All About Smoking in the Philippines

All About Smoking in the Philippines
Philippines: Young smokers 'look so cool'
The campaign against smoking, which kills close to 90,000 people a year in the Philippines - on a par with the number of deaths in natural disasters or conflicts - is becoming a losing battle.

“My friends look so cool smoking,” Arnold Santos of Mandaluyong City said, who took up the habit out of peer pressure. “Now, I smoke 10 cigarettes a day,” the 17-year-old, who has no plans of quitting just yet, said.

Despite the passage of the Tobacco Control Act, more Filipino youths are now smoking, “indicating that the law has not been effective”, Maricar Limpin, executive director of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines (FCAP), said.

The 2003 act sets both the guidelines for and regulation of the packaging, sale, distribution and advertisements of tobacco products.

Among others, it mandates the printing of warnings in either English or Filipino of the harmful effects of smoking.

Yet a recent global youth tobacco survey showed that smoking prevalence among Filipino youth had jumped from 15 percent in 2003 to 21.6 percent in 2007.

“We are losing the war against smoking,” Limpin conceded.

At least 240 Filipinos die each day - 87,600 a year - from smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer, cardiac arrest, stroke and other chronic-obstructive lung failures, the health department reported.

These figures are based on the 2005-2006 Tobacco and Poverty Study in the Philippines conducted by the College of Public Health of the University of the Philippines, National Epidemiology Center of the Department of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The figures are higher than Malaysia and Vietnam, where 10,000 and 40,000 people respectively die each year from smoking-related diseases, but lower than Indonesia, where 400,000 people die annually.

Graphic warnings

Since 2007, separate bills have been pending with lawmakers to introduce the printing of graphic health warnings.

An FCAP survey on 10,000 Filipino youths revealed they were more receptive to graphic warnings than text warnings.

Limpin said the survey showed that the graphic design had a better ability to convey the health risks related to smoking and some said it stopped them from buying cigarettes.

While the visual warning has little effect on long-time smokers, preventing young people from taking up the habit would deny tobacco companies a new market, Limpin said.
“The industry knows that the introduction of graphic warnings threatens its future market,” Limpin said.

In the Senate, the bill is now being discussed in the plenary. But in the House, composed of district and party list representatives from all 78 provinces, the bill has not passed the committee level because of opposition from legislators.

“It is being blocked because of fears it could kill the tobacco industry,” Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza, main author of the anti-smoking bill, said.

According to the National Tobacco Authority, more than 57,000 farmers are engaged in tobacco farming.

La Union Rep. Victor Francisco said the main flaw of the bill was that it would raise the prices of local tobacco products compared with imports.

To compete, local manufacturers would have no choice but to increase their prices because of the additional cost, he said.

In addition, the bill failed to factor in the repercussions on local livelihoods; almost two million people depend on the tobacco industry.

“Our tobacco farmers, especially in the north, cannot easily shift to other crops because the soil is not compatible with other produce,” Francisco said.

