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Current Cardiology Reports Aug 2019Tobacco continues to kill about 0.48 million Americans per year and there are currently 34.3 million smokers in the USA. As a consequence of the First Surgeon General's... (Review)
Review
Tobacco continues to kill about 0.48 million Americans per year and there are currently 34.3 million smokers in the USA. As a consequence of the First Surgeon General's Report on Tobacco in 1964, tobacco control interventions on part of the government led to a significant decline in conventional tobacco product usage over the last few decades. However, more recently, a new entity in the form of electronic cigarettes has risen rapidly and has exposed a younger population to a plethora of dangerous consequences. Looking at e-cigarettes from the perspective of tobacco control however raises a lot of challenges. There is little doubt that existing smokers of combustible cigarettes who switch to e-cigarettes will be switching to a less harmful product. However, if the younger generation begins using e-cigarettes as a result of targeted marketing, appealing flavors and 'safer alternative' perception, decades of progress made in conventional tobacco control will be negated. Governments at the federal, state, and local levels have a mandate to once again implement new public health policies to ensure that non-conventional tobacco products like e-cigarettes are available as smoking cessation tools for existing smokers but at the same time do not play a role in ruining the health of future generations through addiction and disease. PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review the present scenario of regulations and policies impacting public health with respect to electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) with the objective of providing a meaningful and balanced view of the challenges at hand with plausible recommendations. RECENT FINDINGS: Nicotine in tobacco is known to cause addiction and dependence. It is particularly potent in children and young adults. E-cigarettes can deliver high concentrations of nicotine, and these concentrations can vary depending on the numerous constituents within the e-cigarette which vary greatly from one another. Use of e-cigarettes is implicated as a risk factor for future cigarette use in young adults. Moreover, e-cigarette usage patterns also depend on several sociodemographic factors. Banning tobacco products has shown to reduce smoking risk in youth and as such, strong e-cigarette regulation measures are needed for prevention. Effective regulation of ENDS faces a multitude of challenges. One such challenge is to prevent youth and non-smokers from getting habituated to nicotine through e-cigarettes. The intention of tobacco companies to sustain sales through harmful marketing strategies that tone down the risks and highlight e-cigarettes as a "much safer alternative" while promoting flavors appealing to children should be immediately prohibited. Another hazard is the endorsement of ENDS as devices meant for enhancing social interaction which opens a path for youth to make erroneous choices under peer pressure. On the other hand, several studies have reported that e-cigarettes significantly reduce an existing smoker's risk of being exposed to toxic tobacco smoke constituents that are normally present in cigarette smoke. This leads to the conclusions that e-cigarettes can be a tool for smoking cessation for current smokers. Public policy must take a multi-dimensional approach to balance these two extremes.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems; Health Policy; Humans; Public Health; Public Policy; Smoking; Smoking Cessation; United States; Young Adult
PubMed: 31463564
DOI: 10.1007/s11886-019-1204-y -
The Lancet. Public Health Oct 2023Healthy sleep is essential for physical and mental health, and social wellbeing; however, across the globe, and particularly in developing countries, national public... (Review)
Review
Healthy sleep is essential for physical and mental health, and social wellbeing; however, across the globe, and particularly in developing countries, national public health agendas rarely consider sleep health. Sleep should be promoted as an essential pillar of health, equivalent to nutrition and physical activity. To improve sleep health across the globe, a focus on education and awareness, research, and targeted public health policies are needed. We recommend developing sleep health educational programmes and awareness campaigns; increasing, standardising, and centralising data on sleep quantity and quality in every country across the globe; and developing and implementing sleep health policies across sectors of society. Efforts are needed to ensure equity and inclusivity for all people, particularly those who are most socially and economically vulnerable, and historically excluded.
Topics: Humans; Public Health; Public Policy; Health Education; Health Policy; Sleep
PubMed: 37777291
DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00182-2 -
Nutrients May 2023The Special Issue entitled "The Impact of Policy and Food Environment on Food Purchase and Dietary Behavior" comprises 13 articles that collectively provide valuable...
The Special Issue entitled "The Impact of Policy and Food Environment on Food Purchase and Dietary Behavior" comprises 13 articles that collectively provide valuable insights into the complex interplay between policy, food environment, and individual food purchase and consumption [...].
