Public Health Achievements Tobacco Use Smoking Reductions

Smoking and Health Changes in Society

The rising cost of healthcare continues to be one of the most important contemporary social issues in the United States. Among other things, a focus on the importance of preventative medicine will be necessary to make meaningful improvements to American healthcare and to the overall health of the American population. Smoking cessation will necessarily play a crucial role that respect, because of the magnitude of the harms to society. Accomplishing that on a meaningful level will require a fully integrated approach that encompasses, legislative changes, increased regulation of the tobacco industry, community education, and, of course, a fundamental emphasis of smoking cessation throughout the healthcare community.

The Magnitude of Social Harm Caused by Smoking

In the U.S. alone, smoking-related illness is directly responsible for approximately 400,000 preventable premature deaths from disease every year. That is more than the number of deaths from illicit drug use, violent crime, and vehicular accidents combined. In addition to the preventable deaths caused by smoking, there are tremendous economic harms such as the billions of dollars spent annually treating the medical ailments attributable to smoking and the billions of dollars lost in the form of employee absenteeism for smoking-related illness and the aggravation of symptoms of other health issues caused by smoking. Smoking also reduces work productivity because it accounts for wasted work time and the reduction in work productivity in the form of constant smoking breaks taken by smokers in the vocational setting.

Finally, smoking is a legitimate health risk that threatens nonsmokers as well through second-hand smoke and even third-hand smoke. Second-hand smoking refers to the unintentional inhalation of tobacco smoke by nonsmokers in the vicinity of smokers. It is responsible for thousands of premature deaths and many more thousands of second-hand smoking-related illnesses in nonsmokers. Third-hand smoke refers to the microscopic residue left by tobacco smoke in fabrics and other materials, such as curtains and clothing. According to recent research, third-hand smoking is also a significant source of human disease, particularly in connection with childhood asthma and other respiratory problems among children living in the home of smoking parents.

The Comprehensive Legislative, Regulatory, and Healthcare Approach

Smoking-related disease and death have both declined substantially in the U.S. because of the proven effectiveness of legislation such as prohibition of smoking in the workplace and in bars, restaurants, public transportation, and many types of public areas. The evidence also demonstrates a direct reduction in smoking that has been achieved through the use of taxation to increase the price of smoking products. In 2009, President Obama signed important legislation finally bringing tobacco products under the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).