Every May 31, the World Health Organisation celebrates World No Tobacco Day, highlighting the health risks associated with tobacco use and calling for effective policies to reduce tobacco use which is the single most important cause of preventable death globally, currently killing one in 10 adults.
The goal of the day is to contribute to protecting current and future generations from not only devastating health consequences, but also from the social, environmental and economic ills of tobacco use and exposure to smoke.
Bahrain launched a comprehensive anti-smoking campaign involving a multi-faceted approach that combines public awareness, legislative action and support services for those seeking to quit smoking.
Public awareness is an essential pillar of the initiative, as a comprehensive educational programme has been designed to inform citizens of the dangers of smoking and the benefits of kicking the habit. Through TV ads, social media outreach and community workshops, the campaign seeks to reach all age groups. Health officials also emphasise the relationship between smoking and serious health problems such as lung cancer, heart disease and respiratory diseases.
Bahrain also introduced strict anti-tobacco laws including raising taxes on tobacco products, banning smoking in public places and imposing strict restrictions on advertising. The government is also considering plain packaging laws to reduce the appeal of tobacco products, especially among young people.
Cultivating a culture of abstinence from smoking takes a long time and hard work. When we talk about the cultures of other nations, we must be aware that this did not happen in a vacuum or without effort, study and serious and sustained work.
The success of the campaign depends largely on community participation. Schools, workplaces and local organisations are encouraged to promote smoke-free environments and support smoking cessation efforts.
The government has done a good job in terms of drafting legislation and laws, but the Health Ministry must activate and translate them into reality by setting a clear roadmap for the year, as this requires exceptional and persistent efforts to intensify awareness programmes through all means of communication.
It is not enough to announce that Bahrain celebrates World No Tobacco Day. We need permanent and active working teams which are given full authority to implement the required awareness projects and programmes, while a budget is allocated for the work. The private sector could be involved in awareness programmes as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy.
Based on my long experience, many charitable and civil society organisations lack the principles and methods of charitable and social work and knowledge of how to market their programmes.
I am certain that the results will definitely be positive if we implement the plans and programmes in a professional manner, and with honesty, seriousness and teamwork.
I urge all charitable and civil society organisations to work with the relevant government agencies to achieve the desired goals. Most of such entities do not perform their role correctly; they are sham societies, unfortunately.
The management of these associations are in deep sleep, and the Social Development Ministry does not want to set specific and clear standards and conditions for them to fulfil their role, nor is it even interested in monitoring their performance.
&uuid=(email))