Of Skiers, Smokers And Amelioration Of The World

Abstract

Dear Colleagues, From passive-sports point of view, football (soccer) is number 1 sport in Austria. Unfortunately, Austrian national football team is anything but well known for playing football, and honestly, from time to time I thought about starting a public opinion poll to abolish national Austrian football team. However, we (the Austrians) are doing our best to compensate for this annoyance, and in fact we found things that we are really good in: SKIING. Yes, Austrians are definitely number one in world. – at least for moment.... Only recently, it seems that we have also managed to become European champions with ambitions to truly become world champions in another thing: SMOKING. According to World Health Organization (WHO), Austria has reached 47% smokers in adult population and a horrific 31.5% smokers among youngsters http://data.euro.who.int/?TabID=2404. Years and years of hard work doing nothing but leaving field to tobacco industry, finally enabled Austrian politicians and population to achieve this goal. In summary, Austria is probably worst example among developed countries concerning anti-smoking campaigning, protection of non-smokers from passive smoking, and preventing people from starting smoking as well as helping people to quit smoking. In vast contrast, a number of countries like USA and Sweden have made excellent progress in protecting non-smokers, and in reducing smoking prevalence in their population below 20%. However, as you all know situation in world and especially among poor and young is becoming worse. Still, in view of many scientists smoking is the most preventable risk factor for diseases like cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Although this may be true from a theoretical point of view, statistics of World Health Organisation tell a different story, estimating that by 2020 smoking will become largest single health problem in world, causing 8.4 million deaths a year. Why should reducing number of smokers be easier compared to reducing number of people suffering from obesity? Of course there is no sense in charging up one health problem against another, but we have to face truth that smoking is not easily preventable. Without doubt, a lot of preventive strategies and quitting programs are successful and smoking prevention should and will clearly stay number one in fight against tobacco addiction and diseases. I am convinced that in end, only tool that may completely solve problem in future is prevention, but facing up to WHO statistics for a moment, we have to think about additional strategies. E.g.: In past, carcinogenic potential of smoke and smoke chemicals has been analysed in great detail – this knowledge could now be used to generate a less harmful cigarette. Of course we do not need less harmful in public mind but we should think about extending research efforts on reducing deleterious health effects of smoke, to counteract expected increase in incidence of smoking caused diseases. Having goal of a tobacco free society in our minds, we must not forget that humans are suffering from tobacco caused diseases now, tomorrow and also in next decades, which can in part be prevented by reducing toxicity of smoke. I am aware that this is a very controversial issue, and that only recently tobacco industry has claimed to bring healthier to market, which is without doubt a primitive tobacco commercial. Although, I am not completely sure if it would be advantageous to have a real less harmful cigarette (loss of determent), I am sure that leaving toxicity of cigarettes as it is will cause a lot of morbidity and mortality. With this article, I would like to start a discussion on following issue: Why shouldn't it make sense to intensify efforts to reduce number of active and passive smokers AND reduce toxicity of smoke?