SMOKING VERSUS OTHER HUMANITY'S GLOBAL PROBLEMS
About forty years ago the global anti-smoking campaign was launched throughout the world. As part of it, warning labels have become strict law requirements on every tobacco product since 1964. A ban on all cigarette advertising on TV took effect on January 2, 1971 in USA. Finally, a great number of most developed countries have enacted bans on smoking in public places or workplaces since the early 2000s.
The background of these measures is obvious. However, governments, social anti-smoking organizations, medicine institutions, paying so much attention to the harm of tobacco, seem to ignore other humanity's global problems, which are not less serious and often lead to higher mortality rates.
Weakening of the immune system and low stress resistance, environmental pollution, chemical food additives and preservatives turned into a common part of our every day life.
Fast food has taken over healthy nutrition, getting children addicted to the gas water, fat hamburgers, French fries, sweet cookies and chips which share only one motto – the more you eat, the more you want. The food industry is using cutting edge technologies not for improving the quality of the food we consume, but to gain higher profits. Finding natural products on the market shelves today is next to impossible. Still, no actions are intended to be taken in regards with fast food advertising banning, so far.
Although environmental pollution has become an issue of serious international concern, the measures which have been taken up to now, didn't improve the situation drastically. Cities require and use large quantities of energy and materials, metabolizing them and generating large amounts of waste products and pollutants, resulting in unsustainable environments that adversely affect ecological integrity, human health and well-being.
The situation with the immune system and stress resistance is not better. Modern life sets incredibly high requirements for the society. It resembles the biggest race of the mankind. Not everyone can cope with such rhythms. It creates nervous break-downs and deep depressions. The latter, as a result, leads to the weakening of the immune system – creating a fertile ground for diseases.
Although according to the statistics, the life expectancy rate has increased with 4,5 years since 1960 in USA, reaching 73,1 years for women in 1960 and 77,7 years in 2006, this index could be much higher, considering the significant progress in medicine during these 45 years.
Undoubtedly, the strict smoking restrictions are the important and essential steps in the national health care movement. But focusing on it, do not forget about the other burning problems, as their negative impact on our health is becoming more and more serious.
