title: Current status of tobacco policy and control.
abstract: Behaviors pertaining to tobacco use have changed significantly over the past century. Compared with 1964, smoking prevalence rates have halved from 40% to 20%, and as a result there has been a slow but steady decline in the rates of tobacco-induced diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Growing awareness of the health risks of smoking was aided by the US Surgeon Reports that were issued on a nearly annual basis starting from 1964. Concerns about the hazards of breathing in second-hand smoke further contributed to the declining social acceptance of smoking, which evolved into regulatory actions restricting smoking on buses, planes, retail outlets, restaurants, and bars. Today, 23 states and 493 localities have comprehensive laws restricting indoor smoking. This paper examines public policies that have made a significant impact on smoking and lung cancer rates and discusses potential future research directions to further reduce the diseases caused by smoking.
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Hollings Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention and Control, Medical University of South Carolina, 96 Jonathan Lucas St., Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Paoletti
authors: Bianca
authors: B
authors: Jardin
authors: Matthew J
authors: MJ
authors: Carpenter
authors: K Michael
authors: KM
authors: Cummings
authors: Gerard A
authors: GA
authors: Silvestri
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000266:history; D006291:Health Policy / Q000266:history*; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000266:history* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011356:Product Labeling / Q000266:history; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000266:history*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013660:Taxes / Q000266:history; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000266:history; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution