Medical proposals to stop smoking in minors
The tobacco It is along with alcohol and bullying one of the enemies to fight on the part of society as far as youth is concerned. Curbing their consumption in adolescents and preventing them from starting an addiction is a battle that is fought every day. There are many problems that smokers face and especially at these ages when the body has not yet developed.
Therefore, from the Medical Association of Spain, WTO, and the General Council of Medical Officers' Associations, CNPT, have launched a series of proposals to the Government to stop the smoking in teenagers Advice with which it is tried to avoid that the young people begin in this consumption that so many consequences have in the long run.
Expansion of smoke-free spaces
WTO and CNPT describe the advances in health that have been achieved thanks to the entry into force of the Tobacco Law 28/2005. Thanks to her, it has been possible to change the conception of this product, previously considered a normal and socially accepted habit, and now it is seen by most as a problem. In addition, the reduction of exposure to fumes has reduced the number of passive smokers.
Even so, smoking remains a problem, especially in young people who start early in their consumption. That's not to mention the amount of passive smokers. For this reason, a series of councils based on the Framework Convention for the Control of Tobacco Use of the WHO, to which Spain subscribed in 2007, and which has the following proposals:
1. Ensure compliance with the Tobacco Law. Awareness should be raised about the importance of avoiding smoking in sensitive spaces such as the vicinity of schools or hospitals. At the same time, higher sanctions should be imposed on premises that allow access to these items to minors.
2. Expand smoke-free spaces. Smoke-free spaces should be extended to areas such as bus stops where a non-smoker can suck smoke from a third party, which is harmful in the case of children.
3. Legislate the electronic cigarette. The current legislation does not take into account electronic cigarettes, the gateway for many young people in smoking. The regulations must take these risks into account and act accordingly.
4. Increase the price of other products. The price of the pack of cigarettes is a barrier for many young people, however many opt for rolling tobacco because it is a cheaper alternative. Increasing the tax burden on them would be a good way to stop your purchase.
5. Start-up of campaigns against smoking. Schools must become spaces where campaigns against tobacco are constantly carried out, the educational authorities must assume the commitment of these conferences and ensure them at all levels of education.
6. Improve the attention to smokers. The health authorities should favor treatments against smoking to curb this dependence in smokers and put these therapies at the level of others such as the care of hypertensive people.
7. Prevention against cannabis. In some young people the gateway to smoking is cannabis. They start consuming this product and end up with cigarettes and developing an addiction to nicotine. Therefore, it should also be taken into account in awareness campaigns.
8. Neutral tobacco package. Cigarette packs have striking colors on some occasions and that attract attention, even with the violent images they carry. A proposed measure is that these containers are neutral in color to avoid this effect.
Damián Montero
