The habit of smoking is one of the most serious public health issues in modern human societies.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and many Scientific/Medical Associations, smoking is considered a serious chronic disease, and the smoker is viewed as a patient requiring frequent medical intervention.
Tobacco use is associated with a wide range of diseases and disabilities, resulting in decreased quality of life and high social costs, including medical care expenses and reduced economic productivity.
Smoking is harmful not only to smokers but also poses a significant health risk to passive smokers, as demonstrated as early as 1981 by Professor D. Trichopoulos.
Addictive smoking is the leading cause of early but preventable mortality in the developed world.
Smoking increases both the incidence and mortality rates of several serious diseases. The most common include:
- Coronary artery disease (heart attacks)
- Cancer (lung, larynx, bladder, etc.)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Cerebrovascular diseases (strokes)
It also increases infant mortality and causes fetal complications during pregnancy.
Each year, more than 19,000 Greeks die due to smoking.
For example, a 25-year-old who smokes one pack per day will live 4.6 years less than expected. If they smoke two packs per day, that number increases to 8.3 years less. Starting smoking at age 15 reduces life expectancy by 8 years, while starting at 25 results in a 4-year reduction.
Health professionals and citizens alike recognize that tackling smoking is a complex issue. Beyond the physical damage it causes to various systems of the body, smoking is a habit that is difficult to break. Therefore, developing strategies through international and interdisciplinary cooperation is necessary. The goal is to “treat” those who already smoke and discourage non-smokers from starting.
In Greece, child and adolescent smoking rates are low, in contrast to the disappointingly high rates among adults. However, smoking rates among 17–18-year-olds are among the highest in Europe. This highlights the importance of education and public health policy in preventing tobacco use, especially during adolescence. In Greece, young adults aged 18–22 tend to use tobacco products daily. These individuals should be discouraged from starting smoking.
The full ban on all tobacco product advertising and sponsorship is required from all parties within five years of ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Statistics show that a complete advertising ban leads to a reduction in the number of people who start or continue smoking. Banning tobacco advertising and sponsorship is also one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce tobacco demand and control the tobacco product market.
Health professionals can and must be at the forefront of the fight against smoking.
