Encyclopedia
Tobacco smoking, often refered to as "smoking", is the act of burning the dried leaves of the
tobacco plant and inhaling the smoke. The practice was common to many Native American cultures and was introduced to the rest of the world by sailors following European exploration of the Americas.
Tobacco smoke contains
nicotine, a stimulant which temporarily improves alertness and memory, but also forms a strong physical and psychological chemical dependence . Medical research has determined that smoking is a major contributing factor towards many health problems, particularly
lung cancer,
emphysema, and cardiovascular disease. Many countries regulate or restrict
tobacco sales and advertising and require
warnings be placed prominently on the product packaging. Many municipalities now
ban smoking in a variety of public venues due to health impacts on non-smokers breathing
second-hand smoke.
While smoking is on the decline in many industrial nations due in part to these initiatives, smoking in less restrictive
developing countries is on the rise and worldwide production and usage of tobacco continues to grow.
History
Tobacco smoking with
pipes and
cigars was common to many
Native American cultures prior to the arrival of European explorers. The practice is depicted in early Mayan art dating back to around 1,500 years ago. The Mayans were also known to use tobacco as an all-purpose medicinal antidote, and the crop was widely believed to possess magical powers as its usage has been documented in ancient ceremonial
sacrifices and
divinations as well as in talismans.
On October 12, 1492,
Christopher Columbus was given dry leaves by the Arawaks, but threw them away. Rodrigo de Jerez and Luis de Torres were the first Europeans to observe smoking, and Jerez became the first recorded smoker outside the Americas. Throughout the 16th century, the habit of smoking was common mainly among sailors. Tobacco was introduced to England in the 1560s by the crew of Sir
John Hawkins but did not begin making an impact on European society until the 1580s. The cigar became immensely popular in England during the late 1820s. In 1828, the
cigarette appeared in Spain and enjoyed immediate success but still remained less popular than both the cigar and pipe until the early 20th century when cheap mechanically manufactured cigarettes became standard.
During World War I, it was typical for tobacco products to be included in military rations. Following the war, cigarette smoking was advertised as part of a glamorous, carefree lifestyle, and became socially acceptable for women. In the 1930s,
Nazi medical and military leaders grew concerned with the possibility that tobacco might be hazardous to human health and their scientists were the first to confirm this link. In the United States, biologist Raymond Pearl had demonstrated the negative health effects of tobacco smoking as early as 1938. In the 1950s and 1960s, the medical community along with various governmental bodies, and
Readers Digest magazine, began a campaign to reduce the degree of smoking by showing how it damaged public health. Although tobacco smoking in many regions of the world has dropped dramatically in recent years, worldwide tobacco production is still growing. Smoking rates continue to remain relatively high in Asian countries due to aggressive marketing and the lack of health education.
Methods of smoking
Cigarette
A cigarette is a product manufactured out of cured and finely cut tobacco leaves, which are rolled or stuffed into a paper-wrapped cylinder . The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder for the purpose of inhalation of its smoke from the other end, which is inserted in the mouth. They are sometimes smoked with a cigarette holder. .
Cigar
A
cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented
tobacco, one end of which is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the smoker's mouth through the other end.
The word
cigar is from the Spanish word
cigarro, which the
Oxford English Dictionary is a dictionary [i] published by the Oxford University Press [i] , an ...
suggests is a variation on
cigarra, Spanish for "
cicada," due to their shape, especially that of what is now called the
perfecto. Other sources have indicated that it may be derived from the Mayan word
sikar, "tobacco."
Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in such nations as
Brazil,
Cameroon,
Cuba,
Dominican Republic,
Honduras,
Indonesia,
Mexico,
Nicaragua and the
United States of America. Cigars manufactured in Cuba have historically been considered to be without peer, although many experts believe that the best offerings from Honduras and Nicaragua rival those from Cuba. The Cuban reputation arises from both the unique characteristics of the Vuelta Abajo region in the
Pinar del Río Province at the west of the island, where a
microclimate allows for high-quality tobacco to be grown, and the skill of the Cuban cigar makers.
