Smoking, an anti-social phenomenon

S Thasthageer

Drug abuse is a serious public health problem that affects almost every community and family in some way. The drug is a chemical substance that develops changes in mental attitude and body after intaking. Activities of drug production, its import, export and distribution, are most prevalent in countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.

Drugs can be classified into two types as follows: 1. Drugs that are lawfully allowed. For example: cigarette (tobacco), arrack etc. 2. Drugs that are lawfully prevented. Examples: cannabis (ganja), opium, heroin, morphine, hasish, marijuana, buphrenophin (through injection) etc.

Smoking

Smoking is a habit started due to various reasons such as indirect motivation through parents' habits, free access to smoking available at wedding and funeral houses, motivation by friends, advertisements and movies where smoking is exposed with attraction as a heroic act.

Major risks caused by smoking

Most people know that smoking can cause lung cancer, but it can also cause many other cancers and illnesses. More than 4,000 chemical compounds and at least 400 toxic substances polluting the air by smoking. Out of these toxic substances, less than 40 causing cancer. Some of the toxic substances in smoking, are as follows:

1. Hydrogen cyanide - it is a substance to kill a living being.
2. Ammonium - it is a chemical substance used as insecticide and for cleaning toilets.
3. DDT - it is a chemical used to destroy mosquitoes.
4. Carbon monoxide - it is a toxic substance, coming out in the air by burning tyres and polythene.
5. Tar, a carcinogen - by breathing this substance, the tar, a carcinogen deposits in the cells of the lung, causing difficulty in breathing.
6. Nicotine is addictive and increases cholesterol levels in our body.
7. Methane - it is a chemical coming out when the lighter is lit up.

Polonium, ethanol, coltar and arsenic are some of the toxic substances.

Smoking and its impact

1. The lips of the smokers turn to be blackened.
2. The nail and teeth of the smokers become yellowish.
3. The mouth develops bad odour.
4. The skin develops wrinkles and you look older than the age.
5. Life shortened. The study reveals that on average, each cigarette shortens a smoker's life by around 11 minutes.
6. Blood clots in the heart and brain are the most common causes of sudden death.

* Coronary thrombosis: a blood clot in the arteries supplying the heart, which can lead to a heart attack. Around 30 percent are caused by smoking.

* Cerebral thrombosis: the vessels to the brain can become blocked, which can lead to collapse, stroke and paralysis.

7. Become nervous and trembling in hands and fingers since the nervous system is affected.
8. There are opportunities to develop cancer in some parts of the body. Kidney, lung, throat, stomach and mouth.
9. The eyesight decreases gradually among the smokers and members of their families. 10. The contractual diseases such as tuberculosis and bronchitis may occur.

11. Women who smoke and the women in the family are vulnerable to be affected.

* Chance of conceiving is very less
* Abortion
* Miscarriage
* Child being born dead (stillbirth)
* Even in case when such a child is born alive, he or she will be premature, the brain being undeveloped

Toxic circle caused by drug abuse
Poverty more intensified - 1
Failure to fulfill essential needs
in the household - 2
Family disputes increase - 3
Smoking/consumption of alcohol - 4
What Islam says about smoking

* Do not seek your own destruction by yourself (Al-Quran 2:195).
* Do not kill yourself. Certainly the Almighty Allah is very kind upon you. (Al-Quran 4:29).
* Be abstaining from spoil your wealth (Al-Hathees).
* After death, the smoke emitting from the mouth of the occupants in the Hell. (Al-Hathees).
* It is evil (Haram) to consume and trade the drugs that intoxicate (Al-Hathees)

The strategies that cigarette companies plan and use in order to flourish in the business:

* Act in cinema to show that smoking is a habit peculiar to those who are privileged in the community. Example: Act as a police officer, high rank official in department, holding the cigarettes in-between fingers visibly showing its brand.

* To facilitate actors or super stars to act as if the smoking is their hobby. But, they do not smoke in their actual life.

* Motivate smoking through attractive and vulgar advertisements and announcement disseminated. Cigarette companies spend large amounts of money for the above activities. The target of such cigarette companies, is that each and everybody in the world, should enjoy smoking with their lips.

The activities undertaken by the Sri Lankan government to prevent smoking

1. Prevention of smoking tobacco and consuming alcohol Law No 27 of 2006. This law has been prepared by National Authority for Control of Tobacco and Alcohol and passed by Parliament. Professor Carlo Fonseka has been appointed as the chairman of this Authority. According to the provisions of this law,

* Smoking is prevented in common places such as hospitals, schools, bus stands, post offices and places where people move about freely.

* Selling cigarettes - shall not be sold to persons under the age of 21.

* Smoking is prevented in hotels, restaurants and guest houses where there are seats less than 30 provided that separate rooms shall be reserved for smoking if the number of seats exceed 30.

* The following officers are authorized to act under this law: 1. Police officer, 2. Excise officer, 3. Food and Drugs Inspector, 4. Public Health Inspector.

2. Several work plans have been implemented by District Tobacco Control Cell at district level coordinating activities with Health Department. This cell is represented by Department of Health, Department of Education, Police Department and Excise Department as well as by representatives of Non Government Organizations.

3. Moreover, the Government Institution, 'National Dangerous Drug Control Board' has been implementing various programmes on control of smoking and alcoholism in several parts of Sri Lanka.

ADIC, FORUIT, FONGOADA and YMMA are the non government organizations implementing various programmes of this nature in selected regions. Therefore we shall make a determination to live in a community protected from dangerous hazards and diseases caused by smoking.

International Anti Smoking Day is tomorrow, May 31.

The writer is Regional Food and Drugs Inspector

(Special Grade), Coordinator - Anti Drug and Temperance - All Ceylon YMMA, Colombo