Health professionals key in promoting smoking cessation

AORN Journal, May, 2004

Health care professional associations that represent nurses, physicians, pharmacists, dentists, midwives, and chiropractors from nearly every country have agreed to promote a new code of conduct that examines tangible ways to curb tobacco use, according to a Jan 30, 2004, news release from the World Health Organization (WHO). The associations vowed to increase and strengthen cessation programs and implement community education and advocacy programs.

Studies have shown that even brief counseling from health care professionals about the dangers of smoking is a cost-effective method of reducing tobacco use. In addition, health care professionals are being asked to lead by example by ceasing smoking and ensuring that their workplaces and public facilities are tobacco-free.

Many associations also have agreed to introduce tobacco control legislation on a national level and support their governments' ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). The FCTC sets standards on tobacco-related issues such as price, tax increases, illicit trade, labeling, advertising and sponsorship, and secondhand smoke. Since its adoption in May 2003, 87 countries and the European Community have signed the FCTC, and six countries have ratified it. The FCTC will become Law 90 days after 40 countries have signed and ratified it, and it will bind those countries to legislate according to its provisions.

Health Professionals to Promote a New Code of Conduct on Tobacco Control (news release, Geneva: World Health Organization, Jan 30, 2004) http://www.who.int/media centre/releases/2004/pr9/en/(accessed 2 Feb 2004).