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“Bullying’’ Smokers

Getting smokers to realize how nasty their habit really is through peer pressure

Tag words: Smoking, dangers of smoking, addiction to smoking, various harmful chemicals in cigarettes, second-hand smoking, smoking facts, second-hand smoking, third-hand smoking, quitting smoking, bullying smokers.

Authors: Bhavyata Patel & Monika Mazur with Julie M. Fagan, Ph.D.

Summary:

Cigarette smoke contains more than 4000 harmful chemicals, among which more than 40 are known for causing cancers. Risk of smoking related death is higher in smokers compared to non-smokers, but there are large numbers of non-smokers who die from it as being second-hand smokers. Second-hand smokers are at higher risk of heart diseases. It is not possible to make smokers stop smoking unless it’s their own choice, but it can be controlled to minimize the effects of second-hand smoking. For this, smokers need to realize how bad their habit is and how it is affecting the people around them. We all have right to speak about the way someone affects our lives. We need to breathe clean air and if someone is polluting the air we inhale, we have the right to say to them how they are affecting us. “Bullying” smokers is the way to let smokers know how they are affecting other people. The goal is to make smokers think about how bad their choice is to smoke and how it not only affects them, but also others around them. Peer pressure can be used to “bully” smokers, which is to influence smokers in a positive way. Peer pressure is the way to influence people to make their lives better. Peers may influence others in positive or negative ways depending upon the situation. “Bullying’’ smokers is to influence smokers using negative peer pressure to change their habits to make the lives better of the people around them. It is the idea to create the discipline without punishing. By “bullying”, we can make difference in the lives of smokers and non-smokers by making smokers realize about their bad habit without hurting them. To “bully” people who smoke, people around them may give them negative comments which should make smokers feel that their smoking habit is causing problems to others. Thus, the next time they smoke they first think how it will affect others. This way, peers can influence the smokers by “bullying” them which results in positive attitude towards others. There is a facebook page called “Bullying Smokers”, which anyone can join. (BP)

- http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/tobaccostatistics/a/cancerstats.htm- http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/smoking-and-smokeless-tobacco/overview.html

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-http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/QuestionsaboutSmokingTobaccoandHealth/ questions-about-smoking-tobacco-and-health-quit-benefits

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOXlRqRwBoQ&feature=youtu.be**Listed on You Tube under “Bullying” Smokers

Bullying

(MM) One person can make another feel afraid, hurt, uncomfortable or insulted. When any of these is done to a person more than once or over and over again for a long period of time, it is called bullying. Bullying is something no one should ever do. Bullying is a problem that is happening everywhere. It does not only affect children but adults as well. There are many definitions of bullying and most of them include the following points:

1. Bullying means being aggressive with others that involves unwanted, negative actions.2. It involves behavior in certain pattern that is repeated over and over again. 3. It also means misuse of power and strength.

Types of Bullying:

Verbal (passing negative comments and bad names)

Physical (include kicking, shoving ,hitting, spitting)

Racial

Sexual

Cyber bullying

Social exclusion and isolation

Lies and false rumors

Damaging or taking other things and money

Forcing or threatening to do things

Bullying is the way to make someone feel hurt, afraid, or uncomfortable. It was invented by people who wanted to gain power over another person.

- http://olweus.org/public/bullying.page- http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/friends/bullies/

The Ethics of Bullying Smokers

(BP) Smokers can be influenced in positive ways by giving negative comments to them, which is a type of negative peer pressure. Here, “Bullying” means giving negative comments to

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smokers, which is a type of verbal bullying. The word “bullying” has bad meanings in every sense, but negative peer pressure is not bullying when it is used to make a positive difference in an individual. Many non-smokers have problems about the health effects of cigarette smoking as well as the visible side effects such as cigarette smell on clothes, having to walk on public places behind a person who start smoking and having to breathe in cigarette smoke.

