The great burden of chronic diseases and the unquestionable role of smoking and some other unhealthy lifestyles is recognized by health experts, and, due to campaigns, increasingly by the public. Although the health administration understandably strive at modernization of hospitals and health clinics, many realize that the east-west health gap can only marginally be closed by improvements in clinical medicine. Instead population lifestyles and risk factors are in key position. Improving population lifestyles is an affordable and effective way to improve the health status of the population. People are gradually realising that that the true western lifestyle trend is not a smoke-filled unhealthy one.
Healthy lifestyles are high on the public agendas in the west.
At the same time, people are gradually realising that the true western lifestyle trend is not a smoke-filled unhealthy one. For those countries that want to join western alliances this trend is important. Accordingly non-smoking and other healthier lifestyle approaches have started to appear as new innovations, and especially appreciated by more educated people. Pressure on politicians and the government to pass antismoking legislative measures is increasing. Tobacco advertising is being restricted and smoke-free areas are expanding.