Advocacy for tighter cigarette policies

Sooner, the Philippines will take a lead as the first country that will ban tobacco sale and consumption nationwide. This is the bottomline mission of my advocacy againts cigarette.

Cigarette is an unecessary and deadly product. Our people spend too much in tobaco-related medical treatments. Let's wipe this out once and for all. Ban also any movie or ad that shows the existence of this tobaco product.

Alam ko maraming papalag dito, pero wala akong paki-alam, huwagnyo akong i-boto para malulong kayo dyan sa bisyo na yan at pati mga anak natin sa susunod na generation!

Eh ako nga naging smoker din since 15 years old (1989), umabot nga ako sa 2 packs a day, pero tinigil ko ito bisyong ito in christmas eve of December 25 2000 dahil binulong ko eto sa mainit pang katawan na kamamatay lang na tatay ko. Ang sabi ko sa kanya, ititigil ko na ang paninigarilyo at ipapangako ko na gagawa ako ng paraan para mawala na itong productong eto sa Pilipinas at kung maari sa buong mundo. Since then, hindi na me nag yosi dude. Effective pala ang panata kapag ibinulong sa kamamatay lang na mahal sa buhay.

Maraming gustong tumigil mag-yosi, eh nahihirapan tumigil dahil maraming binibenta sa tindahan at mura lang at marami silang nakikitang tao na nag-yoyosi. Dapat pumasok ang gobyerno because in this partucular instance, the "vulnerable" sector are those who want to stop smoking or those people who want their love ones to stop smoking.

Sinabi ko na eto in advance ha, kapag maging Senador ako, there shall be a law that will totally ban cigarette sale and consumption in the Philippines. So kung magsilabasan ang mga Petalcorin Scandal na mga photos or videos (eeewwww Hayden Kho type, ha ha ha ha joke lang), alam nyo na na si Lucio Tan o si Philip Morris o yong cowboy na si Marlboro Man ang may kagagawan at nagpakawala ng mga paninira na eto (tawa naman dyan).

THIS FLOOR IS NOW OPEN FOR DEBATE!

Reaction from the Public:


My Response:

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Wanna quit smoking? Help is now within reach (PhilStar)

Smoking cigarette will do no good to a body of a person. It's damage to health is also a huge cost to healthcare. Cigarette is a bad product that must be totally eradicated in the production line of economies.

xxxxx

Wanna quit smoking? Help is now within reach
By Ella Oducayen (The Philippine Star) Updated July 23, 2001 12:00 AM
Source URL: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=127528&publicationSubCategoryId=65

Have you always been a failure in your attempts to quit the nasty smoking habit?

Don’t lose hope. The Sto. Tomas University Hospital (STUH)-Lung Institute Nicotine Dependence Treatment Program in Manila could just be the answer to your problem.

Launched in September last year, the program has helped nine out of 16 smokers who availed of the program to successfully get rid of the habit for good.

The program is based on the Start SMART (Supervised, Medication Assisted, Reduction Therapy), the most successful nicotine dependence treatment program in the US.

It consists of one screening session and six group counseling sessions that last for approximately one to two hours at most.

It also offers behavioral intervention, the use of Zyban, the only available drug in the country that effectively inhibits one’s craving to smoke, and regular physical examinations.

And unlike in the United States where therapy sessions are fixed, the UST hospital adjusts to the availability of the person so as not to interrupt his work and other daily activities.

Phone contacts are also made regularly to increase the potential for success and prevent relapses.

According to Dr. Patrick Gerard Moral, head of the UST hospital Smoking Cessation Clinic, the program only gives proper motivation but if the smoker has no firm resolve to quit, the effort is useless.

"The success of a person who decides to quit will greatly depend on his conviction to kick the habit. He must muster all the will power he can get if he wants to quit smoking for good," he said.

Studies have shown that even after years of smoking, the body repairs much of the damage caused by smoking.

Upon quitting, blood circulation will improve and if the lungs have not been structurally damaged, they will begin to repair themselves. Breathing becomes better and running short of breath will be a thing of the past.

Eventually the quitter will cough less and within the first year of quitting, his risk of heart attack will drop to that of one who has never smoked. Risks of stroke, lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses also drop.

"A smoker who decides to quit and enters our program is like one enrolling in a course where in the end he doesn’t only get a diploma but his life," Moral added.