Smokers need to realize about the effects of their bad habits on the people around them. Accordingly, peers which include people who are affected by smokers need to take actions to make smokers understand that smoking when people are around them is a bad habit. It’s not only killing themselves, but also others who are affected by the smoke from their cigarettes. Negative feedback from non-smokers may not make smokers quit smoking, but it may stop them smoking when people are around them. Also, this will make them feel embarrassed about their habit. By “bullying”, we do not want to hurt smokers or make them feel insulted. It is just a way to apply peer pressure without punishing them. Negative peer pressure will make them more aware of their poor choice and how it creates problems for others. This way of “bullying” by peers on smokers may hopefully influence them in a good way and create positive attitude in them towards non-smokers.

History

(MM) Everyone is aware of the dangers of smoking, but millions of people are addicted to it. Among these, some people smoke because it is fun for them, while others see some positive effects of nicotine. For example, people believe that smoking cigarette helps them improve their daily lives because it helps to think, to relax, it boosts their mood, improve their short-term memory and make them focused. These few reasons make most of the people addicted to smoking, but there are many reasons to quit smoking. Cigarette contains many harmful chemicals along with poisonous gases such a carbon monoxide and radioactive materials. Health risks associated with smoking should help motivate people to quit smoking. Smoking is a habit which not only affects the smokers, but also people around them. Today, we live in a world where everyone is at risk of getting serious health problems including cancer due to tobacco smoking even though not everyone smokes. It is difficult for long-time smokers to quit smoking tobacco products, but it is possible to quit. There are many ways to quit smoking and lots of resources are available to help quit smoking.

Tobacco and smoking has a long history. The tobacco plant grew widely in America since the first century. Native Americans cultivated and smoked the tobacco plant for ceremonial and medicinal reasons. Cigars were not popular until early 1800s. Before, tobacco was used mainly for chewing and pipe-smoking. Cigarettes have been around since 1600’s, but they became very popular in United States after Civil War. Initially, tobacco’s negative effects on health were unknown. In fact, it was believed that tobacco was very effective medicine. It was not until the early 20th century that health risks related to smoking started to appear in scientific articles and medical journals. The first statistical correlation between smoking and cancer was made by researches in 1930. About 14 years later the American Cancer Society started to warn about risks associated with smoking. But there was no evidence found that linked lung cancer to smoking. The laws today hold manufactures more accountable for their products’ effects. For example, a company that produces tobacco may be held responsible for the harm caused by the product even if the potential risks are not known.

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http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/QuestionsaboutSmokingTobaccoandHealth/questions- about-smoking-tobacco-and-health-cancer-and-health- http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/smoking-and-smokeless-tobacco/overview.html- http://www.cnn.com/US/9705/tobacco/history/#early

Statistics

(BP) Cancer is one of the first diseases that was linked to smoking. Lung cancer, the leading cause of death by cancer, is caused by cigarette smoking. The risk of lung cancer is 23 times higher for male smokers and 13 times higher for female smokers. Compared to non-smokers, 90% of death in men and about 80% death in women due to lung cancer are caused by smoking. Generally, the risk of cancer due to smoking increases with the number of years smoked and the number of cigarettes and decreases after quitting. On average, every cigarette smoked reduces about 5 minutes of life.

Global Statistics About 95,000 kids start smoking each day worldwide, half of which live in Asia. In the

western pacific region, about a quarter of the children will die from smoking. Globally, one in ten people is killed by diseases caused by smoking. If this trend continues, one in six people will die due to smoking by 2030. Approximately, ten million cigarettes are sold everyday and someone dies from tobacco use every eight seconds. Evidence shows that 50% of people who start smoking in teenage years continue to smoke for 15 to 20 years. According to peer-reviewed studies, teenagers get hooked on to smoking through tobacco advertising. According to one survey in UK, half of smokers think that smoking "can’t really be all that dangerous, or the Government wouldn’t let cigarettes be advertised". (Quitsmoking/about.com)

USA StatisticsApproximately 25.2% men and 20.7% women are smokers in US alone who are at higher

risk of getting cancer, stroke and heart diseases. Latest studies show that smoking incidence is higher in people with 9 to 11 years of education, which is 35.4% in comparison with people having more than 16 years of education. On average, tobacco causes one out of every five deaths which kills about 400,000 Americans each year. The main cause of esophageal cancer includes cigarette smoking in US. There are about 12,300 new cases and 12,100 deaths from this cancer each year. Most of the laryngeal cancers are caused by the combination of alcohol and smoking. About 3800 people died from laryngeal cancer in 2003. Also, 57500 new cases of bladder cancer occurred and 12500 people died from it in 2003.

