-savvy but most people see through media campaigns.
