"At the individual level, they can educate the population on the harms of tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke. They can also help tobacco users overcome their addiction. At the community level, health professionals can be initiators or supporters of some of the policy measures described above, by engaging, for example, in efforts to promote smoke-free workplaces and extending the availability of tobacco cessation resources. At the society level, health professionals can add their voice and their weight to national and global tobacco control efforts like tax increase campaigns and become involved at the national level in promoting the WHO FCTC. In addition, health professional organizations can show leadership and become a role model for other professional organizations and society by embracing the tenants of the Health Professional Code of Practice on Tobacco Control" said Prof Prakit Vathesatogkit.
Physicians, nurses, dentists and pharmacists and all health professionals in the everyday health-care setting need to address tobacco dependence as part of their standard of care practice.
The Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence - Clinical Practice Guideline, issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends the 5As approach:
- Ask about tobacco use
- Advise all users to quit
- Assess willingness to make a quit attempt
- Assist the patient to quit
- Arrange follow-up contact.
ASEAN and tobacco control
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
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