Social media platforms have policies prohibiting the promotion of tobacco products, including vaping. But these policies are routinely violated, with little or no consequences.
It’s often said if cigarettes were invented tomorrow, and we knew now what we didn’t know then, they would be banned outright. But vaping is showing us we’re repeating the same mistakes.
In places around the world that lack restrictions to combat the problem, tobacco companies are using marketing strategies aimed at children, like displaying tobacco products at kids’ eye level.
Globally, about 1 million deaths annually are related to exposure to second-hand smoke. Thirteen African countries have implemented comprehensive smoke-free bans.
The World Trade Organisation has thrown out the final legal challenge to Australia’s tobacco plain packaging laws. Now countries across the world can implement this game-changing public health policy.
According to the estimates by the World Health Organisation, Africa is one of two regions – along with the Eastern Mediterranean region – where smoking rates are on the rise.
Coronavirus has necessitated a global public health response. But what does ‘public health’ actually mean? Three key examples give us an idea of what public health looks like in action.