The WHO’s Tobacco Framework Convention on Tobacco, to which the Philippines is a signatory, recommends the use of effective campaigns against tobacco consumption. Article 11 requires that state signatories adopt effective measures by September 2008, but the Philippines missed the deadline.
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Harmful Health Effects Of Smoking Cigarettes
The harmful health effects of smoking cigarettes presented in the list below only begin to convey the long term side effects of smoking.
Quitting makes sense for many reasons but simply put: smoking is bad for health.
Harmful Effects of Smoking * Every year hundreds of thousands of people around the world die from diseases caused by smoking cigarettes - Smoking KILLS. * One in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Half of these deaths will occur in middle age. * Tobacco smoke also contributes to a number of cancers. * The mixture of nicotine and carbon monoxide in each cigarette you smoke temporarily increases your heart rate and blood pressure, straining your heart and blood vessels. * This can cause heart attacks and stroke. It slows your blood flow, cutting off oxygen to your feet and hands. Some smokers end up having their limbs amputated. * Tar coats your lungs like soot in a chimney and causes cancer. A 20-a-day smoker breathes in up to a full cup (210 g) of tar in a year. * Changing to low-tar cigarettes does not help because smokers usually take deeper puffs and hold the smoke in for longer, dragging the tar deeper into their lungs. * Carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and body tissue of oxygen, making your whole body and especially your heart work harder. Over time, your airways swell up and let less air into your lungs. * Smoking causes disease and is a slow way to die. The strain of smoking effects on the body often causes years of suffering. Emphysema is an illness that slowly rots your lungs. People with emphysema often get bronchitis again and again, and suffer lung and heart failure. * Lung cancer from smoking is caused by the tar in tobacco smoke. Men who smoke are ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers. * Heart disease and strokes are also more common among smokers than non-smokers. * Smoking causes fat deposits to narrow and block blood vessels which leads to heart attack. * Smoking causes around one in five deaths from heart disease. * In younger people, three out of four deaths from heart disease are due to smoking. * Cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of low birth weight, prematurity, spontaneous abortion, and perinatal mortality in humans, which has been referred to as the fetal tobacco syndrome.
As mentioned earlier, this list can only begin to convey the harmful health effects of smoking cigarettes and its long term side effects. Next we consider reasons why smoking is bad for those around you in the effects of second hand smoke.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Smoking Smoking is a bad habit widespread among teenagers.It contains dangerous items which destroy the human brain and lungs. It causes different diseases such as cancer in different areas in the human body. From the religious point of view,it's prohibited . There are different clear versuses in the Holy Qura'n as God says;"Don't throw yourself in the destroy." The reason of the teenagers' smoking is based on psychologica factors.Through smoking they think they show people that they are adult and can do whatever they want. Advantages and Disadvantages of Smoking
The great tobacco debate has been going on for years. Ever since it was determined that smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer, along with a host of other diseases, non-smokers have been railing against the evils of cigarettes, while many smokers have clung to their tobacco like a miser with his last penny. But the question is, are the smokers right? Are there indeed advantages to tobacco use?
Die-hard cigarette users claim many benefits to smoking, some are the following: * Peer group acceptance if peers smoke * Effective weight loss aid * Performance enhancement in tasks requiring * concentration * Stress relief * Some smokers truly enjoy the taste
There are issues with most of these perceived advantages. If a smoker attempts to change peer groups, they could find smoking to be a barrier to acceptance. The performance enhancement is minimal after the first few cigarettes a smoker has in their lifetime; from that point on, it is just a perception of enhancement based on the memory of those initial cigarettes. Weight loss and stress relief could be as effectively obtained by other, healthier means. Therefore the only valid advantage is if a smoker really enjoys the taste, but one has to wonder if they don’t enjoy the taste of the cigarette merely because they cannot taste anything else.
The disadvantages to smoking are far more numerous, and much harder to argue against, a sampling of them include: * Death from disease caused by smoking * Diseases (even if they don’t cause death) * Lung Cancer * Throat Cancer * Mouth Cancer * Many other types of cancer have also been linked to tobacco use * Emphysema * COPD * Asthma * Decreased lung function * Advanced signs of aging * Cost of cigarettes, applicable taxes and paraphernalia such as lighters * Decreased acceptance by non-smoking peers * The lingering odor of smoke on body and clothing * Lowered ability to exercise due to inability to breathe * Cost of stop-smoking aids when the decision to quit is made
