With the rise of tobacco-related deaths and disease, the movement against smoking became stronger, demanding action. To protect the health of smokers and non-smokers, a recent ban on smoking was first introduced in airplanes, hospitals, schools, taxis, trains, government and public buildings and airports in the US and now in the European Union. The success of the ban in the above areas made it easier to apply the same regulation on restaurants, eateries, bars and other popular closed spaces. It helped in minimizing secondhand smoke in public spaces. This move resulted in smoke-free air indoors. Thanks to the ban, many older smokers quit the habit, discouraging the young to start smoking too.
This action, of course, was a big blow to the tobacco industry and special interest groups who made astronomical fortunes from the destructive habit, which led to the misery and death of smokers and non-smokers for decades. One of the many victims was the famous robust male model who made fascinating ads for one of the most popular cigarette brands. It is quite ironic that he eventually died of cancer after years of smoking and featuring the “empowering” cigarettes in commercials.
However, the powerful and resourceful industry did not concede defeat after the restriction on smoking in public spaces and moved their cigarette campaigns to a less savvy public, selling their deadly product to unwitting young consumers. This happens to be countries of the Third World. With the blessing of their governments, the industry shifted their target to a naive market, which welcomed the cigarettes and their huge billboards featuring tobacco smoking as an enjoyable, pleasure-giving, satisfying, relaxing, invigorating and empowering substance.
Within five years, cigarette makers found millions of easy preys who are willing to burn their health with cigarette smoking. The new smokers are the teenagers and the uninformed young. These groups are guaranteed to acquire and keep the deadly habit for decades to come. The industry succeeded in drawing a new crowd, which managed to influence others in their neighborhoods and schools, making the poor poorer and the young sick with nicotine addiction.
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The tobacco companies’ move and their propaganda painted a beautiful picture of smoking in order to reach and capture a wider, more fertile and lucrative market with the blessings of governments and silence of the medical community and health organizations.
The purpose of my article today is to discuss the smoke smokers leave behind in closed spaces. It is called secondhand smoke; it hurts even those who have never directly inhaled the smoke of a cigarette or a cigar in their lives. Many smokers argue that they are free to do what they like. According to them, it is their health they are ruining. BUT! I argue back that the exhaled smoke they leave behind destroys my health, yours and others’. Many of us are oblivious of tobacco smoke’s damage on the smoker’s and the innocent non-smoking bystanders’ health. Now, I shall explore the definition of secondhand smoke and its effect on health.
We often ask ourselves: “What is secondhand smoke? How can it harm the health of the non-smoker?” I shall explain how this happens.
Secondhand smoke comes from the fumes blown by cigarette, cigar, pipe and shisha (hookah) smokers. The exhaled smoke is produced by the burned tobacco, which is inhaled and exhaled by the smokers around you. This used up smoke is also known as passive or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
Some may find it innocuous, but the rising and spreading smoke between you and the smoker is charged with thousands of poisonous chemical substances like tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, arsenic, nitrides, benzopyrenes, phenols and hydrogen cyanide to mention a few, causing health hazards to smokers and non-smokers.
According to a report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the US, secondhand smoke takes the life of 53,000 Americans yearly, making it the third killer after smoking and alcohol consumption.
Such deaths are caused by lung cancer, heart disease, congestive lung disorders and others. Who is at a greater risk? Waiters, workers, and those who frequent smoke-filled restaurants, fast food eateries, bars, and work places; fetuses of smoking mothers; and children of smoking parents are more likely to develop smoke-related disorders.
According to a study, bartenders were at 50 percent higher risk of developing lung cancer due to working in smoke-filled bars. Children living in smoke-filled environments are more likely to develop asthma. Some of the above victims who were affected by secondhand smoke sued major cigarette manufacturers and won compensations for health damages done to them by secondhand smoke. That was what helped effectuate the ban on smoking in public and closed spaces.
The subject of tobacco and shisha (argeelah) smoking is very disturbing and frustrating in this country. I have addressed it several times before. The story has become painful and my condemning few lines will not help, unless health authorities address the issue by taking restrictive actions in order to curb the damage of smoking. Authorities should be commended for banning smoking in the two Holy Mosques. Unfortunately, it is not effectively enforced in airports. Regulations are broken all the time without retribution. I have seen smokers and smelled smoke in our airports.
While other countries have put bans on smoking in closed public areas, smoking is flourishing in our country. More youngsters are getting addicted to smoking. Restaurants are prospering because of allowing shisha use. Hospitals are already overcrowded with sickened people. Health costs have become an all-time high and productivity an all-time low.
Next week, I will be back with more on how secondhand smoke can harm us and our health and how we should become proactive in campaigning against smoke and secondhand smoke to urge health organizations and governments to put simple restrictive measures on smoking in public. It will prevent a lot of unnecessary suffering and expenses!
L.Barbu runs a wedding cigarettes information website: Buy Marlboro cigarettes Buy Cigarettes Online
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