Smoking has proved to be great nusiance to the public

Smoking has proved to be great nuisance to the general public

By: Abraham Daljang Maker

Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 different chemicals which can damage the cells and systems of the human body. These include at least 80 chemicals that can cause cardiovascular diseases. Every time a smoker inhales, these chemicals are drawn into the body where they interfere with cell function and cause problems ranging from cell death to genetic changes which lead to cancer. This is why tobacco smoking is a known or probable cause of approximately 25 diseases. According to the world health organization WHO figures, smoking is responsible for approximately five million deaths worldwide every year. However it also contributes to, or aggravates many other diseases and may play a part in many more deaths. Even the WHO says that its impact on world health isn’t fully assessed

Cigarette smoking is increasingly becoming the major public concern in this contemporary society. If you have ever attended any public gathering which I believe everyone has ever done that, you realized that smoking causes a lot of discomfort to none smokers. The worst places are drinking joins where both smokers and none smokers converge to spent good time after long hours of work. Without realizing it, you see someone pulling out his packet of cigarette; light it and begin to smoke. Almost 30% of the total populations in this country are actively involved in smoking, the majority being young people who indulge themselves in smoking due to some influence from colleagues. Most of the people who smoke are typically the idle youth who have nothing to do. Although other people who smoke are working class, it is not a surprise that the majority of cigarette smokers are idlers.  Smoking is particularly damaging in young people. Evidence shows people who start smoking in their youth - aged 11 to 15 - are three times more likely to die a premature death than someone who takes up smoking at the age of 20.

In a few weeks ago, I hanged out in a nearby bar to pass time. In a little moment, a man who sat next to me started to light his cigarette and smoked.  Within no second, a very heavy cloud of smoke was oozing out of his nostril and mouth. The whole area became the pot of smoke and I could not escape the danger,  I had no choice than to just leave the bar for him and move away to look for a convenient place where I can sit without being disturbed by smoke. Passive smoking is another dangerous aspect that needs to be looked into. The active smokers affect the none smokers without knowing it, the little smoke you inhale as none smoker has more effect in the same way it affects the active smoker. Without realizing it, the smokers affect their family members, friends, and even the work mate. Passive smoking affects infants and children badly because their growing cells are susceptible to easily be damaged by the tobacco smoke.

In the 2002 High Court declaration, the judge ordered Uganda's environmental watchdog, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to make regulations to prohibit smoking in public places within one year. These regulations were finalized and termed The National Environment (Control of Public Smoking in Public Places) Regulations 2004. According to these regulations, "No person shall smoke a tobacco product or hold a lighted tobacco product in an enclosed, indoor area of a public place." The law also prohibits smoking in public service vehicles, aircraft, trains or other public transport means. But the question remains, are the law regulators doing their work enough to stop this habit of smoking in public? Is NEMA really doing its duties as the court expects it? The two parties must take critical actions against smoking to save the surrounding environment and the people. On the other hand, parents have to play very active role in this case because many young people take up smoking at a very tender age which can ruin their lives in the long run.

Smoking has many risk factors of which the media should address. The media is the ears and the eyes of the public. In other words, it is the watch dog over the issues of the society and it should be the collective role of the media houses both print and broadcast to educate the general public about the grave dangers of smoking. People take up smoking for a variety of reasons. Young people are especially vulnerable because of pressure from their peers and the image that smoking is clever, cool or 'grown-up'. Just trying a few cigarettes can be enough to become addicted. Many people say that smoking helps them to feel more relaxed or cope with stress but nicotine is a stimulant not a relaxant, so it doesn’t help stress. What people are describing is more likely to be relief from their craving or withdrawal symptoms.  Since the media can change the mind set of the public, it is very important to design a program that discuss the issues of excessive smoking. Giving the listeners the chance to participate and tell their views and how it can be mitigated. Designing such a program can be very helpful not only to the smoking addicts but also to the general public who also smoke passively.