Smoking pipe
A smoking pipe is a device used for smoking
tobacco. The smoking pipe typically consists of a small chamber for the combustion of the substance to be smoked and a thin stem that ends in a mouthpiece .
Pipes are made from a variety of materials: briar,
corncob,
meerschaum, African block meerschaum,
clay,
cherry,
wood,
glass,
gourd,
bamboo , and various other materials, such as
morta and metal. Many pipes are carved with a great deal of artistry.
Tobaccos used for smoking pipes are often treated and blended to achieve flavour nuances not available in other tobacco products. Many of these are blends using staple ingredients of variously cured Burley and Virginia tobaccos which are enhanced by spice tobaccos, among them many Oriental or Balkan varietals,
Latakia , Perique or blends of Virginia and Burley tobaccos of African, Indian, or South American origins. Traditionally, many U.S. blends are made of American Burley with sweeteners and flavorings added to create an "aromatic" flavor, whereas "English" blends are based on natural Virginia tobaccos enhanced with Oriental and other natural tobaccos. There is a growing tendency towards "natural" tobaccos which derive their aromas from artful blending with selected spice tobaccos only and careful, often historically-based, curing processes.
Pipes can range from the very simple machine-made briar pipe to highly-prized handmade and artful implements created by renowned pipemakers which can be very expensive collector's items.
Hookah
A hookah is a traditional Middle Eastern or South Asian
device for smoking, which operates by water-filtration and indirect heat. It can be used for smoking many substances, such as tobacco, and herbal fruits. Hookah smoking is most popular in the Middle East, but is currently gaining popularity in other parts of the world.
Hookah smoking is considered to be safer than other forms of smoking due to water-filtration. However, the water does not filter out many of the toxins, and several negative health effects were still linked to hookah smoking. One study found Hookah smoke to be both
clastogenic and genotoxic for human beings. Another study showed that the
CO hazard is as high with hookah smoking as with cigarette smoking. In addition to the cancer risk, there is some risk of infectious disease resulting from pipe sharing, and other harm caused by any addition of alcohol or psychoactive drugs to the tobacco.
Factors that influence smoking behavior
Performance enhancement
Tobacco smoke contains
nicotine, a stimulant, which increases the
acetylcholine levels in the brain, temporary increasing memory and alertness. Recent evidence has shown that nicotine use also increases
dopamine levels in the brain, promoting feelings of pleasure and reward. One study found that smokers exhibit better reaction-time and memory performance as they tire, compared to non-smokers.
Nicotine addiction
Nicotine, an element of tobacco smoke, is one of the most addictive substances that exists. When tobacco is smoked, most of the nicotine is
pyrolised; however, a dose sufficient to cause mild somatic dependency and mild to strong psychological dependency remains. According to studies by Henningfield and Benowitz, nicotine is more addictive than
marijuana and
caffeine but of a lesser potential for somatic dependency than
ethanol,
cocaine and
heroin. A study by Perrine concludes nicotine's potential for psychological dependency exceeds all other studied drugs - even ethanol, an extremely physically addictive substance with a severe withdrawal that can be fatal. Most smokers use nicotine compulsively. About half of Canadians who currently smoke have tried to quit.
McGill University health professor Jennifer O'Loughlin stated that nicotine addiction can occur as soon as five months after the start of smoking.
It is difficult to quit smoking due to the withdrawal symptoms which include
insomnia, irritability, anxiety, decreased heart rate,
weight gain, and nicotine cravings. The relapse rate for quitters is high: about 60% relapse in three months. Also, nicotine users are sometimes reluctant to quit smoking because they do not see any short-term damages it may cause.
Tobacco advertising
Before the 1970s, most
tobacco advertising was legal in the United States and most European nations. In the United States, in the 1950s and 1960s, cigarette brands were frequently sponsors of television shows—most notably shows such as
To Tell the Truth and
I've Got a Secret was a weekly panel game show [i] produced by Mark Goodson [i] and Bill Todman [i] ...
