Smoking Bans: Why They Aren’t Personal Attacks on Smokers

Smoking bans have become increasingly strict and extensive in recent years. It has even been proposed that the freedom to smoke in public will be eradicated in the not–too-distant future.  This has led to concern amongst smokers that these bans are personal attacks against them, with the intentions of strengthening the divide between smokers and non-smokers.  On the other hand, there has been significantly less emphasis directed towards the positive motives of the introduction of smoking bans, many of which are worth revisiting, including addressing the risks of second-hand and third-hand smoke. 

So just how harmful is involuntary smoke exposure, also known as secondhand-smoke? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention asked the Institute of Medicine to investigate the relationships between second-hand smoke and cardiovascular disease as well as the relationship between smoking bans and heart attacks. To call the results eye-opening would be an understatement:

·      Study results consistently indicate that exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 25% - 30% (Institute of Medicine, 2009)

·      All of the publications show a decrease in the rate of heart attacks after a smoking ban was implemented, ranging from 6% to 47% depending on the study (Institute of Medicine, 2009) 

Third-hand smoke is the residue from second-hand smoke absorbed by interior surfaces such as floors, walls, furniture, and clothing.  Residents that combine with reactants in the air can produce dangerous products. Hugo Destaillats, a chemist at Berkeley Laboratory demonstrated that residual nicotine can react nitrous acid to form tobacco-specific nitrosamines or TSNAs, which are among the most potent cancer causing agents present in unburned tobacco and tobacco smoke. 

Gas appliances, which are widely prevalent in homes, are the main source of nitrous acid.  Also, smoking outdoors or opening windows when smoking in the car does not address the dangers of third-hand smoke, as the smoke residues sticks strongly to clothing and countless surfaces found in homes and cars (engines in cars emit nitrous acid, and some enters the cabin).  There are even indications that third-hand smoke poses the greatest risk to infants and toddlers.

Put aside the anti-smoking ideology for a moment, and imagine that no one is against the act of smoking.  What about non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke resulting in significantly increased risks of cardiovascular disease? What about the infants and toddlers being exposed to third-hand smoke and TSNAs? They are some of the reasons why smoking bans should be depicted as harm-reduction measures rather than personal attacks on smokers.

References:

Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects: Making Sense of the Evidence (2009).  Washington: National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine. Retrieved from  http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2009/Secondhand-Smoke-Exposure-and-Cardiovascular-Effects-Making-Sense-of-the-Evidence/Secondhand%20Smoke%20%20Report%20Brief%203.pdf

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35318118/ns/health-addictions/t/third-hand-smoke-danger-babies-toddlers/

What Is It Like To Be A Smoker?

One of the main reasons why people start smoking is because they were curious as to what it feels like. So, for those of us who wondered about this as non-smokers, I will walk you through smoking from the perspective of a smoker so you can feel what they feel. How about through a diary?
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Ok, so, I smoke. My non-smoking parents have asked me why, and I have only been able to tell them that it feels pretty good. Of course, the whole jest of this smoking business goes a little deeper than that, but I never have the patience to explain. They just keep nagging me about how it affects my heath, etc. Seriously, I know that. My smoking buddies know that too; it’s printed on the pack and drilled to us as kids.

I’m 19, a student at Waterloo where my 2nd year academic term has definitely gotten to me. You know that stress from all your assignments, midterms, and job seeking on job-mine as a co-op student? Oh, and of course your friends, those BFs, GFs, and those noisy as hell roommates too? Yeah, the typical university stress dose: academics combined with hormones. It’s a two-pronged attack against me. I keep myself together by smoking.
 
Taking a cigarette for me is like a moment of pleasure. I’ve used cigarettes to procrastinate many MANY times. Simply by saying “Hey, I need to take a smoke” pretty much guarantees me a little break, during which, I have met many interesting people. When one person is smoking, I can casually approach them and start a conversation. This happens to me too; others who are looking for a smoke break would approach me as well. It is funny that this is the place where I remember those funny stories that this one guy Greg have told me. This was also where I’ve really got to know him, my first boyfriend. He’s a sweet person that I’ve gotten to know through the many cigarette breaks that I take between classes. We both know the health problems with smoking, and frankly, it's not a big deal.
 