Cigarette smoking is Number One health hazard (PhilStar)

There are many people who die from smoking cigarettes. Government also spends a lot in healthcare to subsidize persons who have robacco-related illness. I believe that there should be a sustained advocacy against cigarettes and count me in as one of the advocates.

xxxxx

Cigarette smoking is Number One health hazard -
Roses And Thorns by Alejandro R. Roces
(The Philippine Star) Updated June 03, 2000 12:00 AM
Source URL: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=102673&publicationSubCategoryId=64

Dr. Uton Rafei, director of the Southeast Asia office of the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning that Western Cigarette Companies are engaged in a sales drive that in effect will be a health timebomb in developing countries. "Southeast Asia," he said, "has the unhappy distinction of having the second highest growth rate of smokers of any WHO Region it is the target of big tobacco companies."

According to Rep. Heherson Alvarez, there are statistics to show that at least two Filipinos die every hour because of heart diseases, lung and throat cancer caused by smoking. To make matters worse, some get sick and die not because they are smokers but because they inhaled the cigarette smoke of smokers. In short, it is the Number One health hazard and at the same time, the most preventable cause of death. What we need is action from our legislators and the Health Department. The last major anti-smoking campaign was the launching of the "Yosi Nakakadiri" slogan during Juan Flavier's term -- as Health Secretary. It was a total failure. First, because the campaign was addressed to smokers and smokers enjoy smoking. They do not think cigarette smoke is nauseating A campaign must be based on truth. What should be addressed is the health hazards of smoking. There are world and local statistics to prove that smoking is an effective way of shortening any one's life span.

WHO Director Rafei cited Thailand's Anti-Smoking Regulations as an example to other South-East Asian nations. Thailand has strict laws prohibiting sales to minors, smoking in public places and recently banned, not only cigarette and in television, but even the showing of smoking scenes.

WHO has revealed that in Southeast Asia, cigarettes contain nicotine levels of up to 3.2, milligrams per cigarette or double the maximum amount permitted in most developed countries. WHO also revealed that western cigarette manufacturers deliberately place their billboards and other advertising materials near schools and that they promote concerts designed to entice children to smoke.

We are glad to say that now there is a bill pending in Congress, House Bill 1198 called the "Comprehensive Tobacco Regulation Act of 1998." If approved every cigarette pack will have to put a warning sign on the health hazards of smoking that will occupy 30 percent of the pack. Radio and television smoking ads will have to devote 20 percent of its time to the same health warning. The millennium is the era of information.

My cigarette control advocacy

Sooner, the Philippines will take a lead as the first country that will ban tobacco sale and consumption nationwide. This is the bottomline mission of my advocacy against cigarette smoking.

Cigarette is an unecessary and deadly product. Our people spend too much in tobaco-related medical treatments. Let's wipe this out once and for all. Ban also any movie or ad that shows the existence of this tobaco product.

Alam ko maraming papalag dito, pero wala akong paki-alam sa inyo kung gusto ninyong malulong kayo dyan sa bisyo na yan at pati mga anak natin sa susunod na generation!

Eh ako nga naging smoker din since 15 years old (1989), umabot nga ako sa 2 packs a day, pero tinigil ko ito bisyong ito in christmas eve of December 25 2000 dahil binulong ko eto sa mainit pang katawan na kamamatay lang na tatay ko. Ang sabi ko sa kanya, ititigil ko na ang paninigarilyo at ipapangako ko na gagawa ako ng paraan para mawala na itong productong eto sa Pilipinas at kung maari sa buong mundo. Since then, hindi na me nag yosi dude. Effective pala ang panata kapag ibinulong sa kamamatay lang na mahal sa buhay.

Maraming gustong tumigil mag-yosi, eh nahihirapan tumigil dahil maraming binibenta sa tindahan at mura lang at marami silang nakikitang tao na nag-yoyosi. Dapat pumasok ang gobyerno because in this partucular instance, the "vulnerable" sector are those who want to stop smoking or those people who want their love ones to stop smoking.

The best reasons to stop smoking (PhilStar)

Cigarette is nothing but a POISONOUS product. I believe Philippines should illegalize cigarette selling and consuming nationwide.

xxxxx

The best reasons to stop smoking
By Dr. Willie T. Ong (philstar.com) Updated June 02, 2010 12:00
Source URL: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=580560&publicationSubCategoryId=135

MANILA, Philippines - Each year, smoking-related diseases cause the most number of deaths in the Philippines. What is worse is that smokers actually hurt the non-smokers around them by letting them inhale its toxic fumes.