It is clear that the disadvantages of smoking far outweigh any perceived advantages. While there is a cost associated with quitting, over time the damage smoking had done to the body can reverse itself if a person ceases tobacco use. This puts that cost into perspective, especially when compared to the thousands of dollars spent every year on smoking. With all the disadvantages to continued smoking and no real advantages to it, isn’t it time you saved your health and your money by putting in the effort to become tobacco-free?
How To Quit Smoking...And Quit For Keeps U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service National Institutes of HealthINTRODUCTIONThis guides you from thinking about stopping through actually doing it - from the day you quit to quitting for keeps. It gives tips on fighting temptation - and what to do if you give in - and on avoiding weight gain (a handy Snack Calorie Chart is included). By telling you what to expect, it can help you through the day-to-day process of becoming and remaining a nonsmoker.Here you'll find a variety of tips and helpful hints on kicking your smoking habit. Take a few moments to look at each suggestion carefully. Pick those you feel comfortable with, and decide today that you're going to use them to quit. It may take a while to find the combination that's right for you, but you can quit for good, even if you've tried to quit before.Many smokers have successfully given up cigarettes by replacing them with new habits, without quitting "cold turkey," planning a special program, or seeking professional help. The following approaches include many of those most popular with ex-smokers. Remember that successful methods are as different as the people who use them. What may seem silly to others may be just what you need to quit - so don't be embarrassed to try something new. These methods can make your own personal efforts a little easier.Pick the ideas that make sense to you. And then follow through - you'll have a much better chance of success. PREPARING YOURSELF FOR QUITTING... * Decide positively that you want to quit. Try to avoid negative thoughts about how difficult it might be. * List all the reasons you want to quit. Every night before going to bed, repeat one of the reasons 10 times. * Develop strong personal reasons in addition to your health and obligations to others. For example, think of all the time you waste taking cigarette breaks, rushing out to buy a pack, hunting for a light, etc. * Begin to condition yourself physically: Start a modest exercise program; drink more fluids; get plenty of rest; and avoid fatigue. * Set a target date for quitting - perhaps a special day such as your birthday, your anniversary, or the Great American Smokeout. If you smoke heavily at work, quit during your vacation so that you're already committed to quitting when you return. Make the date sacred, and don't let anything change it. This will make it easy for you to keep track of the day you became a nonsmoker and to celebrate that date every year. | | |
KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT... * Have realistic expectations - quitting isn't easy, but it's not impossible either. More than 3 million Americans quit every year. * Understand that withdrawal symptoms are TEMPORARY. They usually last only 1-2 weeks. * Know that most relapses occur in the first week after quitting, when withdrawal symptoms are strongest and your body is still dependent on nicotine. Be aware that this will be your hardest time, and use all your personal resources - willpower, family, friends, and the tips in this booklet - to get you through this critical period successfully. * Know that most other relapses occur in the first 3 months after quitting, with situational triggers - such as a particularly stressful event - occur unexpectedly. These are the times when people reach for cigarettes automatically, because they associate smoking with relaxing. This is the kind of situation that's hard to prepare yourself for until it happens, so it's especially important to recognize it if it does happen. Remember that smoking is a habit, but a habit you can break. * Realize that most successful ex-smokers quit for good only after several attempts. You may be one of those who can quit your first try. But if you're not, DON'T GIVE UP. Try again.INVOLVING SOMEONE ELSE... * Bet a friend you can quit on your target date. Put your cigarette money aside for every day, and forfeit it if you smoke. (But if you do smoke, DON'T GIVE UP. Simply strengthen your resolve and try again.) * Ask your spouse or a friend to quit with you. * Tell your family and friends that you're quitting and when. They can be an important source of support, both before and after you quit. * Alta Mira Recovery offers an inpatient nicotine cessation program designed for long-term, chronic smokers.WAYS OF QUITTING...Switch brands * Switch to a brand you find distasteful. * Change to a brand that's low in tar and nicotine a couple of weeks before your target date. This will help change your smoking behavior. However, DO NOT smoke more cigarettes, inhale them more often or more deeply, or place your fingertips over the holes in the filters. All of these will increase your nicotine intake, and the idea is to get your body used to functioning without nicotine.Cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke * Smoke only half of each cigarette. * Each day, postpone lighting your first cigarette 1 hour. * Decide