Africa has relatively low tobacco use prevalence rates. But it has the fastest increasing prevalence rates. They’re low compared to China, where 60 percent of the men smoke, but they’re going up faster than anywhere in the world. We at the American Cancer Society are committed to doing tobacco control in Africa because here’s a chance to prevent an epidemic of disease that otherwise will happen.
The tobacco industry is rapaciously promoting its product in all areas of the world where prevalence rates are low. So we’re targeting Africa and we need to get on the ground with prevention programs before it’s too late. It’s a lot easier to prevent people from starting ever to smoke than it is to get them to quit because it’s so addictive. Here’s an opportunity to get dramatic results and that is to prevent what has become the single largest cause of preventable death in the world: addiction to tobacco.
How might you go about doing that in Africa?
The number one thing that can be done in any part of Africa is to change current public policies. If every country in Africa would implement the protocols of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control they could get dramatic results.
What can be done, irrespective of the infrastructure [challenges], is they can insist on smoke-free areas, where no one has to be exposed to second-hand smoke, where they work and in public places. Number two – a ban on advertizing, especially to children. Number three – raising the tax on tobacco products so they are less affordable. This intervention is particularly good at keeping children from getting addicted.
These are things that can be done irrespective of economic development.
It doesn’t take a million dollars to implement these [policies]. It takes the courage to change existing practices and existing policies.
