Smoking has become a silent killer of the 21st century. The subliminal use of smoking in mass media and cinema has caused an avalanche of young people smoking their first cigarette before turning 18. Every day more than 3,200 adolescents take up their first smoke, which quickly transforms into a fatal habit. Interestingly, the study also points out that 7 out of 10 smokers reportedly wants to quit smoking. All that is needed is the extra nudge that sometimes comes in the form of government policy, NGO awareness campaigns, and family pressure.
The WHO report also points out a silver lining amidst these dark clouds. It suggests that smoking is a battle of perception and proper warnings and outreach programs will help curb this menace. It also recommends more government involvement in anti-smoking policies, along with more participation of NGOs and peripheral organizations. Technology can also help reduce the harmful effects of smoking. E-cigarettes and vape pens selection at VapingDaily is technology’s answer to smoking. It produces vapor instead of smoke, which is purer and tar-free. Moreover, proper utilization of tobacco tax in anti-smoking programs and campaigns will help mitigate this lethal trend. This opens up a lot of career opportunities in encouraging smoking-free lifestyle.
Prevalent in most cultures of the world, smoking causes irreplaceable damage to our health, both physical and mental. Here is one extremely detailed fact file on smoking, which highlights the relation of tobacco smoking and its harm to almost every major organ of the body. It also points to some gloomy and grey areas of modern society, where almost $8.9 billion were spent on marketing of cigarettes and cigars in 2016, in the US alone. This translates into $1 million every hour. The report pegs the economic burden of smoking on the US at $300 billion ($170 billion in government-funded medical care and $156 billion in lost productivity) every year.
In this article, we will discuss some of these career opportunities you can consider, to wage war against smoking and some of the ways technology can help people evolve out of smoking.
Public Health Communication
Without proper communication channels, smoking is bound to progress beyond our control. This is why many governments across the world, along with many NGOs, help spread the truth about smoking. It is important to break several stereotypes associated with smoking. The job of Public Health Communication will test your creative limits as it requires you to articulate government policies effectively to the right audience. This is a key area which will test your communication skills as well as your managerial skills. With this job, you will be at the forefront of government’s policy towards changing perception on smoking. Your job will be to send out strong messages to different demographics through effective channels. This is an impactful area in the crusade against smoking as it brings out the topic into society and starts a debate on it. This career path branches off into different job profiles like Smoking Cessation Contractor, or Health Communication Specialist or Health Services Administrator.
Behavioral Counselling
If you are from a master’s background in Public Health (MPH), one of the most crucial jobs for you can be in psychological counseling for patients with a smoking background. This is an important aspect of the whole system as smoking is as much in the mind as it is in the body. The job of counseling includes preparing personal reports and analyzing each problem individually. Smoking can be related to other co-occurring mental conditions like stress, depression, anxiety, etc. This can be an important area for people who can empathize with others. Recovering from smoking is also a long process and hence patience and perseverance is a necessary prerequisite for a career in this field. Most hospitals have a behavioral therapist for smoking-related issues. There are also government funded programs which employ counseling experts. Starting as a counselor will also open new career opportunities in fields like Mental Health Counselor, Child Behavioral Health Specialist, Health Educator and Health Communication Specialist.
Community Health
Community Health is a specialization course in public health degrees and is of vital importance because a lot can be done through prevention and awareness. In Community Health, graduates are expected to study and work on specific problems in an area. It requires a lot of micro-managing skills as well as teamwork capabilities to succeed in this job. This job requires direct interaction with actual people and is one of most of the most powerful ways of stopping the use of cigarettes. Specialists in this niche can progress as a Smoking Cessation Contractor or a Health Educator. You can also work for special WHO/UN missions in a Community Health career.
Global Health
As smoking prevails borders and boundaries, there are many global opportunities in anti-smoking careers. However, this requires an adaptable mindset and flexibility to new environments. The UN appoints World Health Organization (WHO) to aid people against smoking and sometimes even the UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) steps in to help prevent underage smoking and organize preventive missions. Working for these organizations is not only prestigious but also has high growth opportunities as an academic or specialist in the field. You can also get into empirical research and medical research, both of which receive heavy fundings from the UN. Some later career opportunities in this line are Research Epidemiologist, Health Educator, report writer, and helping various government institutions to implement anti-smoking policy.
Role of Technology
Technology can also bring about a radical change in the millennial lifestyle. It is one of the prime ways of evolving ourselves, and it has helped us achieve unprecedented progress in healthcare and healthy lifestyle. Technology can also help mitigate the harmful effects of smoking. Electronic cigarettes or vape pens can help eliminate the raw tar and other burnt elements by vaporizing e-liquids and dry herbs. Some of the best e-cigs in the industry also have temperature control and advanced purification filters, that gives off vapor with high levels of purity.
Though this hasn’t been backed by scientific research, many users have reported positive effects of vape pens when compared to smoking. The problem of second-hand smoke is solved to a great degree by the use of vaporizer pens. As most of it is vapor, without any harmful residue, there is hardly any second-hand smoke when it comes to vaping. Vaping also helps alleviate the psychological trauma of letting go of smoking. It eases the transition and helps users get smoothly acclimatized to a new normal. Another good advantage of using vapor pens is that users can control the level of nicotine that goes in with the vapor. This also allows for a smoother withdrawal from tobacco rather than a sharp jump.
This report, prepared by the WHO, outlines some of the hard-hitting facts about smoking-related trends and deaths in 120 countries of the world. It is estimated that around 7 million people die every year due to smoking. Sadly, this figure includes an odd 830,000 people who die due to second-hand smoke. The report also states that by 2025, the number of deaths will cross 8 million unless some strict measures are taken. On the other side, quitting smoking programs open new career opportunities. Such professional engagement would bring you room to grow and moral satisfaction. Help people leave off smoking and make a new start!
About the Author:
Phyllis Baker is the journalist specializing in drug rehab, addiction treatment and health issues. Currently, she manages public relations for the quitting smoking community.
