Tobacco is a leading cause of life-threatening diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory illness, and more. Despite efforts to regulate tobacco products, the industry continues to evolve, introducing new products such as electronic cigarettes. While some argue these alternatives reduce harm, concerns remain about their long-term effects and appeal to young people. Governments and health organizations worldwide face challenges in balancing regulation and public health while considering industry influence and consumer choices.
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Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “non-communicable” mean? “While these non-communicable diseases, or NCDs for short, cannot be spread from person to person, they have still become the single leading cause of death worldwide.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does “geared around” mean? “By and large, U.S. trade policy is geared around making sure that markets are open so that U.S. goods, U.S. farm products, U.S. services can all be traded outside of the United States.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does “intervene” mean? “It really only has one exception, which is that if those restrictions are only applied on foreign products, it allows those executive branch agencies to intervene in that case.” Use it in a sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- How do tobacco regulations impact public health?
- Should governments impose stricter laws on electronic cigarettes? Why or why not?
- What are some challenges in balancing industry interests and public health?
- How do young people get influenced by tobacco marketing?
- What measures can individuals take to reduce tobacco consumption in their communities?