Sometimes someone watches this interview and comes from a less privileged background to maybe a less privileged, less rich country. What can they do to better their lot in modern society, at least as far as their health is concerned? Dr. Anton Titov, MD. George A. Kaplan, PhD. Well, certainly, everyone has to take some responsibility at the individual level for what they do. They have to seek out good food. They have to smoke. They have to drink only moderately, etc. But they also have to see that the connections they have with others and their connections to institutions have an impact on their lives and where possible, try to intervene on that. Now. George A. Kaplan, PhD. That'll be difficult if there are patients without power. It is difficult for them to control powerful institutions. But I believe there in the case of smoking in many countries, it is a good example where local efforts have grown a more national effort. In terms of anti-smoking policies. But when they just came to the United States in 1994, there was a town of Brookline, Massachusetts,, part of the Boston area, that it was one of the first towns to forbid smoking in public areas. George A. Kaplan, PhD. I remember coming from Cambridge, Massachusetts of Boston. Your process, there are significantly fewer patients smoking outside of the clubs of your face,, or certainly inside. George A. Kaplan, PhD. That probably is an example of the local intervention that,, grew out through the national level. These changes are enormous in the Alameda County Study. This I corrected for many years that started in 1965. About 50 to 60% of the men smoked in California then.

Now 2014, it is probably more like 17%. If you go into high school or junior high school now, smoking is not viewed positively by kids. Medical second opinion is important. George A. Kaplan, PhD. We are on the road towards eliminating smoking-related diseases, at least in wealthy in relatively wealthy countries. It is still a big problem. About ten years ago, I was looking at the problem of smoking in China. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. You know. The rates among men in China are very high. George A. Kaplan, PhD. I discovered at that time that 17% of the tax revenues in China were derived from tobacco sales. The state had an investment in patients smoking. This then, of course, was not healthy for them. Ironic, do if that situation is trending towards the better or channel in Eastern Europe and other emerging markets? Dr. Anton Titov, MD., smoking rates are going down, worldwide. But not nearly as steep as quickly as they've gone down in the US, UK, Sweden, Nordic countries, etc.