The role of religion in tobacco control interventions.

Abstract

The systematic study of the relevance of religion and spirituality to health is urgently needed. Public health advocates must join with other sectors to advance knowledge in this field and improve its use in support of health for all. This does not mean, however, that religion-related health campaigns should cease until such studies are completed: both should advance in parallel to change the social acceptance of harmful behaviours such as tobacco use. In connection with the paper in this issue by Samer Jabbour & Fouad Mohammad Fouad (pp. 923-927), the following points need to be made concerning WHO's part in religion-based tobacco interventions. The origin can be found in the resolution passed by the Thirty-seventh World Health Assembly, in 1984, which called upon WHO Member States to include a spiritual dimension in their health strategies based on their social and cultural patterns (1). The link between religion and tobacco was not initiated by the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO). it began as early as 1602, when a fatwa was issued in Morocco completely prohibiting the use of tobacco; 19 similar edicts followed (2). At the present time there is no doubt about the negative health consequences of tobacco use. All religions, with the well-being of humans at heart, are in a position to show disfavour with tobacco use, if not to prohibit it totally (3). EMRO supports its Member States in this field, when requested. A prime example is the Saudi Arabian Tobacco-Free Mecca and Medina initiative: EMRO nominated the two cities for the global Tobacco-Free Cities project, launched in 2002, after the Saudi Arabian authorities took steps towards restricting the use of tobacco in the area of the two holy mosques. A similar situation occurred with the mass distribution of the fatwa in Egypt, at the Ministry of Health and Population's request. EMRO published Islamic ruling on smoking, in 1988, which included the views of Islamic scholars, and the Christian view of tobacco use. The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific (WPRO) has also supported religion-related events. The first was the international Seminar and Exhibition on Tobacco or Health, held in Brunei Darussalam in July 2002, whose main focus was to discuss the Islamic perspective on tobacco use. The second, held in Cambodia, was on Buddhism and tobacco (4). It is clear from documents of the tobacco industry that religion-based tobacco control activities are seen as a threat. Such activities should therefore be considered by public health advocates as a promising component of tobacco control (5). Behaviour, especially addiction-associated behaviour, cannot be changed in the span of a few years: it requires dedicated action and time. …