. One of the most famous television jingles of the era came from an advertisement for Winston cigarettes. The slogan "
Winston tastes good like a cigarette should!" proved to be catchy, and is still quoted today. Another popular slogan from the 1960s was "
Us Tareyton smokers would rather fight than switch!," which was used to advertise Tareyton cigarettes.
Many nations, including Russia, still allow billboards advertising tobacco use. Tobacco smoking is still advertised in special magazines, during sporting events, in gas stations and stores, and in more rare cases on television.
In the United States, it was well known that tobacco companies are marketing tobacco smoking to minors. For example, Reynolds American Inc. used the
Joe Camel cartoon character to advertise
Camel cigarettes. Other brands such as
Virginia Slims targeted women with slogans like "You've Come a Long Way Baby".
Recently, some nations began anti-smoking advertisements to counter the effects of tobacco advertising.
The actual effectivness of tobacco advertisement is widely debated. According to an opinion piece by Henry Saffer, public health experts say that tobacco advertising increases cigarette consumption, but there is a significant empirical literature that finds little or no effect of tobacco advertising on smoking.
Peer pressure
Many anti-smoking organizations say that teenagers begin their smoking habits due to peer pressure. However, one study found that direct pressure to smoke cigarettes did not play a significant part in adolescent smoking. In that study,
adolescents also reported low levels of both normative and direct pressure to smoke cigarettes. A similar study showed that individuals play a more active role in starting to smoke than has previously been acknowledged and that social processes other than peer pressure need to be taken into account. Another study's results revealed that peer pressure was significantly associated with smoking behavior across all age and gender cohorts, but that intrapersonal factors were significantly more important to the smoking behavior of 12-13 year-old girls than same-age boys. Within the 14-15 year-old age group, one peer pressure variable emerged as a significantly more important predictor of girls' than boys' smoking. It is debated whether peer pressure or self-selection is a greater cause of adolescent smoking.
Ethnic and cultural influences
Smoking is more popular in some cultures than in others. One study found that in the United States, white youths reported the highest rates of lifetime, current, and persistent smoking, and initiated smoking at a significantly earlier age than African-Americans and Hispanics. In the United States, 33.4% of American Indians and Alaskan Natives smoke, 22.2% of whites smoke, 20.2% of African Americans smoke, 15.0% of Hispanics smoke, and only 11.3% of Asian Americans smoke. Religion and local cultures play a significant role in the smoking prevalnce in the region.
Utah, a predominantly
Mormon state, has a smoking rate of 12%, while
Kentucky, which is the second largest tobacco producing state and whose state economy is the most tobacco dependent , has a 31% smoking rate. In Europe, smoking is more common than it is in the United States. In Germany, 35% of the population smokes, and in Russia, 39% of the population smokes and in the
Hellenic Republic 89% smoke. In the United States, the smoking rate is 22.1%.
Parental smoking
Children of smoking parents are more likely to smoke than children with non-smoking parents. One study found that parental smoking cessation was associated with less adolescent smoking, except when the other parent currently smoked. A current study tested the relation of adolescent smoking to rules regulating where adults are allowed to smoke in the home. Results showed that restrictive home smoking policies were associated with lower likelihood of trying smoking for both middle and high school students.
Smoking in movies and television
Exposure to smoking in movies has been linked with adolescent smoking initiation in cross-sectional studies. Hollywood movies tend to have a high incidence of smoking behavior. According to a study of movies created between 1988 and 1997, eighty-seven percent of these movies portrayed various tobacco use, with an average of 5 occurrences per film. R-rated movies had the greatest number of occurrences and were most likely to feature major characters using tobacco. Despite the declining tobacco use in the society, the incidence of smoking in 2002 movies was nearly the same as in 1950 movies.
