Effective Programs and Interventions in Prevention and Reduction of Tobacco Use in Communities: A Review Study

According to the World Health Organization’s report, tobacco use is the first preventable leading cause of deaths in the world.While the prevalence of tobacco use is declining in high-income countries, this prevalence is increasing in the low-income and middle-income countries. Daily, 205 thousand USD and 386 million USD annually spent on cigarette purchasing in Iran, and the health system of the country pays about 1 billion and one hundred and sixty million USD to cure the complications of cigarette smoking. The present study aimed at determination of effective programs and interventions applied in prevention and reduction of tobacco use in societies. Medical databases were searched, related studies retrieved and their content reviewed and classified. According to the results of this study, programs and interventions for prevention and reduction of tobacco use were categorized in six domains including: "studies at different levels of age and groups," "studies in the physical and community environment," "tax and price studies," "electronic cigarette smoking studies," "harm reduction studies," and "interventions facilitating solutions." The results of the study, suggests the followings as appropriate strategies that fit the culture and abilities of the Iranian health system: "culture, the establishment and application of rules", "interventions with a focus on specific groups", "education at all levels and interventions," "organizing training courses and emphasizing the role of the family in protecting adolescents" and “free drug therapy ".