To stop smoking is a difficult challenge. In 7 cases out of 10, people who decided to stop smoking, light their cigarette again after a couple of months. But you can obtain positive results if you go to the doctor or anti-smoke centres. This is the content of the 2010 report on smoke carried out by the Smoke, Alcohol and Drugs Observatory in occasion of the World No Tobacco Day. One of the means to reduce the habit of smoking is prohibition, which is largely supported by Italians. “We must reinforce prohibition in health and culture places”, underlined Piergiorgio Zuccaro, president of the Observatory. “According to our data – he added – 84.9% of the people interviewed agrees with the prohibition of smoke in courtyards and in the open spaces owned by schools. With a lower percentage they also favour prohibition in the open areas of hospitals, 78.6% of the people interviewed; 70.7% in stadiums, 67.8% in public gardens and 83.4% while driving”. But there are also other means to change behaviour. “Smokers are convinced that they can stop smoking whenever they want – explained Roberta Pacifici from the Observatory – but this is just an illusion. The data of our survey says that 70% of those who stopped smoking, started again soon after. Scientific evidence has shown that you have more chances of succeeding if you ask for help from your doctor or from an anti-smoke centre that proposes behavioural and drug therapies”. Prevention is also very important, since the first cigarette is lit between the ages of 15 and 17. 34.2% of women and 40.5% of men start at this age.

Translated by Chiara Nunnari from John Milton Institute