While, one of the community intervention strategies are, increase in the unit price of tobacco increased to hinder teenagers from buying hence, decreased tobacco use initiation among them. Also, there are efforts to restrict access of tobacco for minors, aided by community support to stop teenage access to tobacco. Worksite / school health promotion has also been enhanced to enlighten the students on the effects of tobacco use (Myers, 2000).
Another strategy which might be employed is the use of other teenagers as behavior change agents amongst their peers. This is where; selected teenagers are trained to act as peer educators and anti-tobacco use ambassadors within their neighborhood's and at school. These peer educators are to be selected from different ethnic groups to deal with the cultural factors that might arise during the implementation. The county authority should support this strategy financially and in any other way possible. Some of the barriers that might be faced are like uncooperative in parents whose children have been selected.
Disparities and advocacy
Disparities arise from the different race in the neighborhoods, many teenagers and youths have formed racial groups with have led to breakdown of communication channels and unity among these communities, hence straining provision of health care services. Advocacy can only be achieved in schools and should start at an early age so that as they grow up, they do not discriminate their fellow teenagers on racial or ethnic basis.
Summary and conclusion
Tobacco use is nowadays one of the key contributing factors towards the present life threatening diseases all over the world. The targeted groups who use tobacco products is changing over the years from the elderly to teenagers. Therefore, all efforts made towards reducing and even stopping its use should be channeled towards stopping its initial use. All the efforts made towards reducing its use can only bare fruits if there is political will and acceptance among the people. Everybody from parents, community and the law...
More efforts should be made, from advancement in medical technologies so as to come up with vaccines which will prevent the incidence of some of these killer diseases, to stopping tobacco's production and initial use by having a universally acceptable regulation worldwide.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health. Reducing tobacco use: A report of the Surgeon General. (2000). Atlanta: CDC Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2000/index.htm.
Colby, S.M., Tiffany, S.T., & Shiffman, S. (2000). Are adolescent smokers dependent on nicotine? A review of the evidence. Drug and Alcohol Dependence 59, S83 -- S95.
Derek Yach, & Douglas Bettcher. (2000). Globalisation of Tobacco Industry Influence and New Global Responses. Tobacco Control, 9(2), 206-216
Myers, M.G., Brown, S.A., & Kelly, J.F.A. (2000). smoking intervention for substance abusing adolescents: Outcomes, predictors of cessation attempts, and post-treatment substance use. Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse 9, 77 -- 91.
Oklahoma State Department of Health, Tobacco Use Prevention Services. (2010) Retrieved 16, November, 2011, from www.ok.gov/health
Stanhope, Marcia & Jeanette Lancaster, (2010). Foundations of Nursing in the Community: Community-Oriented Practice. 3. VitalSource Bookshelf. Mosby, 092009, Accessed on Wednesday, November 23, 2011.
