Overview of tobacco cessation service in Oman: A narrative review.

Abstract

Tobacco is a global public health issue that kills half of its users. Even though the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) mandates countries to implement tobacco cessation programs as a cost-effective approach to assist smokers in quitting and reduce the burden of tobacco use, only one-third of the world's population has access to effective cessation services. Many governments have failed to provide comprehensive, accessible tobacco cessation services due to financial constraints and the belief that people are to blame for tobacco addiction. The World Health Organization's Package of Essential Non-Communicable Diseases (WHO PEN) recommends incorporating tobacco cessation and lifestyle advice into primary healthcare as a cost-effective means of avoiding non-communicable diseases. Despite nearly two decades have passed since ratifying the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), Oman has made little progress in developing a national comprehensive tobacco cessation program. A comprehensive multisectoral effort is necessary to explore the challenges and opportunities for implementing an effective national tobacco cessation program in Oman, which should be part of effective tobacco control legislation aimed at reversing the tobacco trend and assisting smokers in quitting tobacco products. This narrative review aims to explore tobacco use in Oman, its health impacts, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and puts forward recommendations for implementing a tobacco cessation program.