Nicotine addiction remains the biggest global pandemic that has festered over several decades since cigarettes were commercially produced for mass consumption. It was only much later, after several decades, that it was officially recognised and reported by the US Surgeon General in 1964 that smoking contributed to premature deaths and disease. By then, millions across the world have been addicted.

Smoking, and now vaping, continue to cause addictions in our community; many entrapped when they were young and in the experimental phase of adolescence.

More recently, experts are projecting that the global efforts in preventing this pandemic are not as effective as we think. In fact, the consumption of cigarettes is shown to have even increased in the lower and middle income countries. So, more of the same is not likely to work.