There have been moves to reduce the depiction of protagonists smoking in television shows, especially those aimed at children. For example,
Ted Turner has taken steps to remove or edit scenes that depict characters smoking in cartoons such as Tom and Jerry,
The Flintstones and
Scooby-Doo , which are shown on his
Cartoon Network and
Boomerang television channels.
The use of smoking to project an image
Famous smokers of the past used cigarettes or pipes as part of their image, such as
Jean Paul Sartre's Gauloise-brand cigarettes,
Bertrand Russell's pipe, Lord of the Rings'
Gandalf, or the news broadcaster
Edward R. Murrow's cigarette. Writers in particular seemed to be known for smoking; see, for example, Richard Klein's book
Cigarettes are Sublime for the analysis, by this Cornell University professor of French literature, of the role smoking plays in 19th and 20th century letters. British Prime Minister
Harold Wilson was well known for smoking a pipe in public as was
Winston Churchill for his cigars.
Sherlock Holmes, the fictional detective created by
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was also never without a pipe.
Smoking and depression
Data from multiple studies suggest that depression plays a role in cigarette smoking. A history of regular smoking was observed more frequently among individuals who had experienced major depressive disorder at some time in their lives than among individuals who had never experienced major depression or among individuals with no psychiatric diagnosis. Another study found that the average lifetime daily cigarette consumption was strongly related to lifetime prevalence and to prospectively assessed 1-year prevalence of
major depression. People with major depression are also much less likely to
quit due to the increased risk of experiencing mild to severe states of depression, including full blown major depression. Depressed smokers appear to experience more withdrawal symptoms on quitting, are less likely to be successful at quitting, and are more likely to relapse. The neurotransmitter systems affected by cigarette smoke mirror the neurotransmitter pathways are also thought to be involved in the biological mechanisms of depression, and the use of antidepressants as adjuvants to smoking-cessation treatment can enhance cessation success rates.
Genetic connection
It is inconclusive if smoking is influenced by genetic factors; one 1990 study posited that 52% of the variance in smoking behaviour is attributable to heritable factors, with the other half were a function of the environment.
Health effects
Health risks of smoking
The health effects of tobacco smoking are related to direct tobacco smoking, as well as
passive smoking, inhalation of environmental or secondhand tobacco smoke. A 50 year study of over thirty thousand British physicians showed that nonsmokers lived about 10 more years than the smokers. For those born between 1920 and 1929 the
standardized mortality rate between the ages of 35 and 69 for nonsmokers was 15% and for smokers was 43%
-- nearly three times greater. Claims that personalities of smokers account for these differences are not convincing in light of the fact that the heavy smokers were about 25 times more likely to die of lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than the nonsmokers
The health risks of smoking are not uniform across all smokers but vary according to amount of cigarettes smoked, with those who smoke more cigarettes at greater risk, although light smoking is still a health risk.
According to the Canadian Lung Association, tobacco kills between 40,000-45,000 Canadians per year, more than the total number of deaths from AIDS, traffic accidents, suicide, murder, fires and accidental poisoning. However, the number of deaths related to smoking may be exaggerated because it is difficult to determine whether smoking actually caused the terminal illness.
Purported health benefits of smoking
Ulcerative colitis is twice as common in non-smokers as in smokers. The
nicotine in tobacco smoke acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
Also, it is thought that the risks of
Parkinson's disease or
Alzheimer's disease may be significantly lower for smokers than for non-smokers though this idea has not been definitively proven. According to previous epidemiological studies, cigarette smokers are 50% less likely to have PD or AD than are age- and gender-matched nonsmokers. One explanation given for this effect is the fact that nicotine allegedly increases the levels of
acetylcholine in the smoker's brain. Parkinson's disease consequently occurs when the effect of
dopamine is less than that of acetylcholine. Another explanation may simply be that smokers die before they reach the age at which the onset of Parkinson's disease occurs. However,
nicotine, a cholinergic stimulant, is the only substance in tobacco smoke which has those positive effects, and the consumption of pure nicotine would likely be more beneficial than smoking.
