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".... my devotion has somewhat made me a better quiter than before..."
OO HOO!!! This Christmas marks the 6th month milestone of my quit ciggy attempt. At this rate, I wouldn't call it an attempt anymore.... I call it a success!! Although, the last time I quit (in 1999) I started again after 2 years. There is no guarantee. However, I must say that the environment surrounding me is conducive in maintaining this quit ciggy life style. Why? Well, I don't go for clubbing anymore and my devotion to running mini marathons have somewhat made me a better quiter than before. How's that for a change. Be a quiter! for a good sake.
Anyway, I must confess. It is a terrible feeling battling the craving. For a 24 years smoker like me (started at the age of 14!!!), cold turkey is just,... freggin blastard turkey it is. Every end of meal and every toilet visit rings the tobacco bells. It is (was) a psychotic experience. Mood swings. High coffee intake. Food becomes substitute. Increase in weight.... the whole works. The worst would be when I visited my alma mater for an old boy weekend - surrounded by old friends who are in their 25th year of being a smoker. Even today I still have that tiny bit of craving but negligeable as it is easily extinguished with just a sip of Nescafe. With that, I therefore award myself the highest award there is for courage shown battling all these evil forces! I declare myself, a Non-Smoker!
There is a third dimension! (after Second Hand Smokers), ... Third Hand Smokers (THS), refers to the inhaling or ingestion through dermal exposure of smokes that stick to the hair, skin, clothes, furniture, wall, carpet, accesories in the car, and mony other surfaces, of which, infants, children and housewives are the primary victims
To stay tough in my course. I try to read more about negative effects of smoking cigarettes. Recently I stumbled upon a fantastic article regarding this in The New Straits Times 16 November 2012 entitled "Give Smoking a Miss". It was an article by the Ministry of Health under their "Tak nak! Merokok" campaign (i.e. means "Say No! to Smoking"). Some of the salient points worth sharing with everyone are as follows:
1. Cigarettes contain 6,000 types of poison. Some of them are Nicotine (insecticide), Butane (lighter fluid), Cromium (batteries), Stearic Acid (candle wax), Hexamine (barbeque lighter), Toluene (industrial solvent), Ammonia (toilet cleaner), Methanol (rocket fuel), Carbon Monoxide (car exhaust), Arsenic (poison), Methane (sewer gas) and Acetic Acid (vinegar).
2. The cost borne by the Government to treat only 3 diseases - heart attack, lung cancer & cronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)- caused by smoking has topped more than RM3 million a year.
3. According to the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), the tobacco use prevalence rate in Malaysia is 23.1% and 4.7 million adults, aged 15 and above, are currently smokers. Overall, those aged between 25 to 44 made up the highest percentage of tobacco product users at 29%. At 54.9%, male smokers formed the largest group in the same category.
4. Smoking damages gene p53 that causes cancers of lungs, pancreas, esophagus, throat, bladder, stomach and colon.
5. 50% of smokers die due to tobacco-related illness. Smokers have 70% to 200% more risk of suffering coronary heart disease.
6. For passive smokers, the risk is 23% more than those who are not exposed to secondhand smoke. GATS revealed that more than 70% patrons at restaurants and eateries are exposed to secondhand smoke. There is a third dimension! Third Hand Smokers (THS), refers to the inhaling or ingestion through dermal exposure of smokes that stick to the hair, skin, clothes, furniture, wall, carpet, accesories in the car, and mony other surfaces, of which, infants, children and housewives are the primary victims. THS accumulates over time and cannot be be cleaned by the usual cleaning method.
7. 40 types of illnesses related to tobacco. Some of them are heart attack, cancers, COPD, Mycrobacterium Tuberculosis, loss of bone mineral density, Osteoporosis, hip fractures, discoloration of nails, vision problems, Periodontitis, depression and premature birth.
8. Smoking reduces the quality of life as smokers get hooked to addiction. They'll have bad breath and bad smelling clothes. They will look older and have stained teeth. They will be prone to short of breath and face the risk of impotency.
9. The habits of smokers who expose other people to their cigarette are against the tenet of Islam. Worse still, those exposed are their children and family members. Worst would be, those who are exposed get ill and demonstrate mortality.
So my friends, who are still smokers, join me. Quit smoking. Love your lives. Love your children's lives. Love your families' lives. With that realisation of love, you will clearly see that it makes a lot of sense to quit smoking. I challenge you! It is possible as I have mentioned earlier, a 24 years smoker like me can do it. Surely you are more superior than me. You can do it. As the Ministry of Health put it "Tak nak! Merokok".
* kopihangtuah
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