A Critical Role in Deterring Smoking Both in the US and in the UK - Research Paper Example

The public view on smoking has changed during the previous two to three decades during which smokers have become social pariahs. This is because most countries have increased awareness on the health concerns that come as a result of smoking that include but not limited to certain cancers. To show seriousness on smoking, several governments including the U.S and the U.K have resulted to banning the behaviour in the quest to reduce the number of smokers especially in the public. The main reasoning behind the ban is that the non-smoking public is put in danger by the smoking portion through passive smoking. This causes health problems among the non-smokers. This move has been beneficial in several ways such as deterring the behaviour of smoking. For instance, the U.K has seen a substantial reduction in the number of smokers. The quest to raise awareness on the seriousness of smoking has resulted to smokers in U.S and U.K being viewed as social pariahs, which is in contrary to Hong Kong although all countries have experienced substantial reduction in the number of smokers. Particularly, according to statistical data, the number of adult smokers in the U.K went down by approximately one million between 2006 and 2007 (Easton, 2009). However, contrary to this observation, the number of heavy smokers has increased to 29% from 24% during the same period and those who planned to quit reduced by approximately 5% from 72% (Easton, 2009). The fall represents an estimated 1.2 million people. The U.K also required the manufacturers to print health warnings on the cigarette packs in the attempt to deter people from smoking. According to the most recent statistics, the U.K has 22% and 19% male and female smokers respectively. Although the U.K has approximately 10 million smokers, there are 15 million ex-smokers indicating that the ban has been effective (Smoking Statistics, 2013). Nevertheless, the U.K has been receiving some troubling news concerning the number of children starting smoking, which stood at 200,000 annually (Cancer Research UK, 2013). On the other hand, the U.S has more smokers than the U.K. According to a 2012 statistic, the U.S has at least 42 million smokers, which represents 18.1% of the overall population (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014a, p. 30-32). This number comprises of adults alone or individuals with at least 18 years of age. Of the overall U.S smokers, 78% were heavy smokers. According to race, the American Indians led the smokers with 21% and the behaviour is more common among the males than females with males taking on almost 21% while females represent 15.8% (Cigarette Smoking in the United States, 2014). Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable deaths both in the U.K and in U.S where the former spends an approximated £2.7 billion in healthcare and incurs £2.5 billion in lost productivity and sick leaves. The latter spends at least $133 billion in medical care and $156 billion lost due to productivity loss (Cigarette Smoking in the United States, 2014). This also leads to lost productivity for second hand exposure to smoking that costs the U.S up to $5.6 billion in lost productivity. It is worth noting that globally, tobacco smoking leads to approximately 5 million deaths annually, which is expected to increase to 8 million annually by 2030 if the current trends continue (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014b). The U.S alone accounts for 480,000 deaths annually from smokers and 41,000 deaths for non-smokers. Although smoking has reduced in the U.S over a period of 7 years beginning 2005, this represents a percentage of 2%. For reasons that include these statistical estimates, most governments have resulted to passing laws and commenced campaigns that have led to smokers being viewed as pariahs and being exposed to stigmatization (Stuber et al., 2009, p. 587). While only one U.S state had passed laws banning smoking in public areas in 1975, by 2011, this number had changed to at least 50 states that have warned the public against smoking and banning it in public (Badger, 2013). This has changed the perception of the public with respect to smokers and the overall behaviour of smoking making them appear as society rejects. This has been accomplished through advertising and increasing awareness on smoking and its effects such as heart problems, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and lung problems. Although smoking was being treated as a social norm in the past, efforts to fight it have not only led to a reduction in the number of smokers but also stereotyped the smokers. The change of the social habit into a health threat and one of the worst behaviours that people are struggling to avoid and quit took place gradually as the society became aware of the need to create a healthier society for the coming generations. Originally, the anti-smoking campaigns were directed towards the smokers to enlighten them on the dangers that they would encounter if they continued the behaviour of smoking. However, in the contemporary world, most of the attention has been projected towards the smokers instead of smoking where the smokers claim that they are being treated as second-class citizens. This is because the anti-smoking campaigns not only focus on the health concerns but also the overall bodily cleanliness. Here, the campaigns indicate that the smokers have bad breath, lack bodily hygiene, have wrinkled skin, and cause smoking problems for non-smokers through passive smoking. These are some of the reasons that lead to stereotyping, as most non-smokers are avoiding association with smokers leading to the smokers forming associations between themselves. This leads to the smokers feeling somewhat shamed, which is one of the social issues that push the smokers into quitting. Although stereotyping is not advocated for, it has positive outcomes as the smokers are realizing the dangers involved as well as the problems that they may bring to the society that not only incorporate passive smoking but also reduction in productivity as they seek health care. To make