Otimização das ações contra o tabagismo na Marinha do Brasil

Abstract

Tobacco use by man occurs since immemorial time. Soon after the discovery of America,this habit waswidespread throughout Europe, and later, throughout the rest ofthe world.Since 1950, and especially after the '70s, many harmful effects of smoking havebeen provingscientifically, bringing up an awareness of the need to develop actions to control tobacco use. However, even today, the habit of smoking cigarettes is rooted in society and the number of tobacco users in Brazil and abroad is unacceptable. Through its Boards of Health and Social Assistance, Brazilian Navy develops internal actions to combat this evil. By means of interviews, inspection of documents and bibliographic review, this study found that these actions are performed only in specific manners and with smallcoverage. The following suggestions, among others, were prepared: the creation of a Health Program exclusively for smoking control, qualification of a greater number of professionals of the Boardsof Health and Social Assistance to act in this program and the establishment of partnerships with the Ministry of Health to facilitate the free distribution of medications used for smokingcessation to Navy personneland to care of smokers, who are not users of Health System of Navy, but coexisting with any member of Navy family.