What’s in a cigarette?
There are more than 4000 chemicals contained in tobacco
smoke, many of which are harmful when inhaled by smokers
and those around them.
Nicotine
This is the drug that causes addiction. It is very powerful and fast acting,
hitting the brain seven seconds after each drag. Nicotine causes higher
than usual neurotransmitter activity. When the activity starts to drop back
to ‘normal’ level, smokers finds themselves craving the next cigarette.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless gas found in high concentrations
in cigarette smoke. It is also produced by car exhausts and faulty gas fires
and boilers.
When inhaled, carbon monoxide combines readily with haemoglobin in
red blood cells to form carboxyhaemoglobin. This decreases the blood’s
oxygen-carrying capacity, depriving the organs and muscles of oxygen.
The smoker may experience fatigue, shortness of breath and low energy
levels.
To try and get more oxygen in, the heart beats faster and more red blood
cells are produced. The heart has to work harder which increases the risk
of heart attack or heart failure. Smoking just three cigarettes a day
doubles the risk of having a heart attack.
The extra red blood cells produced cause the blood to become thicker
and more sticky. Carbon monoxide also interacts in the blood vessels to
increase fatty deposits on the arterial walls. The effect of these fatty
deposits and blood becoming stickier is to increase the chance of blood
clots and strokes (clot in the brain) and heart attacks (clot in the arteries
of the heart).
Carbon monoxide is particularly harmful during pregnancy. In addition to
the damage to the woman, the oxygen supply to the uterus and fetus is
reduced. One cigarette can reduce fetal blood flow by 60%, restricting
growth, repair and exchange of essential nutrients in the evolving cells.
In 2007, 80 percent of the 5,319 male residents of kampung Keparakang, Mergangsan, Yogyakarta, were smokers. A year later, the number dropped to 70 percent and by 2009 to less than 65 percent.
Who do we have to thank for this? Women, of course.
The data comes from a survey conducted by members of an anti-smoking group in Keparakan made up of women.
"Information was initially collected from ten households at the Rukun-Tetangga *RT - basic community association* level, and the Rukun-Warga *RW - next highest administrative unit* level," said Rajwan Taufiq, Keparakan's village head, adding it ended up including the whole kampung.
The decreasing number of smokers in Keparakan is the result of a successful war waged on many fronts by brave women, more precisely wives of officials from the family welfare education department (PKK), against cigarette smokers, Rajwan said.
Wives began putting their foot down, tired of having to arrange various activities in the village chief's tiny, stuffy office, always full of smoke. Many of the men and officers who went there liked to puff on cigarettes while discussing matters of family welfare.
Sure enough, after six months of discussions, the citizens of Keparakan came up with a charter, signed by all the chairmen in the RW, totalling 13 people.
The charter declared residents would not smoke in the village head's office, and that every RW should choose two people from the group to conduct an anti-smoking campaign.
As many as 26 members from the newly formed anti-smoking group - recruited from 13 RW - received training at Gadjah Mada University school of medicine.
They received ample literature warning of the dangers of smoking, and were coached about the psychology reasons for cigarette addiction.
After this training, the war against smoking began on separate fronts. The first step was to free the village office environment and public places from cigarette smoke.
"Although the benefits *of people giving up cigarettes* were clearly positive for health and family finances, we couldn't prohibit smoking. All we could do was change people's mindsets," Rajwan said.
Soon enough, smokers were given a shed outside the village head's labelled "SMOKING AREA", a convivial to fill their lungs with nicotine, while sitting on easy chairs.
Alluring prospect, except for the multitude of posters stuck on the walls of the smoking area flashing images of various diseases caused by smoking and diatribes of information on all the toxins contained in cigarettes.
"We thought we had better inform smokers *of the harm they caused themselves and their families*. Now it's rare to see people smoking in smoking areas," Rajwan said.
Once the village head's office became smoke free, an attrition war against cigarettes continued at the heart of each family environment.
Take Andriyani for example; for the sake of her child's health, she forbade her husband from smoking in the house.
After some deliberation - and probably much pillow talk, Andriyani's husband agreed to only smoke on the veranda or when he was travelling. A small concession, but nonetheless a victory.
"Two weeks later my husband stopped smoking," said the mother of two.
Since Andriyani husband gave up smoking, her family has been able to save Rp 17,000 (US$1.7) per day - the equivalent of two packets of cigarettes a day.
