Tobacco Use Prevention for Iranian Adolescents: Time for Family-Centered Counseling Programs

Abstract

In spite of worldwide anti-tobacco policies, and increase in public awareness on harmful effects of tobacco, still smoking is one of the global public health problems.  In addition to its negative impacts on public health and economy, smoking is considered as a disease, registered in the tenth revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10; F17), and deserves our attention and special care due to its harmful consequences. Different actions have been implemented for quitting smoking or putting health warnings on tobacco packaging. The recent report of the World Health Organization (WHO) reported the latter action as the greatest progress of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).¹