Consumo de tabaco: Algunos antecedentes epidemiológicos

Abstract

There are several reasons supporting the persistence of high figures on tobacco smoking in Chile. Among the main drivers we can highlight the strong influence of the tobacco industry and the weakness of National Health Policies on the prevention, control and regulation of tobacco consumption at the population level. One of the main health outcomes derived for smoking consumption is nicotine dependence, the main clinical and psychological barrier for smokers to quit tobacco smoking. Even the Chilean legislation updates still show limited effect at adult population level, according to data provided from National Health Survey 2010, but promissory information from local and international research on scholar population (SENDA) and recently by the Global Youth for Tobacco Survey (EMTJ 2016). The provision of structural actions directed to general populations need to be complemented for other, in order to encourage and support smokers to quit, considering their sensitive cornerstone role controlling the tobacco epidemics due the persistence of tobacco consumption in the general population. We consider that smoking cessation should be a strategic secondary prevention target to be considered that allow to increase the spectrum of actions proposed by the Framework Convention on Tobacco control in Chile