Topics: Diet; Diet, Healthy; Health Promotion; Food; Health Policy; Nutrition Policy
PubMed: 37299477
DOI: 10.3390/nu15112514 -
Harm Reduction Journal Feb 2022In this essay, I show that notwithstanding the undeniable colonial origins of punitive drug policies around the world, such policies have figured in nationalist projects...
In this essay, I show that notwithstanding the undeniable colonial origins of punitive drug policies around the world, such policies have figured in nationalist projects and populist platforms in various postcolonial states, and today they are viewed as local responses to the 'drug problem.' Instead, it is harm reduction and other efforts to reform drug policies that are seen as a colonial, or Western, imposition. I argue that to overcome such perceptions, there is a need to decolonize harm reduction alongside decolonizing drug policies. I conclude by offering recommendations toward this move, including involving Global South actors in leadership positions within the harm reduction movement, supporting pilot harm reduction programs in postcolonial states, and highlighting local scholarship.
Topics: Harm Reduction; Humans; Public Policy
PubMed: 35114995
DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00593-w -
Health Systems in Transition Sep 2023The Health Systems in Transition (HiT) country reports provide an analytical description of each health system and of reform initiatives in progress or under...
The Health Systems in Transition (HiT) country reports provide an analytical description of each health system and of reform initiatives in progress or under development. They aim to provide relevant comparative information to support policy-makers and analysts in the development of health systems and reforms in the countries of the WHO European Region and beyond. The HiTs are building blocks that can be used: to learn in detail about different approaches to the financing, organization and delivery of health services; to describe accurately the process, content and implementation of health reform programmes; to highlight common challenges and areas that require more in-depth analysis; and to provide a tool for the dissemination of information on health systems and the exchange of experiences of reform strategies between policy-makers and analysts in countries of the WHO European Region. This analysis of the Swedish health system reviews recent developments in organization and governance, health financing, health care provision, health reforms and health system performance. This series is an ongoing initiative and material is updated at regular intervals.
Topics: Humans; Health Care Reform; Delivery of Health Care; Sweden; Health Policy; Government Regulation
PubMed: 38230685
DOI: No ID Found -
PloS One 2023Globally, alcohol consumption causes significant societal harm and is a leading risk factor for death and disability in adults. In India, 3.7% of all deaths and 3.1%... (Review)
Review
Globally, alcohol consumption causes significant societal harm and is a leading risk factor for death and disability in adults. In India, 3.7% of all deaths and 3.1% disability adjusted life years (DALYs) can be attributed to alcohol. In the context of rapid economic development and emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic, India's lack of a consolidated and comprehensive alcohol policy has posed significant challenges to addressing this harm. In this context, the aim of our review was to undertake a comprehensive mapping of the State and national policy environment surrounding alcohol and its use in India, based on an analysis of policy documents. We did this though a scoping review of academic and grey literature, which helped to iteratively identify the websites of 15 international organizations, 21 Indian non-governmental organizations, and eight Indian Federal governmental organizations as well as State/Union Territory government sites, to search for relevant policy documents. We identified 19 Federal policy documents and 36 State level policy documents within which we have identified the specific policy measures which address the 10 categories of the World Health Organization's Global Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol. We found that there are major gaps in regulation of marketing and price controls, with much of this controlled by the States. In addition, regulation of availability of alcohol varies widely throughout the country, which is also a policy area controlled locally by States. Through the clear elucidation of the current policy environment surrounding alcohol in India, policy makers, researchers and advocates can create a clearer roadmap for future reform.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Health Policy; Pandemics; Public Policy; Alcohol Drinking; India
PubMed: 37976246
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294392 -
Journal of Public Health Policy Dec 2022Public health experts often assume that any policy promoting healthful behavior change is inherently and self-evidently ethical. This assumption is incorrect. This... (Review)
Review
Public health experts often assume that any policy promoting healthful behavior change is inherently and self-evidently ethical. This assumption is incorrect. This Viewpoint describes why evaluating the ethics of a policy to promote healthful behavior change should require (1) valuing consequences for wellbeing proportionately to consequences for health, (2) valuing changes to the distributional equity of health and wellbeing together with their aggregate improvement, and (3) anticipating and surveilling for unintended consequences sufficiently important to offset benefits. I illustrate these three requirements through a hypothetical salt restriction policy, which is unethical if it evokes strong preferences that detract from wellbeing, disproportionately confers health benefits to those who are already healthy, or elicits unintended consequences that offset health benefits. I discuss why analogies of salt restriction mandates are inappropriate. In summary, public health decision-makers should employ more structured, explicit and comprehensive criteria when considering the ethical consequences of policies.