- http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/tobaccostatistics/a/cancerstats.htm- http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/antismoking/a/statistics.htm- http://www.wpro.who.int/countries/list.htm (Western Pacific region)- http://www.solveyourproblem.com/quit-smoking/effects_of_smoking.shtml

The dangers of being around smokers.

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(MM) Smoking tobacco products is the largest leading cause of deaths and diseases that are preventable. It affects people at all stages of life; unborn, adults, adolescents, infants and seniors. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer and many other types of cancers such as bladder cancer, kidney and pancreas cancer, leukemia, stomach cancer, cervix cancer, pharynx, esophagus and larynx cancer, and oral cavity cancer. Cigarette smoke contains numerous harmful substances that start to damage the body right away. The problem with smoking is that it not only affects smokers, but also causes health problems to people who don’t smoke but inhale the cigarette smoke as second-hand smokers. Many people do not smoke to not have any health issues by smoking, but it is not possible for them to not inhale the cigarette smoke since smokers are everywhere. Second-hand smokers are at higher risk of getting various cancers, and other health problems if they are constantly being exposed to the cigarette smoke. Second-hand smoke contains many toxic substances such as cyanide, benzene, carbon monoxide and many more.

Harmful Chemicals in Cigarette Smoke

(BP/MM) Tobacco burning produces mixture of chemicals and poisonous gases such as following:

1. Cyanide/ Hydrogen Cyanide

Cigarette smoke is the major source of cyanide exposure. Cyanide exposure in small amount causes rapid breathing, weakness, headache, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, and restlessness. Larger amount of cyanide in the body causes respiratory failure which leads to death, loss of consciousness, low blood pressure, slow heart rate and lung injury. Among all the chemicals in cigarette smoke, hydrogen cyanide –a poisonous gas- causes the most damage to the blood vessels and the heart. However, hydrogen cyanide does not cause cancer, but it surely does increase the risk of cancer caused by other chemicals because it damages cilia- tiny hairs on the airways lining which help clear toxins- which makes other chemicals to accumulate in the lungs and airways.

2. Benzene

Benzene is the known carcinogen which causes leukemia. Cigarette smoke contains great quantity of benzene and is the large cause of exposure to benzene. Averagely, smokers inhale ten times more benzene than non-smokers. Higher amount of benzene exposure for short time through inhalation damages central nervous system and leads to coma, paralysis, sleepiness, rapid breathing, and tightness in chest. Exposure for long time to benzene causes anemia, extreme bleeding, DNA damage, leukemia and bone marrow damage.

3. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is a malodorous chemical that is used in killing bacteria, preserving dead bodies and manufacturing of other chemicals. Formaldehyde in tobacco smoke causes diseases in lungs and airways. It is a known carcinogen which even in small amount increases the lifetime risk of

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getting cancer in non-smokers. There is three times higher level of formaldehyde in smoking areas compared to smoke-free environment. Some of the throat, nose and eye irritation experienced by smokers is the cause of formaldehyde in the cigarette smoke. Short-term effects of formaldehyde include nausea, coughing, watery eyes, and skin irritation. However, some smokers have no reaction from formaldehyde compared to sensitive people. People who are sensitive to formaldehyde are at risk of getting asthma if exposure to formaldehyde is continuous.

4. Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is colorless gas with no odor. The particles of carbon monoxide get attached onto the erythrocytes (RBCs) in place of oxygen. This lowers the level of oxygen in tissues and organs causing damage to them. Similar to hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide also destroys cilia and reduces the ability of lungs to function well. This way, carbon monoxide does not cause cancer directly, but it makes other chemicals to be carcinogens. Inhaling low level of carbon monoxide causes fatigue and chest pain. Higher level of exposure causes flu-like symptoms in healthy people such as headache, vomiting, dizziness, confusion and weakness. A very high level of exposure to carbon monoxide causes unconsciousness and death.