More recent evidence has challenged the earlier
epidemiological studies on methodological grounds. A
prospective Rotterdam Study found that the incidence of Alzheimer's disease is more than double for smokers as compared to non-smokers and the Honolulu Heart Program also found more than twice the risk for Alzheimer's disease among medium and heavy smokers as compared to non-smokers.
Passive smoking
Passive or involuntary smoking occurs when the exhaled and ambient smoke from one person's cigarette is inhaled by other people. Involuntary smoking involves inhaling carcinogens, as well as other toxic components, that are present in secondhand tobacco smoke. Carcinogens that occur in secondhand tobacco smoke include benzene, 1,3-butadiene, benzo[a]pyrene, 4--1--1-butanone, and many others.
It is confirmed that, in adults, secondhand smoke causes
lung cancer, nasal sinus cancer,
breast cancer in younger women, heart disease,
heart attacks, and asthma induction. Second-hand smoke is also known to harm children, infants and reproductive health through acute lower respiratory tract illness, asthma induction and exacerbation, chronic respiratory symptoms, middle ear infection, lower birth weight babies, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
In June 2006, US Surgeon General
Richard H. Carmona called the evidence against passive smoke "indisputable" and said "The science is clear: secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance, but a serious health hazard that causes premature death and disease in children and non-smoking adults." . Passive smoking is one of the key issues that have lead to introduction of
smoking bans, particularly in workplaces.
The composition of Environmental tobacco smoke is similar to fossil fuel combustion products that contribute to air pollution, and has been shown to be responsible for indoor
particulate matter levels far exceeding official outdoor limits.
Sudden infant death syndrome
According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report , . Infants who die from SIDS tend to have higher concentrations of nicotine and cotinine in their lungs than those who die from other causes. Infants exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are also at a greater risk of SIDS.
Smoking cessation
Many of tobacco's health effects can be minimised through
smoking cessation. The British doctors study showed that those who stopped smoking before they reached 30 years of age lived almost as long as those who never smoked. It is also possible to reduce the risks by reducing the frequency of smoking and by proper diet and exercise. Some research has indicated that some of the damage caused by smoking tobacco can be moderated with the use of antioxidants.
Smokers wanting to quit or to temporarily abstain from smoking can use a variety of nicotine-containing tobacco substitutes, or nicotine replacement therapy products to temporarily lessen the physical withdrawal symptoms, the most popular being
nicotine gum and
lozenges. Nicotine patches are also used for
smoking cessation. Medications that do not contain nicotine can also be used, such as
bupropion .
Peer support can be helpful, such as that provided by support groups and telephone quitlines.. In addition, there are many self-help books on the market, such as those by
Allen Carr and David Marks.
Opinions on smoking
Native Americans and smoking
Communal smoking of a sacred tobacco pipe was a common ritual of many Native American tribes, and was considered a sacred part of their religion. Sema, the
Anishinaabe word for tobacco, was grown for ceremonial use and considered the ultimate sacred plant since its smoke was believed to carry prayers to the heavens. Smoking was chiefly done after the evening meal, in the sweathouse, and before going to sleep. The tobacco used during these rituals varies widely in potency -- the
Nicotiana rustica, known in South America as
Mapacho, is a very potent variety of tobacco [i]. ...
species used in South America, for instance, has up to twice the nicotine content of the common North American
N. tabacum. Many Native American tribes operate tobacco stores, including on the Internet, where they are usually exempt from taxes and therefore can sell products cheaper than non-Native American dealers.
Christianity and smoking
In more modern times, even before the health risks of smoking were identified for study, smoking was considered an immoral habit by certain Christian preachers and social reformers. Tobacco was listed, along with drunkenness, gambling, cards, dancing and theatre-going, in J.M. Judy's
, a book featuring anti-smoking dialogue which was published in 1904 by the Western
Methodist Book Concern of
Chicago.
