Tobacco Control and Health Promotion Activities

Abstract

The use of tobacco is considered as one of the main risk factors for numerous chronic diseases, such as: lung diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. 4.9 million deaths per year worldwide are tobacco related, having an increasing trend that will lead to double death toll by 2020. WHO is one of the leading organizations in the world actively involved in the health promotion activities related to tobacco consumption reduction and tobacco control. In this regard WHO prepared the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) in 2003, enforced on February 27, 2005. Based on the FCTC the national tobacco control programs should be comprehensive, aiming to control the use of tobacco through various actions including legislation and pricing measures, prevention through education, communication, informative campaigns in order to raise the awareness on tobacco dangers, to prevent tobacco use initiation, to stimulate smoking cessation and to create smoke free environment. WHO recommends that health promotion program should incorporate activities on smoking cessation, smoke free environment, special activities for vulnerable groups such as youth and pregnant women and activities for prevention of initiation of tobacco use. These programs should be supported by the governments through multisectoral activities emphasizing economics and legislation issues. Tobacco smoking is a widespread and serious problem affecting the health of the population in Macedonia. The National Tobacco Control Strategy in R. Macedonia (2005-2010) incorporates legislative and economic measures, health promotion and education for prevention of initiation and smoking cessation, agricultural and environmental measures.