Topics: Humans; Health Policy; Public Health
PubMed: 36289325
DOI: 10.1057/s41271-022-00372-8 -
Nature Food Apr 2024For both research and practice, it is paramount to understand what, where and when agri-environmental policies have been put in place. Here we present a database of... (Review)
Review
For both research and practice, it is paramount to understand what, where and when agri-environmental policies have been put in place. Here we present a database of 6,124 agri-environmental policies implemented between 1960 and 2022 in about 200 countries. The database comprises a wide range of policy types (including regulations and payment schemes) and goals (such as biodiversity conservation, safer pesticide use and reducing nutrient pollution). We illustrate the application of the database by exploring the association between economic development and agri-environmental policies and between the soil-related, agri-environmental policies of countries and their border discontinuities in cropland erosion. A strong, positive link between economic development and implemented agri-environmental policies is revealed, and it is found that 43% of all global border discontinuities in soil erosion between countries can be explained by differences in their policies.
Topics: Humans; Agriculture; Biodiversity; Conservation of Natural Resources; Economic Development; Environmental Policy; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Soil
PubMed: 38519597
DOI: 10.1038/s43016-024-00945-8 -
Nutrients Apr 2021We propose and test a model of food policy acceptability. The model is structured in four levels: government, topic, policy, and individual. In this study, we focus on...
We propose and test a model of food policy acceptability. The model is structured in four levels: government, topic, policy, and individual. In this study, we focus on two levels that are actionable for policy-makers: the topic and policy levels. We assess nine factors using a first online survey with 600 UK nationals and replicate our results in a second survey with 588 participants. Our results suggest that three factors have a positive effect on acceptability at the topic level: awareness of the issue, the legitimacy of state intervention, and social norms. At the policy level, we report a positive effect of the policy's expected effectiveness, its appropriate targeting of consumers, and the perceived support of the majority. On the other hand, more coercive interventions and those generating inequalities are judged to be less acceptable. Additionally, we report an interaction between awareness and coerciveness on acceptability. Participants who are aware of the issue were more likely to support coercive policies. We also find evidence for a trade-off between coerciveness, effectiveness, and acceptability, as more coercive measures are considered more effective, but less acceptable by participants. Our findings offer policy-makers, nutrition experts, and advocates for healthier and more sustainable diets a new and integrated understanding of the underlying factors that determine food policy acceptability.
Topics: Adult; Attitude to Health; Female; Humans; Male; Nutrition Policy; United Kingdom
PubMed: 33924784
DOI: 10.3390/nu13051483 -
International Journal of Environmental... Feb 2020Marijuana is the most consumed illicit drug in the world, with over 192 million users. Due to the current legalization push of marijuana in the United States, there has... (Review)
Review
Marijuana is the most consumed illicit drug in the world, with over 192 million users. Due to the current legalization push of marijuana in the United States, there has been a lack of oversight regarding its public health policies, as marijuana advocates downplay the drug's negative effects. This paper's approach is from a public health perspective, focusing specifically on the cases of violence amongst some marijuana users. Here, we present 14 cases of violence with chronic marijuana users that highlight reoccurring consequences of: marijuana induced paranoia (exaggerated, unfounded distrust) and marijuana induced psychosis (radical personality change, loss of contact with reality). When individuals suffering from pre-existing medical conditions use marijuana in an attempt to alleviate their symptoms, ultimately this worsens their conditions over time. Although marijuana effects depend on the individual's endocannabinoid receptors (which control behavioral functions, like aggression) and the potency level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the drug, scientifically documented links between certain marijuana users and violence do exist. Wider public awareness of the risks and side effects of marijuana, as well as a more prudent health policy, and government agency monitoring of the drug's composition, creation, and distribution, are needed and recommended.
Topics: Cannabis; Health Policy; Humans; Marijuana Smoking; Public Policy; United States; Violence
PubMed: 32121373
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17051578