you'll smoke only during odd or even hours of the day. * Decide beforehand how many cigarettes you'll smoke during the day. For each additional cigarette, give a dollar to your favorite charity. * Change your eating habits to help you cut down. For example, drink milk, which many people consider incompatible with smoking. End meals or snacks with something that won't lead to a cigarette. * Reach for a glass of juice instead of a cigarette for a "pick-me-up." * Remember: Cutting down can help you quit, but it's not a substitute for quitting. If you're down to about seven cigarettes a day, it's time to set your target date and get ready to stick to it.Don't Smoke "Automatically" * Smoke only those cigarettes you really want. Catch yourself before you light up a cigarette out of pure habit. * Don't empty your ashtrays. This will remind you of how many cigarettes you've smoked each day, and the sight and smell of stale butts will be very unpleasant. * Make yourself aware of each cigarette by using the opposite hand or putting cigarettes in an unfamiliar location or a different pocket to break the automatic reach. * If you light up many times during the day without even thinking about it, try to look in a mirror each time you put a match to your cigarette - you may decide you don't need it.Make smoking inconvenient * Stop buying cigarettes by the carton. Wait until one pack is empty before you buy another. * Stop carrying cigarettes with you at home and at work. Make them difficult to get to.Make smoking unpleasant * Smoke only under circumstances that aren't especially pleasurable for you. If you like to smoke with others, smoke alone. Turn your chair toward an empty corner and focus only on the cigarette you are smoking and its many negative effects. * Collect all you cigarette butts in one large glass container as a visual reminder of the filth smoking represents.JUST BEFORE QUITTING... * Practice going without cigarettes. * Don't think of NEVER smoking again. Think of quitting in terms of 1 day at a time. * Tell yourself you won't smoke today, and then don't. * Clean your clothes to rid them of the cigarette smell, which can linger a long time.ON THE DAY YOU QUIT... * Throw away all your cigarettes and matches. Hide your lighters and ashtrays. * Visit the dentist and have your teeth cleaned to get rid of tobacco stains. Notice how nice they look, and resolve to keep them that way. * Make a list of things you'd like to buy for yourself or someone else. Estimate the cost in terms of packs of cigarettes, and put the money aside to buy these presents. * Keep very busy on the big day. Go to the movies, exercise, take long walks, go bike riding. * Remind your family and friends that this is your quit date, and ask them to help you over the rough spots of the first couple of days and weeks. * Buy yourself a treat or do something special to celebrate.IMMEDIATELY AFTER QUITTING... * Develop a clean, fresh, nonsmoking environment around yourself - at work and at home. Buy yourself flowers - you may be surprised how much you can enjoy their scent now. * The first few days after you quit smoking, spend as much free time as possible in places where smoking isn't allowed, such as libraries, museums, theaters, department stores, and churches. * Drink large quantities of water and fruit juice (but avoid sodas that contain caffeine). * Try to avoid alcohol, coffee, and other beverages that you associate with cigarette smoking. * Strike up a conversation instead of a match for a cigarette. * If you miss the sensation of having a cigarette in your hand, play with something else - a pencil, a paper clip, a marble. * If you miss having something in your mouth, try toothpicks or a fake cigarette.Avoid temptation * Instead of smoking after meals, get up from the table and brush your teeth or go for a walk. * If you always smoke while driving, listen to a particularly interesting radio program or your favorite music, or take public transportation for a while, if you can. * For the first 1-3 weeks, avoid situations you strongly associate with the pleasurable aspects of smoking, such as watching your favorite TV program, sitting in your favorite chair, or having a cocktail before dinner. * Until you're confident of your ability to stay off cigarettes, limit your socializing to healthful, outdoor activities or situations where smoking isn't allowed. * If you must be in a situation where you'll be tempted to smoke (such as a cocktail or dinner party), try to associate with the nonsmokers there. * Try to analyze cigarette ads to understand how they attempt to "sell" you on individual brands.Find new habits * Change your habits to make smoking difficult, impossible, or unnecessary. For example, it's hard to smoke when you're swimming, jogging, or playing tennis or handball. When your desire for a cigarette is intense, wash your hands or the dishes, or try new recipes. * Do things that require you to use your hands. Try crossword puzzles, needlework, gardening, or household chores. Go bike riding; take the dog for a walk; give yourself a manicure; write letters. * Enjoy having a clean-mouth taste and maintain it by brushing your teeth frequently and using a mouthwash. * Stretch a lot. * Get plenty of rest. * Pay attention to your appearance. Look and feel sharp. * Try to find time for the activities that are the most meaningful, satisfying, and important to you.When you get the crazies * Keep oral substitutes handy - try carrots, pickles, sunflower