It was very good news that the European Parliament is finally set to approve the new Tobacco Directive, tightening the rules against tobacco smoking. Tobacco smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in Western countries! Governments spend billions in health care services paying for the damage tobacco and its smoke cause to peoples’ health.

Tobacco smoke does cause cancer, but cancer is not the only – or even the very worst – thing that it may cause. It causes increased atherosclerosis leading to the blockage of all body arteries especially important in the brain, heart and peripheries. This leads to an increase in strokes, heart disease such as infarctions, and amputations of the limbs, due to peripheral vascular disease. It also causes the lung tissue to atrophy, leading to so-called emphysema resulting in shortness of breath, and also blocks the bronchial airways leading to the lung spaces, by causing a chronic inflammation of the airways, a sort of self-induced asthma called chronic bronchitis. The problem is that second-hand smoke from other smokers may also cause some of this damage in people who do not smoke. It may also induce asthma in others.

If proof was ever needed in Malta of the damage caused by smoking, a quick look at the statistics of lung cancer in Malta reveal that the proportion of men to women with lung cancer is six is to one. Six times more men than women develop cancer of the lungs in Malta. This figure is ascribable to two factors. First, that many more men than women smoke and, second, that more men are exposed to occupational carcinogens, such as asbestos, than women. Women who smoke also pass on many of the toxic effects of cigarettes to their foetuses, effects that are long lasting.

Many people do not take this threat seriously enough, as there is a high level of social acceptability of smoking. Unfortunately, by the time the effects of smoking become visible in many individuals, it is too late to do anything very effective about it! The problem is worse in social classes IV and V (semi-skilled and unskilled labour) as they are often more peer-prejudiced and sceptical against stopping and find it more difficult to understand the implications of their actions in choosing to smoke, because of their overall lack of education. It is important that any ‘stop smoking’ messages are targeted in a more aggressive way towards these social categories.

It is good that the European Commission and the European Parliament have managed to move closer to taking this pan-European anti-smoking step. It takes resolve and an overall knowledge of the problem to slowly but solidly move the whole EU towards removing these ‘fags of death’ from mass peer acceptance. This is so especially working against the tobacco lobby, which has substantial financial and other resources at its disposal. 

The next time someone lights up, it will be easier to take a look at the written and pictorial warnings against smoking soon to be printed more prominently on cigarette packets throughout the EU. The battle against smoking is far from over. However, slowly but surely, the battle against this deadly choice is being won as the wheels turn against social and peer acceptability of this habit and vice.

Much still needs be done – in both Malta and in the EU. But it is good to know that the European institutions are aware of this and are working hand-in-hand with national governments in order to deal with the issue. If all the health problems from smoking were eliminated, it would make it that much easier to balance our ever-growing health budget and divert the resources required elsewhere. It would also be a nice present to our children.

Merry Christmas everyone and hang on in there all you non-smokers. And to all of you who do smoke, every dawn is a new beginning: it is not so difficult to quit and help is easily available. Try using the New Year for your non-smoking resolutions! I know many people who used to smoke three packs a day and who stopped overnight. Why not you next?

 

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