What does the tobacco story tell us about the importance of good public policy in promoting population health?
Tobacco use and exposure undoubtedly cause cancer; the science is clear. Tobacco use and exposure can be substantially reduced when elements of our society that directly influence starting or sustaining this addiction, and affect our involuntary exposure to it, adopt practices and policies focused on reducing those risks and improving health. If we can encourage our communities, structure our public policies, and organize our health care system to support healthful habits and lifestyles, we can promote good health. With tobacco, we have made great progress in doing just that through clean indoor air laws, tobacco tax increases, media campaigns targeted to high-risk populations and improved access to tobacco-cessation treatment and medications. The societal forces were in alignment. When they are not, as Dr. Orleans, Dr. Gerlach and I contend in our commentary in Cancer, “scientific advances stall, and the value realized is a meager fraction of its potential.” Q: Why is the tobacco less
