SMOKING HABITS Past and Present Ganief Samodien SMOKING HABITS Past and Present Has the worldwide anti-smoking campaign caused a change in attitude of smokers?

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 - http://www.forestonline.org/output/page34.asp Since the 1960’s there has been a major drive to alert people from around the world of the detrimental effects of smoking. With this new information we would expect attitudes amongst smokers to change. HAS THIS HAPPENED IT?

Why was smoking not considered as taboo then? Before then, smoking was considered as Cool and pleasureable. Culturally acceptable and socially attractive Its advertising campaigns were very successful Tobacco companies were also hiding evidence proving its health risks. Tobacco companies also claimed findings that tobacco is detrimental to our health are inconclusive. There is little tobacco legislation across Africa

Is an anti-smoking campaign necessary? WHAT GOOD REASONS WOULD THERE BE FOR SMOKERS TO QUIT? 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.

Smoking has become socially unacceptable 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 Smoking has become socially unacceptable Smokers are smelly Subject others to passive smoking Your teeth get stained and yellow. Your skin ages more quickly. Smoking is expensive cancerous lung healthy lung http://www.cansa.org.za/smoking/stop_smoking_page-1.asp

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 1965-1992. 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+) 1970-72 1,340 1980-82 1,600 1990-92 1,720

The average number of cigarettes consumed per person hardly decreased from the 1960’s to 1995. In fact, the graph shows a slight increase – but this can also be attributed to the relative population growth. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/who/southafr.htm

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 http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/tobacco/quit_smoking.html http://www.cansa.org.za/smoking/stop_smoking_page-1.asp