Doctors demand smoking ban from one generation

Doctors demand a smoking ban for a whole generation

06/28/2014

Those born after 2000 are not allowed to buy cigarettes in the future. With this radical initiative, the British Medical Association (BMA) is currently causing a sensation. The doctors want to reach a completely smoke-free society by 2035.

Smoke-free society until 2035
The British Medical Association (BMA) is currently causing a stir. They want to reach a smoke-free society by the year 2035 and therefore all who were born after 2000 should not be allowed to buy cigarettes anymore. The medical association voted overwhelmingly in favor of the ban at its annual meeting, the British newspaper reported „The Guardian“ a few days ago. The scientific panel now wants to make strong that the government implements the anti-tobacco proposal.

E-cigarettes are counterproductive
In the debate of the BMA also the influence of e-cigarettes was analyzed. For some members of the Doctors Association, these are counterproductive because they do not help to eliminate the usual gestures and images associated with smoking. The deputy chairman of the BMA, Ram Moorthy, fears that steaming with e-cigarettes will stop smoking again „normal“ because many of the electronic glowsticks are similar in shape to tobacco cigarettes. Electric smoke is currently also a topic in German politics, only recently asked Federal Nutrition Minister Christian Schmidt (CSU), a ban on sales of minors and said that e-cigarettes and e-hookahs in children's hands and youth hands „nothing to look for“ to have.

80 percent of smokers start as teenagers
Following similar initiatives, the British Medical Association has already passed the smoking ban in all public places and the ban on smoking in the car when children are present. For the planned ban on smoking for an entire generation, the physicians are above all that smoking is not a rational decision that you meet in adulthood. Rather, 80 percent of smokers started as a teenager. A decisive role is played here by the large peer pressure of peers.

Criticism of planned ban
However, not all members of the Medical Association agree with the extension of the prohibition zone. Some fear the emergence of a black market, which could possibly be more dangerous than the legal sale. Others say that a tobacco ban would also require the banning of alcohol and some consider the ban to be a sign of intolerance. A smoking advocacy group and the Tobacco Industry Association had called for the strengthening of existing anti-smoking laws before the vote. Simon Clark of the Interest Group called the proposed ban loud „The Guardian“ when „arbitrary, unenforceable and completely intolerant“.

Early smoking increases risk for typical smoker cancers
Tim Crocker-Buque, a public health specialist, pointed out, according to the newspaper, that people who start smoking at the age of 15 are three times more likely to develop smoker-type cancers than those who first start smoking Start smoking in the middle of 20 However, there are many more good reasons for not smoking. The uptake of tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide and other pollutants via the lungs has long been considered the trigger for many diseases. In addition to the increased risk of some cancers include severe respiratory problems such as asthma, chronic bronchitis or smoker's cough. Smoking is also considered a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. (Ad)