The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Bhutan has declared war on drugs. That war should not begin only when a young person is caught with narcotics. It should begin much earlier with the cigarette or vape in a student’s hand.
Smoking has quietly become more visible in Bhutan. Students smoking in public is no longer an unusual sight. Adults smoke openly outside offices, shops and public buildings. In a country that prides itself on Gross National Happiness and public health, we have slowly become desensitized to a habit that kills thousands of people every day around the world and may also be opening the door to an even bigger problem.
Research is clear on one point. While smoking does not automatically lead to drug use, children and teenagers who smoke are significantly more likely to experiment with cannabis, alcohol and other illicit drugs than those who do not. Smoking is one of the strongest warning signs that a young person is at greater risk of substance abuse. The same peer pressure, family environment, stress and social circles that encourage smoking often lead to drugs. Nicotine also affects the developing adolescent brain, making addiction easier.
This is why Bhutan’s war on drugs cannot ignore tobacco.
The Health Minister has expressed concern over the increasing visibility of smoking among students and warned that Bhutan will face more lung diseases in the years ahead. That warning deserves to be taken seriously. Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable deaths, contributing to lung cancer, heart disease, stroke and chronic respiratory illnesses.
The government’s move to finally establish designated smoking areas and strengthen enforcement is a step in the right direction. The proposed ban on sales to minors and amendments to the Tobacco Control Act are equally necessary.
But enforcement cannot stop at putting up signs. Schools must act when students are caught smoking. Parents must stop dismissing it as youthful experimentation. Public smoking must no longer be treated as normal or harmless.
If Bhutan truly wants to win the war on drugs, it cannot afford to lose the battle against smoking.
“Tobacco stains the teeth, bites the tongue, and injures larynx, heart and lung…” — Walt Maso