5. Nitrogen Oxide

Nitrogen oxide is a major air-pollutant. Our body uses very small amount of nitrogen oxide to transmit signals between cells, but high level of it causes lung tissue damage and inflammation in lungs. In smokers, nitrogen oxide causes shutting off the internal nitrogen oxide production line which causes constriction of airways. This makes it difficult for regular smokers to breathe. Low levels exposure to nitrogen oxide causes irritation to eyes, lungs, throat and nose, fatigue, nausea and coughing. High level exposure causes reduction of oxygen in tissues, accumulation of fluid in lungs, swelling in upper respiratory tract and throat and death. Direct physical contact with nitrogen oxide causes burning of skin and eyes. Eventually, this gas minimizes the function of immune system. Frequent and long-term exposure causes mutations.

6. Polonium-210

Polonium-210 is the common form of a radioactive element polonium. It causes alpha-radiation which may be blocked by skin. Tobacco smoke has traces of this chemical in it which accumulates in airways which causes radiation in surrounding cells. Smokers are exposed to polonium four times more compared to non-smokers, which causes their specific parts of thebody to get hundred times more radiation than in non-smokers. According to one study, people smoking one and half pack of cigarette per day get radiation equivalent to the amount someone would get having 300 x-rays of chest.

7. Tar

Tar is a mixture of particles inhaled by smokers. Tar comprises the mixture of harmful chemicals many of which are carcinogens. After settling of tar, sticky, brown residue is formed which stains teeth, fingers and lungs of smokers. Many people believe that tar is the only harmful

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component of cigarette as it is listed on the cigarette packs, but most hazardous chemicals are present as gas in cigarette smoke which are not counted as part of the tar, meaning cigarette with less tar in it still has all the dangerous chemicals present in it. In less or higher amount, but tar is in all cigarettes which increase as the cigarette is burnt down. This mean that the last puffs on cigarette contains twice the amount of tar as the first puffs. Tar destroys cilia and causes lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema and lung cancer.

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/QuestionsaboutSmokingTobaccoandHealth/questions-about-smoking-tobacco-and-health-cancer-and-health- www.quitsmoking.about.com - http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/cyanide/basics/facts.asp- http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/healthyliving/smokingandtobacco/whatsinacigarette/#hydrogencyanide- http://healthychild.org/issues/chemical-pop/nitrogen_oxides/

Second-Hand Smoking

(MM) Secondhand smoking is also called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. It involves the mixture of two types of smoke: “side-stream smoke “and “main-stream smoke”. Side-streamsmoke is produced by burning tobacco products and main-stream smoke is what smokers exhale. Combination of these two smokes goes into the lungs of second-hand smokers and affects them. The amount of smoke secondhand smokers inhale from burning one cigar is equivalent to the amount of smoke produced by a whole pack of cigarettes. There are about 7000 chemicals identified in secondhand smoke produced by burning tobacco, among which 250 chemicals are dangerous such as hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. There are at least 69 chemicals known to be carcinogens among those 7000 such as benzene, polonium-210 and formaldehyde.

(BP) Secondhand smoking is also harmful as firsthand smoking, but not as many cases of death. Passive smoking is also the cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. On average, 3000 people die per year due to lung cancer in Unites States alone being exposed to secondhand smoke. According to US Surgeon General, if nonsmokers live with smokers, they increase their chance of getting lung cancer by 20-30%. It is also suggested by various research studies that secondhand smoking may enhance the chance of breast cancer, nasal cavity cancer, leukemia, and tumors in brain of children. Passive smoking also increases the risk of getting heart diseases. In US, passive or secondhand smoking causes approximately 47000 deaths per year by heart diseases.

