Jehovahs Witnesses base their stand against smoking on the Bibles command to "clean ourselves of every defilement of flesh" (2 Corinthians 7:1). The Jewish Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (1838–1933) was one of the first Jewish authorities to speak out on smoking. In Ahmadiyya Islam, smoking is highly discouraged, although not forbidden. During the month of fasting however, it is forbidden to smoke tobacco. In the Baháʼí Faith, smoking tobacco is discouraged though not forbidden. Public policy
On 27 February 2005 the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, took effect. The FCTC is the worlds first public health treaty. Countries that sign on as parties agree to a set of common goals, minimum standards for tobacco control policy, and to cooperate in dealing with cross-border challenges such as cigarette smuggling. Currently the WHO declares that 4 billion people will be covered by the treaty, which includes 168 signatories. Among other steps, signatories are to put together legislation that will eliminate secondhand smoke in indoor workplaces, public transport, indoor public places and, as appropriate, other public places. Taxation
Many governments have introduced excise taxes on cigarettes in order to reduce the consumption of cigarettes. The World Health Organisation finds that:
The structure of tobacco excise taxes varies considerably across countries, with lower income countries more likely to rely more on ad valorem excises and higher income countries more likely to rely more on specific excise taxes, while many countries at all income levels use a mix of specific and ad valorem excises.
In the developing world, tobacco consumption is rising by 3.4% per year.Smoking alters the transcriptome of the lung parenchyma; the expression levels of a panel of seven genes (KMO, CD1A, SPINK5, TREM2, CYBB, DNASE2B, FGG) are increased in the lung tissue of smokers.Passive smoking is the inhalation of tobacco smoke by individuals who are not actively smoking. This smoke is known as second-hand smoke (SHS) or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) when the burning end is present, and third-hand smoke after the burning end has been extinguished. Because of its negative implications, exposure to SHS has played a central role in the regulation of tobacco products. Six hundred thousand deaths were attributed to SHS in 2004. It also has been known to produce skin conditions such as freckles and dryness.In 2015, a meta-analysis found that smokers were at greater risk of developing psychotic disorder. Tobacco has also been described an anaphrodisiac due to its propensity for causing erectile dysfunction. There is a correlation between tobacco smoking and a reduced risk of Parkinsons disease. Economic
In countries where there is a universally funded healthcare system, the government covers the cost of medical care for smokers who become ill through smoking in the form of increased taxes.