Before the 1950’s it was Before the 1950’s it was most fashionable, sophisticated most fashionable, sophisticated and tough to smoke… and tough to smoke…

Ever since the Surgeon General report Ever since the Surgeon General report of 1964 in the USA, smoking was no longer of 1964 in the USA, smoking was no longer seen as an intelligent activity. 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 HABITSSMOKING HABITS Past and Present Past and Present

Emerging evidence has Emerging evidence has identified the new evil asidentified the new evil as

Causing DiseaseCausing Disease Reducing longevityReducing longevity A bad habit A bad habit An AddictionAn Addiction A target for government A target for government

Legislation & health warningsLegislation & health warnings Ill AffordableIll Affordable Unpleasant to passive smokersUnpleasant to passive smokers

- which have all contributed to the way in - which have all contributed to the way in which society sees it as an unpopular which society sees it as an unpopular practice to be avoidedpractice to be avoided

Reasons often cited by smokers Reasons often cited by smokers to justify & continue their habitsto justify & continue their habits

It is cool to smokeIt is cool to smoke There is some pleasure There is some pleasure

in smokingin smoking Escapism?Escapism? No real proof a being a No real proof a being a

health hazardhealth hazard Advertising encourages Advertising encourages

smokingsmoking A stress relieverA stress reliever Peer pressure Peer pressure Part of smoker’s Part of smoker’s

traditional or ethnic traditional or ethnic practicespractices

So is smoking really An Evil in So is smoking really An Evil in disguise?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 - http://www.forestonline.org/output/page34.asp

Is an anti-smoking campaign necessary? 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 socially unacceptable unacceptable

Smokers are smellySmokers are smelly Subject others to passive smokingSubject 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 expensiveSmoking is expensive

cancerous lung healthy cancerous lung healthy lunglung

From: From: http://www.cansa.org.za/smoking/stop_smoking_page-1.asphttp://www.cansa.org.za/smoking/stop_smoking_page-1.asp

•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 Why were these facts denied for so long?so long?

health risks are largely driven by the epidemiological health risks are largely driven by the epidemiological studies. Epidemiology is a statistically based science, studies. Epidemiology is a statistically based science, dealing with risks among large groups of people, rather dealing with risks among large groups of people, rather than with individualsthan with individuals

Science is still to determine which smokers will get a Science is still to determine which smokers will get a

smoking related disease and which will not. Nor can science smoking related disease and which will not. Nor can science tell whether any individual became ill solely because they tell whether any individual became ill solely because they smoked. This is, in part, because all of the diseases that smoked. This is, in part, because all of the diseases that have been associated with smoking also occur in life-long have been associated with smoking also occur in life-long

non-smokers.non-smokers.

The latest statistics in South The latest statistics in South Africa show: Africa show:

one in three (7 million) adult one in three (7 million) adult South Africans smoke, and South Africans smoke, and this figure is risingthis figure is rising

52% of South African men smoke 52% of South African men smoke 17% of South African women 17% of South African women

smoke smoke

Overall national smoking rates Overall national smoking rates have increased by 3% since 1992 have increased by 3% since 1992

One in nine deaths nationally One in nine deaths nationally

is related to tobacco useis related to tobacco use

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

Province

Northern CapeWestern CapeNorth West

Adapted fromAdapted fromhttp://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/who/southafr.htmhttp://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/who/southafr.htm

Provinces with the highest smoking ratesProvinces with the highest smoking rates

What do the smoking stats What do the smoking stats show?show?

Most tobacco consumed in Most tobacco consumed in South Africa is in the form South Africa is in the form of manufactured of manufactured cigarettes. Consumption cigarettes. Consumption shows a steady rise over shows a steady rise over the period 1965-1992. By the period 1965-1992. By the early 1990s, average the early 1990s, average annual adult consumption annual adult consumption had reached around 1,700 had reached around 1,700 cigarettes. In 1991, the cigarettes. In 1991, the average number of average number of cigarettes smoked per day cigarettes smoked per day for men was 21. Annual for men was 21. Annual adult consumption of all adult consumption of all other forms of tobacco other forms of tobacco averaged 2,300 grams per averaged 2,300 grams per year.year.

Consumption of Manufactured Consumption of Manufactured CigarettesCigarettes

Annual average per adult Annual average per adult (15+)(15+)

1970-721970-721,3401,340

1980-821980-821,6001,600

1990-921990-921,7201,720

From: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/who/southafr.htm

The average number of cigarettes consumed per person hardly decreased

from the 1960’s to 1995.

In fact, the graph shows a slight increase In fact, the graph shows a slight increase – but this can also be attributed to the – but this can also be attributed to the

relative population growth.relative population growth.

ANALYSIS

Inadequate, unsuccessful laws Inadequate, unsuccessful laws and campaigns against smokingand campaigns against smoking

Advertising & the glamourising of smoking Advertising & the glamourising of smoking has been has been successfulsuccessfulOpposition to smoking lawsOpposition to smoking laws

Addiction to smoking has been Addiction to smoking has been underestimatedunderestimated

the consequences of smoking are taken the consequences of smoking are taken lightlylightly

If smoking is detrimental to our If smoking is detrimental to our health, why aren’t smokers health, why aren’t smokers

quitting?quitting?

ConclusionConclusion•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)

REFERENCESREFERENCES

http://kidshealth.org/teen/http://kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/tobacco/drug_alcohol/tobacco/quit_smoking.htmlquit_smoking.html

http://www.cansa.org.za/smoking/http://www.cansa.org.za/smoking/stop_smoking_page-1.aspstop_smoking_page-1.asp