(MM) Secondhand smoking in children is even worse than in adults because they are physically developing rapidly and breathe more rapidly than adults. These children are at higher risk of unexpected infant death syndrome, cold, infection in ears, pneumonia, bronchitis and brutal asthma. Secondhand smoke exposure slows down the growth of the lungs in children. The Environmental Protection Agency states that about 50 to 75% children in United States alone carry measurable levels of cotinine in their blood, which is the product of nicotine breakdown. Pregnant women who do not smoke but inhale secondhand smoke have risk for their unborn

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babies. A pregnant woman who is secondhand smoker has risk of having stillborn by 23 % and having a child with birth defects by 13%. Regardless of the fact that a mother smokes or not, carcinogens present in cigarettes are passed from the mother to the fetus. The chemicals in cigarette smoke may cause genetic mutations and lead to leukemia and other types of cancers in infants.

- http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/ETS- http://www.smoking-facts.net/Second-Hand-Smoking-Facts.html- http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/about/index.html (US Surgeon General)- http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/healtheffects.html- http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/07/pregnant-women-secondhand-smoke-can-harm-your-unborn-baby/- http://www.fensende.com/Users/swnymph/refs/smoke.html

Third-Hand Smoking

(BP) The concept of thirdhand smoke is not new. It was there since the beginning, but researchers have started measuring and understanding the risk associated with the exposure to thirdhand smoking recently. Thirdhand smoking is residues of nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco products that are left behind on various surfaces such as walls after the smoking. The residues of these chemicals react with common air-pollutants and produce a mixture of toxins. These toxins have agents that may cause cancer to people who do not smoke and mainly to the children being exposed to them. Thirdhand smoke adheres to clothes, skin, walls, hair, carpets, vehicles, dust and many other surfaces even if the smoking was stopped there a long time ago. These tobacco residues of thirdhand smoke are inhaled, ingested or touched by nonsmokers, infants and children everyday which lead to various health problems related to tobacco. The problem with thirdhand smoke is that it cannot be eliminated by keeping windows open, with fans or using air conditioners. The residues of tobacco stay for such a long period of time even after smoking has been stopped. Living in smoke-free area is the only solution to this problem.

- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/third-hand-smoke/AN01985- http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/news/20110113/risks-of-thirdhand-cigarette-smoke-can-linger

The Psychology of Smoking

(MM) All cigarette packs contain a warning from Surgeon General saying that use of tobacco may cause harm to the health. Most of the smokers understand this and even feel such effects- sore throat, coughing- when they smoke , but still it does not stop them from smoking tobacco products. Even most educated people who understand the risk of health problems associated with the use of tobacco do not stop smoking. The reason for people to not stop smoking even after facing problems is generally psychological. Glamorization of cigarette smoking in advertisements and movies make people tempt to try tobacco products. Nicotine addiction is hard to overcome which is the reason why it is really hard for people to quit smoking, but it is possible. If the psychological motives are removed from the mind, nicotine addiction may be overcome in as little as two-three weeks depending upon for how long a person has been smoking. To quit smoking, first thing that needs to be done is understanding and eliminating the psychological lines of the problem.

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(BP) Some of the reasons that make people start smoking include their perception of themselves in other people’s company, their attempt to change themselves (self-image), being more attractive, become more manly or feminine or smart. People also start smoking thinking that it will help to cope with anxiety, to overcome depression, for socialization or to get thin. In real, smoking does not help to overcome any of these problems and denying the tobacco addiction is the main obstacle in overcoming this routine of smoking. Most of the smokers think that they have control over their destiny and they have power to quit whenever they want. In reality, this is just a way to convince them as to keep enjoying their smoking which becomes their habit by the time, which eventually becomes their lifestyle and they get addicted to it which cause them serious problems. Therefore, the best way to overcome smoking habit is to remove psychological reasons for using tobacco.

- http://www.scientificpsychic.com/health/smoking-psychology.html

How can smoking be reduced?

(MM) There are several ways in which smoking can be reduced.

1. Doctors can help.

Physicians should educate patients about tobacco. According to Thomas Houston there are four “A’s” for smoking intervention:

“Ask about smoking at every opportunity.

Advise all smokers to stop.

Assist patients in that effort.

Arrange follow-up.

With children, a fifth “A” can be listed – anticipatory guidance to help keep kids from ever starting to smoke.”