Moral concerns about self-injury are also prevalent in Catholic medical ethics on the grounds that people ought to be responsible stewards of the body as a gift from God; the stewardship argument is also used among Protestant groups as an argument against smoking.
Mormonism and smoking
The founder of the Latter Day Saint movement,
Joseph Smith, Jr, recorded that on February 27, 1833, he received a revelation which addressed tobacco use. It is commonly known as the
Word of Wisdom, and is found in section 89 of the
Doctrine and Covenants, a book canonized as scripture by
Mormons.
And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.
While initially viewed as a guideline, this was eventually accepted as a commandment; consequently, most Mormons do not smoke.
Judaism and smoking
The Jewish Rabbi
Yisrael Meir Kagan was one of the first Jewish authorities to speak out on smoking. He considered it a health risk and a waste of time, and had little patience for those who claimed addiction, stating that they never should have started smoking in the first place .
A shift toward health-oriented concerns may be observed in some people's interpretations of Jewish law . For instance, when the link between smoking and health was still doubted, Rabbi
Moses Feinstein response stated that smoking was permitted, although still inadvisable.
More recently, rabbinic responsa tend to argue that smoking is prohibited as self-endangerment under Jewish law and that smoking in indoor spaces should be restricted as a type of damage to others.
Other opinions on smoking
Much opposition to smoking is based on arguments grounded on alleged unethical corporate practices of the tobacco industry and public health concerns. Many public interest groups are interested in controlling smoking-induced problems through political means, and mostly consist of former smokers, health professionals, corporate responsibility advocates, school and community-based organizations, and environmental groups.
David Krogh argues for tobacco's uniqueness as a drug and accounts for the fact that in the past, many moralists who disapproved of "recreational" drugs approved of tobacco.
Krogh's book argues that tobacco is not like alcohol or so-called controlled substances, including marijuana, and that smokers use tobacco to normalize their feelings within the narrow band necessary for functioning within an industrial society, where energy levels have to be carefully rationed according to expectations.
Kantians, however, argue against self-injury as a necessary duty, consistent with the moral law or categorical imperative.
Legal issues and regulation
On February 28 2005, an international treaty, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, took effect. The FCTC is the world's first public health treaty. Countries that sign on as parties agree to a set of common goals, minimum standards for tobacco control policy, and to cooperate in dealing with cross-border challenges such as cigarette smuggling. Currently the WHO declares that 4 billion people will be covered by the treaty, which includes 168 signatories. Amongst other steps, signatories are to put together legislation that will eliminate secondhand smoke in indoor workplaces, public transport, indoor public places and, as appropriate, other public places.
Sale to minors
In many countries, including the United States, the European Union member states, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Brazil and Australia, it is illegal to sell tobacco products to minors. In the United Kingdom , The Netherlands, Austria and South Africa it is illegal to sell tobacco products to people under the age of 16. In 46 of the 50 United States, the minimum age is 18, except for Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey, and Utah where the legal age is 19. Some countries have also legislated against giving tobacco products to minors, and even against minors engaging in the act of smoking. Underlying such laws is the belief that people should make an informed decision regarding the risks of tobacco use. These laws have a lax enforcement in some nations and states. In other regions, cigarettes are still sold to minors because the fines for the violation are lower or comparable to the profit made from the sales to minors.
Taxation
Many governments have introduced excise taxes on cigarettes in order to reduce the consumption of cigarettes. Money collected from the cigarette taxes are frequently used to pay for tobacco use prevention programs, therefore making it a method of internalizing external costs.
In 2002, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that each pack of cigarettes sold in the United States costs the nation more than $7 in medical care and lost productivity. Another study by a team of health economists finds the combined price paid by their families and society is about $41 per pack of cigarettes.
Substantial scientific evidence shows that higher cigarette prices result in lower overall cigarette consumption. Most studies indicate that a 10% increase in price will reduce overall cigarette consumption by 3% to 5%. Youth, minorities, and low-income smokers are two to three times more likely to quit or smoke less than other smokers in response to price increases.
