Most deaths caused by smoking are avoidable; the cancer and lung diseases caused by smoking are mostly preventable. Smoking is considered to be the most easily preventable cause of death in the world. Nicotine has an extremely addictive nature; it is almost as potent as cocaine and heroine. The WHO Classification of Diseases places nicotine addiction among mental and behavioral disorders.
In Jamaica, addiction to smoking is extremely widespread with many children starting to smoke actively before the age of 10. 15% of children aged 13 to 15 are smokers and they smoke actively at home. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey says that 50% of school aged children even if they are not smokers are exposed to some sort of tobacco smoke in public.
With all of this said, most smokers like myself already know this, by banning smoking from public places and other such places is not much of a solution to our problem and especially to that of a heavy smoker. The problems associated with heavy drugs haven't truly been solved through intensive banning which is probably applicable to nicotine addiction as well.
[Via: Jamaica Gleaner]
