SCOPH’s Smoking Awareness Team has been giving preventative talks to secondary schools for years, targeting adolescents from Form 1 to Form 3.

One of the main setbacks to any preventative effort, is says, is the fact that as soon as these teenagers start frequenting discos and bars, they are inevitably exposed to tobacco fumes and the smoking culture that produces them.

Despite being well-educated about the dangers of tobacco, many still end up adopting the habit themselves, and even if they do not, they are exposed to the medically-proven adverse effects of passive smoking. It should also be kept in mind that some people simply cannot be near smokers – a case in point being certain asthmatics.

Banning smoking in public places is one of the most powerful ways to stop teenagers developing the smoking habit, so it is inevitable that the decision to delay the full implementation of the law was a great disappointment to SCOPH and the MMSA in general.

The great leap forward towards better public health that this nation was going to make has been limited, quite unjustifiably, to just a small step. The MMSA said that what it finds even more disappointing is that there are organisations in Malta that support unhealthy policies.

The MMSA is reinforcing its belief in the viability of entertainment in a completely smoke-free environment by taking the initiative to organise the first ever smoke-free students’ party. Preparations for this party have already started and details regarding the date and location will soon be released.

The organisers are confident that the party will be a success and trust that the entertainment industry will open its eyes to the viability of a smoke-free party scene in Malta.

Despite this setback, the MMSA has recognised that the country is moving in the right direction, as the new law will undoubtedly aid preventative efforts. It also hopes that the government will continue on this track, as there is still a lot more that can be done, such as raising the legal smoking age, banning tobacco companies from sponsoring sporting events and removing unattended cigarette vending machines from the community.

Such strong and direct measures will undoubtedly lead to a decrease in the number of teenagers who take the path towards tobacco dependence, which in the end will benefit society as a whole.