2. Nicotine replacement therapy.

Nicotine replacement therapies offer health advantage. It is known that cigarette smoking can cause cancer however nicotine is not carcinogenic. Nicotine can be absorbed by human body in several ways that are safer than smoking.

3. Women’s organizations.

About half of the smoking population is women. It would be helpful if women’s organizations would help women quit smoking. According to Sharon Lerner smoking

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kills has the highest rate of killing women than alcohol, drugs, car accidents, suicide and homicide together.

4. Higher taxes on cigarettes

California State was the first one to introduce Proposition 99. It was the California Tobacco Tax and Health Promotion Act of 1988 and it became law. The Behavioral Risk Survey concluded that cigarette smoking in adults in California was reduced. Other states in the country should learn from that legislation.

Current Controversies. Smoking. San Diego 1997

Methods of quitting smoking

(BP) 1. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): There are five types of nicotine replacement

therapy approved by FDA:

Patch

Transdermal nicotine systems which include giving a calculated dose of nicotine through the skin. There are several strengths and types of patches, some of them are available only on prescription. Some of possible side effects of using patches are: racing heartbeat, dizziness sleep problems, headache, nausea, skin irritation, muscle aches and stiffness.

Gum

Nicotine polacrilex is given through the mucus membrane in the mouth. It is fast acting, available without prescription in two different strengths. Some of possible side effects of using gum are: mouth sores, throat irritation, hiccups, nausea, jaw discomfort, bad taste, fast heartbeat and the gum can stick to and damage dentures.

Nasal spray

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Nicotine nasal spray transports the nicotine faster to blood stream. It is easy to use and only available by prescription. Some of possible side effects are: nasal irritation, runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, throat irritation and coughing.

Inhalers

Nicotine inhalers deliver most of the nicotine to the mouth not to the lungs like other inhalers. They are only available by prescription only. Some possible side effects are: coughing, throat irritation and upset stomach.

Lozenges

Nicotine containing lozenges are very similar to nicotine gum. They are available without prescription. Some of the possible side effects include: trouble sleeping, nausea, hiccups, coughing, heartburn, headache and flatulence.

2. Behavioral therapy: This type of therapy is done with a therapist. The therapist supports and

helps the smokers to find the best effective method to quit smoking. They do it by finding the

cause which makes the person to smoke which is to recognize the person’s trigger and find ways

to replace it or to get through it by some other means than smoking

3. Combined treatments: This type of method uses more than one type of treatments. For

example, instead of using a patch only, use of both the patch and the gum. This type of combined

treatments may raise the chances of quitting. Some successful combined methods include

nicotine replacement therapy with the behavioral therapy, a patch with some prescribed drug,

and spray with patch.

4. Medication therapy: Using anti-smoking medication may help reduce the symptoms and cravings. Some of the medications include Zyban and Chantix which are prescribed by the doctor to the people trying to quit smoking.

5. Non-medication therapies: This type of therapy is done without the use of any drug or nicotine replacement methods. This type of therapies include hypnosis which takes the person in a state that is most relaxed and strengthen their ability to quit and increase negativity to the cigarettes. The American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH) provides useful guidelines to select a hypnotherapist in the nearer area. Other non-medication methods include acupuncture

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which helps reduce symptoms and release natural pain reliever from the body, behavioral therapy and motivational therapy.

-http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/StayAwayfromTobacco/GuidetoQuittingSmoking/guide-to-quitting-smoking-types-of-nrt-http://healthliteracy.worlded.org/docs/tobacco/Unit4/2cycle_of_add.html-http://www.helpguide.org/mental/quit_smoking_cessation.htm

Effectiveness of different methods of smoking/ Success Rate

(BP) There are various methods to quit smoking, but some of those work better than others.

All of the methods are effective, but how one method works best for some and not for others

depends on the individuals and since for how long they have been smoking. The best method for

any individual is the one that is the most challengeable. On average, 90% of the people trying to

quit smoking use no external support such as aids, therapies or medications. This is not very

effective method. Also, people who try to quit this way do not succeed most of the time. Only

10% of those succeed the first time. By replacement therapy, people are given nicotine without

making them smoke. Studies have shown that this is the most effective ways to quit smoking. It

is as effective as 50 to 100%. People under 18 years old need to consult a doctor before using

this method. Support of friends and family makes the therapy even more effective.