"At the weekend, the whole family can now eat out or watch a movie using funds from the previous cigarette budget," she said.
Having rid themselves of cigarette smoke at home, members of the anti-smoking group took their fight to their immediate environment. The members asked their husbands not to smoke at the residents' meetings both at the RT and RW levels, and at other meetings.
Fitri Astuti, a member of the community in 1 RW Keparakan, suggested the women form a united front.
So whenever a meeting was scheduled, dozens of women would come carrying fans, pretending to cough when one of their husbands dared to pull a cigarette out. Wives grumbled, complaining of the dangers of passive smoking.
Chaos ensued. the head of the RW, a heavy smoker, lost his temper and stopped coming to meetings. But the chairman of the RW eventually saw the light, and caved in to the anti-smoking group's demands.
"The situation became uncomfortable but eventually the anti-smoking group's cause was embraced, and cigarettes were no longer permitted at any RT and RW level meetings, and in other kampung meetings," Fitri Astuti said.
The war for people's minds continued, with the anti-smoking group putting up posters reminding people of the dangers of smoking everywhere around the kampungs. Lists of the toxins contained in cigarettes were printed on posters and mounted in public places.
Women also organized events such as the healthy food festival at the end of each year and organized poster contests with an anti-smoking theme.
Not only did resident's wallets become thicker, but people's behaviour also began to change.
"Every cooperation type of activity always included cigarettes. Now when we undertake communal activities without a cigarette budget," said 47-year-old Ning Kuswantoro.
Yuli Kis, 50, who sells food near one of the leading private schools in Yogyakarta, decided to stop selling cigarettes a year ago.
"Selling cigarettes was a lucrative business, but when I realized the dangers of smoking, I no longer wanted to sell cigarettes. It's such pity that when they are still young and, still going to school, children are already consuming poison," Yuli Kis said.
It would seem the psychological warfare succeeded, as even chairman of the RT Slamet Widodo, 53, who at the beginning of the campaign refused to support or sign the Keparakan Charter, has become an active member of the anti-smoking group.
"I used to smoke an average of two packets a day since 1974. So in the past, I was completely against the anti-smoking group," he recalled.
But in 2009, he suffered a stroke due to his heavy consumption of cigarettes, and stopped smoking as a result. Now Slamet is glad he gave up sucking on the slow-killing machines, and willingly became a member of the anti-smoking group.
"The entertainment industry also supports the campaign. For example the Pura Tour, one of the attractions in this kampung, promised not to accept sponsorship from tobacco companies," Rajwan said.
There are now 39 anti-smoking groups of volunteers in Keparakan.
"We are not paid and receive no reward *for our campaigning*. We are often out of pocket. We pay our *operational* costs ourselves," Fitri Astuti said.
A clinic to help people stop smoking and support the improvement of public health was recently opened. Since November 12, 2009, the city government of Yogyakarta has established a special consultation clinic to help people who want to give up smoking.
Those clinics have now spread to 18 community health centers throughout Yogyakarta. Each clinic is staffed with one doctor on stand by.
Dr. Ndaru Rosanbantolo, a doctor in the community health center at Megergangsan, Yogyakarta, said 17 doctors has received specialist training at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) to handle people who wished to give up smoking.
"The training was more focused on understanding the psychological techniques to deal with patients," Ndaru said.
The clinic is open twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays during working hours.
For that 65 percent of people still smoking, the clinic will gladly open every day.
As well as providing consultation services, the community health centers also put up posters about the dangers of smoking, giving them for free to every visitor.
"We are also making a movie about cigarettes and will screen this in the waiting room to remind people of the dangers of cigarettes," Ndaru said.
Artikel by Slamet Susanto
Source
source: The Jakarta Post
Before reading this article I want to ask first, whether now you want to stop smoking? If there really was a desire from your heart most deeply, personally my congratulations. Decisions you make are very appropriate for the health of yourself and the people around you. Seeing the high price of a pack of cigarettes recently, the decision was also very beneficial for the health of your pocket.
Once you have settled on that decision, begin to remove everything related to cigarettes. Not only cigarettes and penghisapnya tools, as well throw matches, an ashtray and everything associated with smoking. Currently you are no longer a smoker so you do not need it anymore objects.