tobacco more unattractive in spite of the economic benefits that governments derive from its continued usage, taxes on tobacco were raised. This is mostly because the revenues that are being realized from the taxes are being spent on medical services for the smokers and leading to more deaths. Therefore, the taxes are not leading to development but rectifications. Increasing it further would make tobacco unattractive although, in an unexpected twist, the largest number of smokers is those below the poverty level in U.S (Cigarette Smoking in the United States, 2014). In Hong Kong, the trend of reduction in smoking has been the same as U.S and U.K. According to a 2013 estimate, smoking prevalence for individuals above 15 years of age was 10.7%, which constitutes an approximated 645,000 people. This represents 19.1% males and just 3.1% of females (COSH, 2013). The number of female smokers presents one of the biggest differences between Hong Kong, U.S, and U.K as Hong Kong has the lowest number of female tobacco smokers. Overall, 63% of males in China smoke. A reduction in this behaviour has been seen in Hong Kong not only because of the 2007 ban by the government but also the increase in taxation on tobacco (Carney, 2013). Particularly, smoking for both genders has dropped to 11% from close to 42% in 1982. Although there has been a significant drop in the number of smokers in Hong Kong, this is not attributed to stereotyping as in the case of U.S and U.K. In fact, one of the main differences is censure, as most Hong Kong citizens do not care about the ban. This can be seen since smokers can continue with this behaviour even in the public. In most places, the owners of the public places such as bars, where smoking is prohibited, also do not care whether it is done inside the club in the name of pleasing their customers. The government does not punish the bar owners for allowing the behaviour but the smokers are. This implies that the Chinese government has been reluctant in enforcing the law although it has determined that a person who carries a lighted cigarette in the designated areas would be liable to a fine of $1,500 (Latest Findings of census and Statistics Department Survey: Smoking Rate Hits 30-Year low, 2012). This fine is not immediate but the smoker has three weeks to pay it. The government of Hong Kong has not developed many ways of discouraging smoking besides increasing the tax. However, there are other efforts to discourage smoking such as the quit smoking app, several campaigns, education, and legislation (Latest Findings of census and Statistics Department Survey: Smoking Rate Hits 30-Year low, 2012). Some of the campaigns include the quit to win and the smoke free community campaigns designed to protect the children and the non-smokers from getting into this behaviour due to second hand smoking. Such efforts have also contributed to the cessation. However, in contrast to U.S and U.K, Hong Kong does not experience stereotyping or behaviours that may result to smokers feeling like pariahs. Instead, the smokers are not denied the chance to smoke in segregated areas and in fact, they are pleased by being allowed to smoke in clubs (Carney, 2013). In Hong Kong, the law has not been followed although the number of smokers has reduced significantly than U.K and U.S where there is stereotyping and where the smokers feel like they are outsiders. This could be attributed to the campaigns such as quit to win and the government’s relentless effort in taxing tobacco heavily. This has been effective in the same way that stereotyping and out casting smokers has functioned in U.S and U.K. It is essential to note that the Hong Kong clubs that tolerate smoking are the low-end ones with regard to class, as the higher end ones observe the law by ensuring that the smokers use their smoking zones to eliminate societal repercussions. In addition, Hong Kong views smoking as normal. This implies that, for the case of U.S and U.K, out-casting the smokers has played a crucial role in pushing them to quit smoking while campaigns and taxes in Hong Kong have played the role of reducing the number of smokers. In conclusion, smoking had been a social norm in the past. This trend has changed and it is now being viewed as a health issue leading to smokers being stereotyped and branded as social pariahs. According to statistical data, smoking has been leading to many problems mostly including health. As such, most countries have been incurring losses due to hospital expenditures and loss in productivity. Such reasons have led to enactment of laws that have increased taxation on tobacco; therefore, making it less attractive. While smokers are viewed as pariahs in U.S and U.K, in Hong Kong they are pleased by being allowed to smoke in prohibited regions. However, the high-end areas do not encourage it. Although stereotyping and viewing a group is not accepted, it has played a critical role in deterring smoking both in U.S and in U.K. References Badger, E. 2013, It Really Only Took about 20 Years for the U.S. to Turn Smokers into Pariahs. [Online] Available at < http://www.citylab.com/politics/2013/07/it-really-only-took-about-20-years-us-turn-smokers-pariahs/6155/> [Accessed 29 May 2014]. Cancer Research UK. 2013, More than 200,000 UK Start Smoking every year. [Online] Available at < http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/cancer-news/press-release/more-than-200000-uk-children-start-smoking-every-year> [Accessed 29 May 2014]. Carney, J. 2013, Hong Kong's smokers still lighting up in bars. [Online] Available at < http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1250817/hong-kongs-smokers-still-lighting-bars> [Accessed 29 May 2014]. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2014a, Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults—United States, 2005–2012. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report vol.63 no. 2 pp. 29–34. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2014b, Smoking & Tobacco Use. [Online] Available at < http://www.cdc.gov/Tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fast_facts/index.htm> [Accessed 29 May 2014]. 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