Vienna: 30% of the estimated 2.3 million smokers in Austria are considered to
be heavily tobacco-dependent and, according to experts at MedUni
Vienna, require professional treatment. This would mean around 690,000
people. According to Michael Kunze, an expert on smoking at the Center
for Public Health at MedUni Vienna, an effective strategy would be to
increase the price of tobacco products: "If the price of cigarettes were
to rise just one percent above the inflation rate, that would bring
about a 0.5% reduction in consumption worldwide."
“At MedUni
Vienna we were among the first to suggest solving this problem via a
pricing strategy and to provide scientific evidence to back this up,"
explains Kunze on the occasion of World No Smoking Day this coming
Sunday (31 May). However, this strategy would only make sense if it were
to be implemented throughout Europe or within the European Union (EU). A
cohesive policy is required because, at the moment, the completely
different pricing policies in the various EU countries are getting in
the way.
Making effective nicotine replacement treatments more accessible
At
the same time, the social medicine experts at MedUni Vienna are calling
for an effective programme of nicotine replacement therapy, similar to
the methadone programme for heroin addicts. Although treatment options
are available, they bear the stigma of being a drug treatment. "Many
smokers say they do not want to take drugs, because they do not feel
ill. If the replacement therapies were available without prescription,
in pharmacies for example, the programme would work much better,"
stresses Kunze, citing the example of the Swedish programme with the
air-dried chewing tobacco “Snus", whereby the nicotine finds its way
into the bloodstream via the oral mucosa.
“Snus” is less
damaging to health because it does not give rise to any toxins, such as
those produced by burning tobacco during smoking. Kunze: "The prevalence
of lung cancer has dropped by 50% in Sweden as a result." International
studies have shown that consuming smokeless tobacco is up to 95% less
harmful than smoking. However, with the exception of Sweden, the
commercial sale of “Snus" is banned in the EU, even though it is not
illegal to buy it, if you are aged 18 or over.
Smoking cessation brings benefits after only a few days
The
possible negative consequences of long-term tobacco consumption are
clearly evidenced: tobacco consumption is the single biggest cause of
illness and premature death in Europe: around 90% of deaths from lung
cancer are caused by smoking and the same applies to 75% of deaths from
chronic bronchitis and other respiratory diseases. Moreover, cigarette
smoking is implicated in the development of pancreatic, kidney and
cervical cancer.
It has also been proven that positive effects
can occur very soon after quitting: "Even just a few days after the last
cigarette, the risk of cardiovascular disease falls rapidly. Smoking
practically constitutes carbon monoxide poisoning so, if you stop, you
stop poisoning yourself," says Kunze. However, the cancer risk remains
elevated for many years afterwards.