Volume 16 • Issue 01 • March 2004
Editorial
The generation, collection and analysis of data with the aim
What can be done to stem the ever rising numbers of
of developing management strategies to maintain health and
smokers in our societies? Certainly measures employed so far
combat disease are considered the basis of medical science.
have only led to a certain modicum of success. Education,
However, a number of other factors can modify or even nullify
clamping down on advertising campaigns, the compulsory
the impact of scientific observation on outcomes in health and
inclusion of a health warning on all cigarette packs, the
disease.
establishment of smoking cessation clinics and the development
Nicotine, classified as a recreational drug, has been
of medication and aids to help subjects stop smoking have only
consistently reported in the literature as being harmful to man.
proven partially effective in the long term. Meanwhile the non-
Regular and prolonged use, or rather abuse of nicotine, is
abusers are often at the mercy of those who abuse tobacco. There
associated worldwide with an increasing incidence and
prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and
is now indisputable evidence that passive smoking is harmful.
Subjecting individuals to situations where they are forced to
cancers, in addition to increasing morbidity and mortality in
inhale tobacco smoke can be considered an infringement of
other conditions such as ischaemic heart disease and diabetes
human rights. A number of countries have therefore banned
mellitus.
smoking in public places. Malta intends to join those countries
This issue of the Malta Medical Journal features a paper
in April of this year. It is interesting to note that the outcry
originally written by Anthony Lanfranco in 1970 describing the
against the introduction of this legislation has been led and
deleterious effects of tobacco on health and looking at both local
fuelled by stakeholders in the entertainment and tobacco
and global trends in what is effectively the first report on the
industry who fear their market will be negatively effected by
subject in Malta. Over thirty years later, Sant Portanier et al in
such a move. Given the documented serious health
an analysis of smoking habits in various age groups in Malta
consequences of regularly passively inhaling tobacco smoke,
reveal that the problem of nicotine abuse has increased, despite
banning smoking in public places should be applauded as a
the barrage of scientific evidence reported in the literature and
necessary measure to protect passive smokers from harm. It is
covered by the media over the past fifty years. An increasing
time to extend our interpretation of primum non nocere to
proportion of young people now smoke regularly with an almost
include not just measures related to intervention but also to
equal distribution among male and female subjects. As in studies
prevention. Indeed the Malta Medical Journal fully supports
in many other European communities, the heavier smokers
the ban on smoking in public places.
locally are to be found among the lower socioeconomic groups,
the unemployed and those with scant formal education.
Josanne Vassallo
Editor
Errata Corrige
Dr Pierre Mallia regrets erroneously acknowledging Dr Mario Scerri in lieu of Dr Mario Grixti in his guest editorial titled
“May you live in interesting times” in Vol 15 Issue 2 of the Malta Medical Journal.
Malta Medical Journal Volume 16 Issue 01 March 2004
5