You see, I value each pack and each cigarette with a pretty strong sentimental value. They bring me to other students, almost like a beacon. Wham! Social life comes easy to me in university. Having friends around is a great stress reliever… not to mention being able to finish homework faster as a productive group too! Can you imagine what an almost empty pack would feel like?! Deprived!
 
Speaking of homework, I’ve found that cigarettes help me concentrate… but not really when I go through my packs too fast. So, when I take my typical doses, cigarettes help me concentrate by acting like a smokescreen (literally!) that blocks outside distractions. Sometimes I would smoke one just so I could ignore Greg (haha sorry if you are reading this!). 
 
Greg is a very calm person, and I actually have some difficulty understanding how he feels at certain times. However, I can always tell his mood from how he smokes. Like that one time he was trying to be a bold “badass” for me in public by holding his cigarette with a forefinger and thumb with the end lighting up the palm of his hand. He was confident and I horridly embarrassed. I wouldn’t have been embarrassed if he was a little more buff.
 
I’ve got many more random smoking stories, but I have to admit that I’ve tried to quit before. Even Greg, and every other smoking friends of mine that I’ve asked said the same thing. If not, they’ve at least tried to reduce on it. Not all of us are successful, because not all of us want to really lose the benefits in smoking; it’s fun and brings us together. But then again, this fun is harmful to me and to those unfortunate folks who happened to have to walked by. It brings us together, but together almost a segregated group. When we smoke, only the smokers hangout with us. But there’s a deal-breaker.
 
Financial burden. I’d prefer to do this without that massive cash sink. I want to graduate without debt, and being addicted to cigarettes isn’t really helping. I will try to quit again another day, and I’ve found help here at Waterloo. Maybe I can find another way to deal with the stresses?

Pot Smoking Isn't Harmful... Right?

Pot Smoking Isn't Harmful... Right?

Smoking marijuana, also referred to as smoking pot or weed, is quite common among the youth population. In Canada,  the rates for the prevalence of pot smoking for youth aged 15-24 were three times higher than their over-25 counterparts: 21.6 % vs. 6.7% in 2011. Many individuals being to start smoking because they believe that everyone else also is. Popular culture heavily promotes it and most importantly, there is a really low perception of harm. Common responses from pot smokers include: 

"Marijuana doesn't have any nicotine in it. I won't get addicted." 

"Weed comes from a plant. It's all natural which means that it won't affect my health."

"Smoking weed is safer than drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco. " 

So What is Marijuana?

Marijuana is a mixture of the dried and shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the cannabis sativa plant that is green, brown, or gray. It contains the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabino (THC), which is the main mind-altering ingredient that causes it to be strong. Altogether, marijuana contains about 400 chemicals that can affect health. 

How Do You Use It?

The most common method of ingesting marijuana is to smoke loose marijuana rolled into a cigarette, that is commonly referred to as a "joint". It can be smoked through a water pipe called a bong or as a "blunt", which is a cigar that has been hollowed out and filled with marijuana. It can also be mixed into food (e.g, weed brownies) or can be brewed as tea. 

Why Do People Smoke It?

Once it is inhaled, the THC triggers brain cells to release the chemical dopamine, which creates good feelings for a short time and a person feels "high". Some people smoke to relieve stress, anxiety, fear, pain, or anger and it is also used medically to alleviate symptoms for some diseases.  

Is It Safe?

The largest misconception of smoking marijuana is that it is harmless to health. Under the influence of it, marijuana affects memory, judgement and perception. It can cause you to do things you might not do when you're thinking straight, such as engaging in risky sexual behaviour. THC interferes with learning and can lead to problems studying, learning new things, and recalling recent effects. Research is still being conducted to determine if these effects persist. A new study has just emerged that demonstrates that teenage pot smoking is tied to IQ loss. Before the age of 18, the brain is still being organized and is vulnerable to damage from drugs. In this study, it was found that persistent marijuana use by age 18 affected everyday cognitive functioning and problems in memory and attention. 

 Marijuana use also increases heart rate. Within a few minutes after inhalation, the heart beats more rapidly, the bronchial passages become enlarged and the blood vessels in the eyes expand, making them appear red. Additionally, marijuana used in combination with other drugs can result in greater adverse health effects. 

Although it may seem harmless, smoking pot has adverse side effects, just as smoking tobacco or drinking alcohol do. These risk factors should be take into consideration when youth are starting to think about smoking pot. 

References:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/08/27/marijuana-teen-brain.html

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_mj1.php