In relation to other nations, the public health in U.S. is still under evolution to ensure that its citizens remain to be in good state of health. The government’s effort to reduce smoking has proved to be integral in curbing the hazards related to tobacco use such as hypertension, cancer as well as heart diseases (Fielding, Teutsch & Breslow, 2010). Nonetheless, a change in public policy would be integral in addressing the issue surrounding smoking in the future. This may involve setting policies that tend to limit tobacco advertisements on radios and televisions, which often support smoking behaviors. A move that will see such broadcasts being banned will be essential in reducing the number of individuals who are lured into such practices.
In other words, all forms of media that are used to advertise cigarettes including billboards ought to be banned. This move will restrict the sales and marketing of tobacco products. In addition, policies -be it indoors or outdoors- need to be set that will favor nonsmokers as opposed to the smokers (CDC, 2014). Smoking ought to be entirely prohibited in all common places including inside the airplanes. Such restrictions also need to be transferred to homes to prevent the adults from introducing teens to such habits. The policies should also aim at prohibiting smoking in both government and private working places (CDC, 2014). In so doing, the health of the nonsmokers will remain to be intact, whereas the groups of individuals who are likely to be convinced to start to smoke will also be reduced significantly.
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Apparently, the government can also reduce smoking by raising both the federal and state taxes on tobacco products. Research has revealed that price is inversely proportional to demand. This implies that an increase in price leads to a decrease in demand. With tobacco products, an increase of 40% was found to reduce the demand for cigarettes by 21% (Ahmad & Franz, 2008). The reduction might be as a result of individuals lowering the consumption of the product or surrendering their smoking habits. Various studies have also revealed that low-income individuals will shun from their smoking habits owing to an increase in prices of the product (Ahmad & Franz, 2008). Concisely, the U.S. government can curb the prevalence of tobacco if it implements fully the policies discussed herein. The future generation is a significant investment in any country, and therefore, their health must be safeguarded against any bad influence, like smoking.
References
Ahmad, S. & Franz, G. A. (2008). Raising Taxes to Reduce Smoking Prevalence in the US: a Simulation of the Anticipated Health and Economic Impacts. Public health , 122(1), 3-10.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2014). Smoke-free Policies Improve Health: Smoking and Tobacco Use. U.S. department of Health & Human Services . Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/protection/improve_health/.
Fielding, J. E., Teutsch, S. & Breslow, L. (2010). A Framework for Public Health in the United States. Public Health Reviews . 32:174-189. Retrieved from http://www.publichealthreviews.eu/show/f/25.