A study by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute shows that 47% of Filipino males, and 16% of females are smokers, one of the highest worldwide. Moreover, 33% of Filipino minors are smokers already by age 14.

Reasons to stop smoking

You will live longer. Based on data, smoking 10 sticks or more a day will reduce your life span by an average of 4 to 6 years. Those who are exposed to cigarette smoke (called passive smoking) will have a 1 year reduction in life span.

You’ll be healthier and reduce your chances of getting a heart attack, stroke and cancer. You will also reduce your risk of having emphysema, bronchitis, impotence, fertility problems, cataracts, blindness and wrinkles.

People around you, especially young kids, may develop asthma, lung problems and even heart problems because of your smoking.

Kids who see their parents smoke or drink are also more likely to smoke and drink themselves. Quit smoking and save your children your smoking-related illnesses.

The money you save can be spent on your family.

Pregnant women who smoke place two lives at risk because of the possibility of having an abnormal baby.

For those who have already suffered a heart attack or stroke, quitting can reduce your risk of getting a second attack.

For those with cancer, quitting can reduce your risk of getting a second cancer.

What makes smoking addictive?

Cigarettes contain nicotine, which is the substance responsible for the addiction. Once nicotine reaches the brains, it will release chemicals called norepinephrine and dopamine, both of which make us feel good. However, this nicotine high doesn’t last very long. Soon you will get a tolerance to nicotine, which means you will have smoke more cigarettes to get the same pleasurable feeling.

Just like any other addiction, the problem is that once you stop the supply of nicotine, you will feel weak and down. This will stimulate you to get your next puff. Hence, your brain is now addicted to cigarettes.

Certain situations can serve as a “trigger” and give you the urge to smoke. For example, it could be seeing someone smoking, a cigarette carton, the smell of an ashtray, after eating a good meal, or feeling sad or happy. It is as if your body is just looking for an excuse to get a cigarette.

If you really want to quit smoking, you must identify the situations that trigger you to smoke, and do your best to avoid them.

How hard will it be to quit?

Some people can quit smoking completely and suffer no side effects. However, for others, it can be a difficult process, and they will need a lot of medical and social support. Three factors are responsible for the difficulty in quitting: (1) how many cigarettes you smoke per day, (2) the people around you who also smoke, and (3) the real reason why you smoke. It could be due to stress, peer pressure or for weight control.

Knowing these factors will help you prepare yourself for the quitting process.

Timeline benefits of quitting

To help smokers quit, the American Lung Association has come up with the actual benefits to be gained if you decide to stop smoking.

According to the American Lung Association, the health benefits of quitting will begin just 20 minutes after your last cigarette. Your blood pressure and heart rate will decrease, and the oxygen content of your body will increase.

After the first day of quitting, your risk of suffering a heart attack will be reduced.

On the second day, your nerve endings will start to heal and your ability to smell and taste will improve.

Between 2 weeks and 3 months after quitting, your blood circulation will improve. Your smoker’s cough will be lessened and walking will become easier.

From 1 to 9 months, you will breathe easier and your lungs will continue to get better.

In 1 year, you will have reduced your risk of getting heart disease and a heart attack by 50%, when compared to a smoker.

Between 5 and 15 years after stopping, your risk for a stroke will be similar to a non-smoker.

Because of the bad effects of smoking, it will take 10 years of quitting before your risk of getting lung cancer drops.

In 10 years, your risk of getting other cancers (mouth, throat, pancreas, kidney and bladder) will also decrease.

By the time you reach 15 years of never touching a cigarette, your risk of dying will be the same as a non-smoker. This just goes to show that the ill effects of smoking are serious and deadly. Have a quit smoking plan when you feel you are ready to face the challenges of quitting.

Illegalizing Tobacco may Solve Classroom Shortage

If we illegalize the domestic sale and consumption of tobacco in the Philippines, we can stop the P43B government spending on tobacco-related illness each year. Saving this amount of waste may probably give you 200,000 classrooms with complete facility, and you don't have to make money in facilitating beggarship. A chain-smoker who made the first tobacco-illegal country in the world -- that will be your great sacrifice and your greatest destiny in WORLD HISTORY.