Clear all the objects in your house that still had the smell of cigarettes. This aims to avoid the appearance of more memory will be the smell of cigarettes. Wash clothes, sheets, towels, blankets and all of them. When there is money, buy a room air freshener that you really did change, and no longer smell the smell of cigarettes could lead to longing for a cigarette.
Do not try to try to find a replacement cigarettes containing nicotine. Many are sold on the market that contain gum nicotine so you can be free from cigarettes, but you will be more bound by nicotine. Indeed many experts who advocate this way, only to be done in accordance with the advice and the right dose.
It would be nice if you replace the nicotine gum with gum or candy Mints, eliminating the smell of cigarettes in your mouth. Loss of cigarettes in the mouth a long time will make you forget about cigarettes for good.
Usually smokers have a smoking schedule that is not written. For example they smoke after eating, smoking while blogging, smoking while another queue and another vehicle. Make other activities at that time so you do not fill that time with smoking. For example after every meal you can chew gum or dessert. When blogging you can eat snacks, when lining up your vehicle can browse or read a book. Not easy but if done with full determination you will be able to do.
Exercise and drinking enough water will help you forget about cigarettes. This activity will make your body healthy and helps add remove toxins and bad materials from the cigarette out of the body. Exercise also makes you forget about cigarettes because exercise fun sport especially when done in an environment with many people so you can get along well.
So a bit of a way to get rid of cigarettes from your life. All of the above ways will be successful if there is commitment from yourself to stop smoking.
As per the World Health Organization statistics, it has been established that 7 people die due to tobacco use. Tobacco consists more than 400 toxic substances and a further 4,000 chemical compounds.
The most hazardous substances are tar, a carcinogen substance and nicotine which is addictive and increases cholesterol and carbon monoxide levels in the body. Carbon monoxide decreases the amount of oxygen in the body and this gives rise to different health problems. Smoking decreases the levels of oxygen reaching tissues because it constricts and damages blood vessels, giving rise to different health problems.
Smokers are more likely to suffer from respiratory infections and other minor complaints such as colds and coughs. Smokers suffer from severe diseases such as heart diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, lung disease, respiratory problems and other problems related to pancreas, kidneys, and liver. Hereunder is a breakdown of smoking related diseases:
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): This is a group of health conditions that blocks airflow and thus one will have difficulty in breathing. The COPD causes health dysfunctions like chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Emphysema is when one has breathlessness because alveoli or air sacs have been damaged. Chronic bronchitis leads to frequent coughing with a lot of mucus. Smoking is 80% responsible for about 80% of COPD cases. The lungs decline at a faster rate, 3 times in fact in smokers than normal rate. Breathlessness starts due to the lungs dysfunction.
Cancer: Smokers are more likely to get cancer; cancer of the lungs, throat, gullet and mouth is caused by Carcinogen that is present in tobacco smoke. It is approximated that 90% of lung cancer cases are associated with smoking.
Other cancer diseases associated with smoking is cancer of the bladder, pancreatic, kidneys and esophagus, cervical cancer is more prevalent in female smokers.
Cardiovascular Diseases: These are diseases of the heart, the blood vessels, including veins and arteries. Major causes of smoke related deaths fall in this category. As it had earlier been established that nicotine increases the cholesterol levels in the blood, these cholesterol and other fats are deposited in the arteries. The arteries therefore become rigid, narrow or blocked. Due to the narrowing of these arteries, there will be blood clots and thus the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Common cardiovascular diseases are peripheral vascular disease, coronary thrombosis, coronary heart diseases, cerebral thrombosis and cerebrovascular diseases like stroke.
The lining of blood vessels are damaged, this affects the level of fats in the bloodstreams, the risks of atheroma are increased; this is the major source of stroke, aneurysms and heart diseases. Additionally, smoking causes mouth ulcerations.
Smoking has been associated with sexual problems, from performance in sex to infertility. Further smoking increases the risk of high blood pressure. Pale skin and more wrinkles are caused due to decrease in vitamin A levels, smokers have a lower supply of blood to the skin.
During pregnancy, it is advisable not to smoke since it heightens the risk of miscarriage, complications such as bleeding, ectopic pregnancy, premature birth and detachment of placenta. Also still births, low birth weight or congenital defects such as cleft palate.
Basically the health of the smoker and those around them are affected; smokers don’t get old, they die young.