Many nations have implemented some form of tobacco taxation. As of 1997, Denmark had the highest cigarette tax burden of $4.02 per pack. Taiwan only had a tax burden of $0.62 per pack. Currently, the average price and excise tax on cigarettes in the United States is well below those in many other industrialized nations.
The cigarette taxes vary from state to state in the United States. For example, South Carolina has a cigarette taxes of only 7 cents per pack, while Rhode Island has a cigarette tax of $2.46 per pack. In Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, New York City, Tennessee, and Virginia, counties and cities may impose an additional limited tax on a price of cigarettes.
Due to the high taxation, the price of an average pack of cigarettes in New Jersey is $6.35 , which is still less than the approximated external cost of a pack of cigarettes.
Some nations are reluctant to increase tobacco taxes because they fear the reduction of tobacco tax revenues and increase in smuggling.
Restrictions on cigarette advertising
Several Western countries have also put restrictions on cigarette advertising. In the United States, all television advertising of tobacco products has been prohibited since 1971. In Australia, the Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act 1992 prohibits tobacco advertising in any form, with a very small number of exceptions . Other countries have legislated particularly against advertising that appears to target minors.
Package warnings
Some countries also impose legal requirements on the packaging of tobacco products. For example in the countries of the European Union, Turkey, Australia and South Africa, cigarette packs must be prominently labelled with the health risks associated with smoking . Canada, Australia and Brazil have also imposed labels upon cigarette packs warning smokers of the effects, and they include graphic images of the potential health effects of smoking. Cards are also inserted into cigarette packs in Canada. There are sixteen of them, and only one comes in a pack. They explain different methods of quitting smoking. Also, in the United Kingdom, there have been a number of graphic
NHS advertisements, one showing a cigarette filled with fatty deposits, as if the cigarette is symbolising the artery of a smoker.
Smoking bans
Some jurisdictions impose restrictions on where smoking is allowed. Several European countries such as the Republic of Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Spain and Scotland have legislated against smoking in public places, often including bars and restaurants. Similar bans will also take effect in the rest of the UK at various intervals . In the
United States, many states prohibit smoking in restaurants, and some also prohibit smoking in bars. In
New Zealand and
Australia smoking is banned in all public places, including bars and restaurants.
See the
List of smoking bans article for a full list of restrictions in various areas around the world.
See also
[i]
...
Notes
References
- Joint Committee on Smoking and Health. Smoking and health: physician responsibility; a statement of the Joint Committee on Smoking and Health. Chest 1995; 198:201- 208
- Boffetta, P., Agudo, A., Ahrens, W., Benhamou, E., Benhamou, S., Darby, S.C., Ferro, G., Fortes, C., Gonzalez, C.A., Jockel, K.H., Krauss, M., Kreienbrock, L., Kreuzer, M., Mendes, A., Merletti, F., Nyberg, F., Pershagen, G., Pohlabeln, H., Riboli, E., Schmid, G., Simonato, L., Tredaniel, J., Whitley, E., Wichmann, H.E., Saracci, R. 1998. Multicenter case-control study of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer in Europe. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 90:1440-1450.
- Osvaldo P. Almeida, Gary K. Hulse, David Lawrence and Leon Flicker, ": contrasting evidence from a systematic review of case-control and cohort studies," Addiction, Volume 97, Issue 1, Page 15 - January 2002.
Further reading
- Iain Gately: La Diva Nicotina. The Story of How Tobacco Seduced the World .
- David Krough: Smoking: The Artificial Passion .
- G Invernizzi et al., Particulate matter from tobacco versus diesel car exhaust: an educational perspective.
External links
History
- by Gene Borio
- 7 million documents related to advertising, manufacturing, marketing, sales, and scientific research of tobacco products.
- , by G. L. Apperson, 1914, from Project Gutenberg
Prevention and self help
- from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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- News and articles about smoking addiction
Smokers' rights sites
Statistics and studies
