Before the 1950’s it was most fashionable, sophisticated and tough to smoke… Ever since the Surgeon General report of 1964 in the USA, smoking was no longer seen as an intelligent activity. Has the worldwide anti-smoking campaign caused a change in attitude of smokers? Has the worldwide anti-smoking campaign caused a change in attitude of smokers? SMOKING HABITS Past and Present

Emerging evidence has identified the new evil as Causing Disease Causing Disease Reducing longevity Reducing longevity A bad habit A bad habit An Addiction An Addiction A target for government A target for government Legislation & health warnings Legislation & health warnings Ill Affordable Ill Affordable Unpleasant to passive smokers Unpleasant to passive smokers - which have all contributed to the way in which society sees it as an unpopular practice to be avoided - which have all contributed to the way in which society sees it as an unpopular practice to be avoided

Reasons often cited by smokers to justify & continue their habits It is cool to smoke It is cool to smoke There is some pleasure in smoking There is some pleasure in smoking Escapism? Escapism? No real proof a being a health hazard No real proof a being a health hazard Advertising encourages smoking Advertising encourages smoking A stress reliever A stress reliever Peer pressure Peer pressure Part of smoker’s traditional or ethnic practices Part of smoker’s traditional or ethnic practices

So is smoking really An Evil in disguise? In 1950 the first Evidence of a link between lung cancer and smoking was published in the British Medical Journal. - Research by Professor (now Sir) Richard Doll and A Bradford Hill. Ref: The history of smoking -

Is an anti-smoking campaign necessary? Unhealthy –Within 12 hours of quitting your lungs work better. –Within 2 days, your sense of smell and taste improves. –After 3 weeks exercising is easier – You have more energy –Smoking can affect sexual performance by causing impotency in men. –1/2 of all smokers die from tobacco related illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer and emphysema. –Smoking affects fertility: men who smoke have a lower sperm count and more abnormal sperm; Women who smoke may take longer to get pregnant and are more likely to miscarry. WHAT GOOD REASONS WOULD THERE BE FOR SMOKERS TO QUIT?

Smoking has become socially Smoking has become sociallyunacceptable Smokers are smelly Smokers are smelly Subject others to passive smoking Subject others to passive smoking Your teeth get stained and yellow. Your teeth get stained and yellow. Your skin ages more quickly. Your skin ages more quickly. Smoking is expensive Smoking is expensive cancerous lung healthy lung cancerous lung healthy lung From: From: Your heart has to work harder and its more difficult to breathe. Smoking clogs up your blood vessels and can lead to strokes and amputations. The tar in cigarettes spreads through your respiratory system, coating your lungs like soot in a chimney. Tar causes cancer

Why were these facts denied for so long? health risks are largely driven by the epidemiological studies. Epidemiology is a statistically based science, dealing with risks among large groups of people, rather than with individuals health risks are largely driven by the epidemiological studies. Epidemiology is a statistically based science, dealing with risks among large groups of people, rather than with individuals Science is still to determine which smokers will get a smoking related disease and which will not. Nor can science tell whether any individual became ill solely because they smoked. This is, in part, because all of the diseases that have been associated with smoking also occur in life-long non-smokers. Science is still to determine which smokers will get a smoking related disease and which will not. Nor can science tell whether any individual became ill solely because they smoked. This is, in part, because all of the diseases that have been associated with smoking also occur in life-long non-smokers.

The latest statistics in South Africa show: one in three (7 million) adult South Africans smoke, and this figure is rising 52% of South African men smoke 52% of South African men smoke 17% of South African women smoke 17% of South African women smoke Overall national smoking rates have increased by 3% since 1992 Overall national smoking rates have increased by 3% since 1992 One in nine deaths nationally is related to tobacco use Adapted from Provinces with the highest smoking rates

What do the smoking stats show? Most tobacco consumed in South Africa is in the form of manufactured cigarettes. Consumption shows a steady rise over the period By the early 1990s, average annual adult consumption had reached around 1,700 cigarettes. In 1991, the average number of cigarettes smoked per day for men was 21. Annual adult consumption of all other forms of tobacco averaged 2,300 grams per year. Most tobacco consumed in South Africa is in the form of manufactured cigarettes. Consumption shows a steady rise over the period By the early 1990s, average annual adult consumption had reached around 1,700 cigarettes. In 1991, the average number of cigarettes smoked per day for men was 21. Annual adult consumption of all other forms of tobacco averaged 2,300 grams per year. Consumption of Manufactured Cigarettes Annual average per adult (15+) , , ,720

From:

The average number of cigarettes consumed per person hardly decreased from the 1960’s to In fact, the graph shows a slight increase – but this can also be attributed to the relative population growth. ANALYSIS

 Inadequate, unsuccessful laws and campaigns against smoking and campaigns against smoking  Advertising & the glamourising of smoking has been successful has been successful  Opposition to smoking laws  Addiction to smoking has been underestimated  the consequences of smoking are taken lightly If smoking is detrimental to our health, why aren’t smokers quitting?

Conclusion Anti-smoking campaigns have little effect – if any on the mindset of smokers. Smoking is a personal choice and we need to find reasons for the reluctance among smokers to quit. (We need to interview individual smokers) We are faced with a greater challenge to reduce smoking in our country. (We need to run our own campaigns through e.g. fliers and brochures)

REFERENCES bacco/quit_smoking.html bacco/quit_smoking.html bacco/quit_smoking.html bacco/quit_smoking.html moking_page-1.asp moking_page-1.asp moking_page-1.asp moking_page-1.asp