(MM) Among the people who quit smoking with the help of some professionals, 13 of them

stop smoking for about six months out of every 100 smokers. There is one out of 100 smokers

who quit by the advice from websites, tapes, videos and their willpower. This does not seem

many, but it is 10,000 in one million. It is proven by clinical studies that with the NRT’s and

drugs-Zyban and Champix only- people are twice as likely to stop smoking. Many people try to

quit smoking with no outside help, but only by their willpower. Statistics on this method show

that this method is the least effective for quitting smoking. In every 100 people who try to quit

this way, only about 3 to 5 stop smoking for a year.

- http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/quit-smoking-http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/smoking/quitmethods_000505.htm

Cycle of addiction

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(MM) Cigarette smoking is as addictive as cocaine or heroin. While cigarette smoke is inhaled, nicotine goes into lungs, then to bloodstream, and from there it goes to the heart and the brain. Nicotine increases heart beat and blood pressure. That makes people feel more alert and awake. The withdrawal symptoms include feeling tired and irritable, it happens when nicotine blood level goes down. To prevent withdrawal symptoms the number of smoked cigarettes is slowly increased. The nicotine level drops after sleep, so often smokers start a day with cigarette.

http://healthliteracy.worlded.org/docs/tobacco/Unit4/2cycle_of_add.html

Interesting Facts about Smoking

(MM/BP)

Some interesting facts about tobacco addiction are as follows:

- Selling of tobacco products is greatly regulated by the law, but it is legal to smoke tobacco at any age.

- It takes only ten seconds for nicotine to reach to the brain once it is inhaled.

- On average, 25% of cigarettes sold around the globe are smuggled.

- Approximately, 440,000 deaths occur each year due to diseases associated with smoking in the US alone. - Everyday 3000 children start to smoke the cigarette for the first time, among which at least 1000 will die eventually due to smoking.

- If a child’s friends smoke, then the chance for the child to start smoke is 13% higher than if his/her friends did not smoke.

- Irregular menstrual cycle and infertility may be caused by smoking half pack of cigarette per day.

- Smoking mothers pass nicotine to their infants through breastfeeding.

- More than 50,000 deaths per year occur due to secondhand smoking in Units States.

- Smokers have 10 times as many wrinkles as non-smokers.

- One out of three smokers will die from disease caused by smoking tobacco.

- Smoking a pack of cigarette a day makes lose two teeth every ten years.

- On average, smokers die 6.5 years earlier than people who do not smoke.

- One out of every five deaths in United States is from tobacco related diseases.

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- Marlboro Company’s first owner died of lung cancer.

- http://listverse.com/2009/01/11/30-fascinating-cigarette-smoking-facts/- http://www.smoking-facts.net/- http://onlineroom.blogspot.com/2008/09/interestingfactssmoking.html

Service Project

(BP) Our goal is to make smokers realize about their bad smoking habits. The idea is to give negative comments to smokers by non-smokers when they see someone smoking in front of them. For example, when they pass by a smoker, they might cough and this may make realize the smoking person that his/her smoking is affecting someone. Another way is when a person sitting next to non-smoker smells as tobacco smoke, non-smokers may say that he/she smells bad and it is not tolerable for him. This will make smokers feel embarrass and apologetic for their smoking habit. It may also influence smokers if they hear non-smokers talking about this. For this, we have created a facebook community page called “Bullying Smokers”. Everyone including smokers and non-smokers can share their thoughts on the page. We have uploaded some pictures related to smoking which have been liked by 119 people. People have posted their comments they gave to smokers and how the smokes reacted to it. There are 70 people who have liked the page and 84 people are monthly active users of the page. It is not restricted to US only. People from different counties also have joined the page which includes India, UK, and Australia. There are 4473 posts views so far that is 4473 number of times people have visited the page including the people who have liked the page and the people who have not. The activity by people is increasing everyday. We have created a video on smoking, which describes how to “bully ’’ smokers by non-smokers which is also posted on the facebook page. This video provides some example for how to make smokers realize that their smoking is affecting others around them. The link to the facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000677216400#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=290382630994308&id=100000677216400&notif_t=feed_comment