seeds, apples, celery, raisins, or sugarless gum instead of a cigarette. * Take 10 deep breaths and hold the last one while lighting a match. Exhale slowly and blow out the match. Pretend it's a cigarette and crush it out in an ashtray. * Take a shower or bath if possible. * Learn to relax quickly and deeply. Make yourself limp, visualize a soothing, pleasing situation, and get away from it all for a moment. Concentrate on that peaceful image and nothing else. * Light incense or a candle instead of a cigarette. * Never allow yourself to think that "one won't hurt" - it will.About gaining weightMany people who're considering quitting are very concerned about gaining weight. If you're concerned about gaining weight, keep these points in mind: * Quitting doesn't mean you'll automatically gain weight. When people gain, most of the time it's because they eat more once they've quit. * The benefits of giving up cigarettes far outweigh the drawbacks of adding a few extra pounds. You'd have to gain a very large amount of weight to offset the many substantial health benefits that a normal smoker gains by quitting. Watch what you eat, and if you're concerned about gaining weight, consider the following tips:Tips to help you avoid weight gain... * Make sure you have a well-balanced diet, with the proper amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. * Don't set a target date for a holiday, when the temptation of high-calorie food and drinks may be too hard to resist. * Drink a glass of water before your meals. * Weigh yourself weekly. * Chew sugarless gum when you want sweet foods. * Plan menus carefully, and count calories. Don't try to lose weight - just try to maintain your prequitting weight. * Have low-calorie foods on hand for nibbling. Use the Snack Calorie Chart to choose foods that are both nutritious and low in calories. Some good choices are fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit and vegetable juices, low-fat cottage cheese, and air-popped popcorn without butter. * Take time for daily exercise, or join an organized exercise group. |
5 Simple Methods to Treat Smoking Addiction
By Waqar Akhtar
Smoking addiction popularly refers to the formation of an uncontrollable urge to smoke nicotine-induced tobacco cigarettes. This usually causes smokers of all ages to become dependent on cigarettes down to the point where kicking the habit causes severe mental, emotional, and even physical reactions. Various studies have presented statistical research that claims 2 out of 5 smokers may have higher percentages of dying at an early age due to their smoking addiction or by other causes related to smoking such as heart disease and cancer.
Only a small percentage of those who have tried to quit smoking have succeeded to kick the habit. Based on various studies, 2 out of 30 smokers may stop smoking in an indefinite or permanent amount of time as opposed to the others who may stop the habit of smoking nicotine-induced cigarettes in intermittent periods of a day to a month or more. Here are some tips for those who want to quit smoking:
1. Motivation is key - this means that you should always be highly motivated to resolve your addiction on your own. You should make it a point to feel the urge to quit smoking more than the urge to smoke a few cigarettes a day until you attain your intentions of totally eradicating the addiction from your system. Gradually reducing your cigarette consumption may just lead to binges here and there, so you should set a schedule wherein you intend to completely stop smoking and stick with it at all times.
2. Support helps - this means that you should seek a support group amongst your family and friends. They will often at times be very accommodating of your needs when it comes to your purpose of kicking your smoking addiction. They may avoid smoking whenever you're with them since this would help reduce your cravings for cigarettes. This would also inform them about your intentions that would lead them to understand the changes in your personality since it has been known that withdrawals from nicotine-induced cigarettes often lead to irritability and depression among other emotional and mental symptoms.
3. Medical assistance is an option - this means that you should consider consulting with your physician when it comes to quitting. This is because smoking addiction is now treated as a medical condition just like other addictions to regulated substances such as heroin and cocaine. These medical specialists may offer you support in terms of prescribing drugs and dietary programs that best suit your intentions of kicking the smoking habit.
4. Calculate the cost of your addiction - this can help some smokers to get rid of their smoking addiction once and for all, but it may not work for others. You need to think about the money you spend for financing your deadly habit, and the various things you could gain by channeling your 'cigarette money' to your family's needs. You need to set up some sort of financial plan to best support your intentions of getting rid of your smoking addiction since this would add to the advantages you could gain once you successfully kick the habit out of your system.
5. Consider the health of others - this is especially effective for smokers who live with their family and children. As passive smoking is more of a risk to children and adults alike than smoking itself, you should think about the people you endanger along with yourself whenever you smoke a cigarette at home or wherever you are with them.