References

1. Martin, Terry. "Smoking and Cancer - Statistics for the U.S." Smoking Cessation Guide. 2005. http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/tobaccostatistics/a/cancerstats.htm

2. Downs, Martin. "Making the Decision to Quit Tobacco Health Information - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment - NY Times Health." Health News - The New York Times. 5 Sept. 2009. <http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/smoking-and-smokeless-tobacco/overview.html>.

3. "Can Quitting Really Help a Lifelong Smoker?" American Cancer Society. 4 Nov. 2011. <http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/QuestionsaboutSmokingTobacco

andHealth/questions-about-smoking-tobacco-and-health-quit-benefits>.

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Editorials

(BP)

Sent to The Daily Targum (11/15/2011)

“Bullying ’’ Smokers

Second-hand smoking is not only annoying to nonsmokers, but also a major health concern for numerous students. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4000 harmful chemicals among which about 40 are cancer-causing. Second-hand smoking causes lung cancer, heart diseases and many other problems in non-smokers that lead to death. This can not be stopped since smokers are everywhere, but it can be controlled by making certain places smoke-free and making the smokers feel bad about their nasty habits.

Rutgers University has this problem on all four campuses of New Brunswick. Students get exposed to cigarette smoke everywhere on campuses where they need to go everyday such as bus-stops, outside of libraries, outside of classroom buildings, outside of cafeteria. These are the places where students go everyday and they have to inhale the smoke which is exhaled by smokers. Smokers have no right to create problems for others who do not smoke. For this, I

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would like to take some steps that may make smokers feel bad about their smoking habits when people are around them.

“Bullying’’ smokers is the first step toward my goal to create safe area around myself when I am in college and other places outside my house. “ Bullying’’ means criticizing about their smoking activity when someone sees a smoker who is smoking around them. This can be done by giving negative comments or feedbacks to smokers. For instance, once in one of my classes there was someone who sit next to me and that person smelled like he had just smoked before coming to the class. It was not comfortable for me to sit with that person for an hour, so I asked him, if he could just move over to the next raw because he smelled like cigarette and I could not take it. He then apologized to me and moved over to the next raw. This is just one instance. There are many other ways people can make smokers realize that what they are doing is also affecting others around them. Also, there is a facebook page called “Bullying Smokers” to share people’s incidences such as this and share their thoughts about how they feel about smoking. This page is not restricted to non-smokers. Anyone can join the page and post their thoughts there. This is another way for ‘bullying’ smokers because if a smoker reads the negative comments made by a non-smoker, he will realize that his habit really affects others.

If you are a non-smoker, you also should be ‘bullying’ smokers and if you are smoker, this may affect you and make you feel ashamed so next time you smoke, be careful to not smoke when people are around you!

(MM)

Sent to Lawrence Gazette (11/15/2011)

Bullying Smokers

Smokers and nonsmokers are part of every community, small or big. In the past, smoking was very popular, associated with every social event and it was present everywhere. Later, it was discovered that there is lots of health hazards linked with this habit. Smoking is one of top causes of lung cancer and many others. Besides it causes many diseases such as emphysema and heart disease. It also reduces the general health of the person who smokes. It is well know that smoking can shorten a life of a smoker and also it costs a person thousands of dollars a year.

Smokers affect many people who do not smoke, from unborn to seniors. To prevent possible health issues connected with smoking, all of us need to take action. Let’s start small, on individual level. Person who is walking and smoking cigarette in front of you needs to know that you are affected, so cough laud or even approach that person and make a comment that will turn his/her head and make him/her think . Clothes worn by smoking people are soaked with cigarette smoke and that makes them smell bad. It is hard to be close to “smelly” person, so let them know how you feel. What would happen if someone will use a perfume that smells bad and walk around? No one would like it. Make a move and embarrass a smoker if you need to. It is time to start to bully smokers!