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Big Tobacco - They're After You [pamphlet]


DO Take It Personally!

It's illegal for tobacco companies to try to get people under age 18 to smoke.

So, who's the youngest legal group to sell to?

You are!

People between ages 18 and 24 are the main targets of the tobacco industry.

- If you don't smoke, they want you to try it.
- If you already smoke, they want you to keep smoking and to smoke more.

Plus, tobacco ads that feature people your age also appeal to people under 18 - the ones it's illegal to target.

The tobacco industry spends over $26 million a day on advertising and promotion.


Don't Get Duped!
Tobacco is big business. How big? See if you can answer these questions:

1) How much money do tobacco companies spend in a year to market their product worldwide?
(a) $85.9 million
(b) $158 million
(c) $4.3 billion
(d) $9.7 billion

2) Tobacco was used about once every 10 - 15 minutes in movies from the 1970s and 1980s. How does that compare with movies from the 1990s?
(a) Once every 45 minutes
(b) Once every 30 minutes
(c) Once every 12 minutes
(d) Once every 3 - 5 minutes

3) In 2000, one tobacco company spent $115 million on worthy causes. How much did it then spend on a national advertising compaign to tell people about how "charitable" it was?
(a) $10 million
(b) $25 million
(c) $50 million
(d) $150 million

4) Rates of current cigarette use declined in all but which age group in 2000?
(a) Under age 18
(b) Ages 18 - 24
(c) Ages 25 - 44
(d) Age 65 and over

5) Tobacco advertising accounted for about what percent of the advertising revenue of alternative weekly newspapers, the papers most read by people ages 18 - 24?
(a) 30%
(b) 50%
(c) 70%
(d) 90%

Answers: 1 - d, 2 - d, 3 - d, 4 - b, 5 - c.


You Make A Good Target. Here's Why

- You're changing your life.
People in transition are more likely to start smoking, or to smoke more if they already smoke. Tobacco marketers know this. They want to take advantage of it.

- Change is exciting - and stressful.
Thinking that tobacco reduces stress can be a powerful incentive to start smoking or to smoke more. Tobacco ads encourage this type of thinking.

In fact, some people say nicotine actually increases stress because people who are addicted have to smoke no matter what. Sometimes "stress" is really withdrawal.

- You're trying new styles.
If people can be convinced to make smoking part of their "style", they're well on the way to becoming regular smokers. A lot of research goes into studying what young adults like to do, where they hang out, and who they'd like to be.

- You're establishing patterns.
Things you do now can become lifetime behaviors that get harder and harder to change. Add addiction to the picture and it makes good busines sense for the tobacco companies to get people smoking as soon as they can.

The good news is, if you don't start or if you quit now, your lifetime pattern will be not to smoke!

- You may think smoking is no big deal.
Most people who smoke think they can quit anytime they want to. This fits right in with the big tobacco's business plan.

The tobacco companies want people to start smoking and keep smoking until they reach a pack or more a day. After that, the cigarettes sell themselves.




Stages of Smoking
People learn to smoke in stages. The earlier the stage, the easier it is to quit. The later the stage, the harder it is to quit.

Stage of smoking: Laying the groundwork. People form attitudes about smoking before they ever smoke. Do your parents smoke? Their friends? People they like and respect?
What tobacco companies know: The chances people will smoke doubles when someone they admire smokes.

Stage of smoking: Trying it. Most people have to work at smoking in the beginning.
What tobacco companies know: Whether people keep smoking or not has a lot to do with what their friends do.

Stage of smoking: Experimenting. A person might smoke just once in awhile at first - perhaps only with friends or only in social situations.
What tobacco companies know: Tobacco ads and promotions at sporting events, concerts, bars and clubs can influence you.

Stage of smoking: Smoking regularly. A person begins to smoke regularly, in a variety of situations, with others and alone.
What tobacco companies know: Someone who smokes regularly has a very hard time quitting.

Stage of smoking: Smoking a pack a day. Once a person becomes a regular pack-a-day smoker, the tobacco business scores bigtime.
What tobacco companies know: Pack-a-day smokers will pay almost anything to get cigarettes.

Tobacco marketers match the messages about their product to the stage people are in.


What Does $26 Million a Day Buy?
Look around where you relax and party. Chances are good that the tobacco companies have got you covered.

- Backpacks and t-shirts and other useful merchandise with tobacco art get their brand names seen.

- They sponsor concerts, fairs, and other events where you're likely to be. They offer free cigarettes.

- Bar nights and band concerts give tobacco premiums as prizes.

- Tobacco use is shown in films and on TV.

- Tobacco ads appear on and around taxis and buses, and in publications you're likely to read.

If people connect tobacco use with everyday life, they're more likely to give it a try. The tobacco companies are betting their money on it!


Before You Decide to Smoke...
Here are some questions to ask yourself:

- Am I thinking about smoking because my friends smoke? Does it seem like a social thing to do?

- Do I believe I can smoke a few cigarettes now and then without becoming a regular smoker?

- Do I know any smokers my age who want to quit but can't?

- Have I analyzed the strategies the tobacco companies use to sell their products to people my age?

- Have I made a conscious decision not to smoke based on reasons that make sense to me?



You're fee to choose. Be sure it's really your choice.

Quitting Methods [internet]


http://www.smokershelpline.ca/

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http://www.quitsmoking.com/info/method/readmethods.htm

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Taken from: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/tobac-tabac/quit-cesser/now-maintenant/programme/index_e.html


Methods of quitting: What are your options?
There are many methods to quit smoking. Some people like to quit cold turkey (i.e., all of a sudden) while others like to gradually reduce their smoking. Either method can work. Select the method you are most comfortable with. For more information on quitting gradually, see our section about cutting down the amount you smoke.

Self-help
Some people prefer to quit on their own. There is a wide variety of materials and resources to help you including self-help books and pamphlets, videos, audio tapes, web sites (like this one), computer programs, and telephone recordings. In general, although self-help methods can be helpful, they are less likely to work than those that involve even brief contact with a counsellor, facilitator or health care professional. Self-help programs and services are especially well suited for people with low levels of nicotine addiction, those with moderate to high levels of social support, and people who do not have any serious illnesses that might be affected by smoking.

Individual advice and counselling
Individuals who don't want to quit on their own also have many choices available to them. Brief counselling by a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or nurse has been shown to be helpful. Some areas of the country also have set up telephone Quitlines. Telephone services may offer a variety of services including the chance to order materials, get information on local programs and services, chat briefly with a trained counsellor about how to quit smoking, chat extensively with a specially trained counsellor. Some telephone services can even arrange for you to receive a series of calls prior to and after your quit attempt. In general, telephone helplines are effective. The more services they offer and the more intensive the service, the more likely they are to help callers.

Intensive counselling
In some areas of the country, smokers have access to special smoking cessation or addiction clinics. These facilities usually have one or more highly trained specialists. They can be particularly helpful for highly addicted smokers, smokers who have tried several times to quit without success, and/or smokers who are also trying to deal with other complex medical or addiction problems.

Group programs
Another approach to smoking cessation is the group program. It usually consists of between 4 and 12 people who are all trying to quit smoking. Some programs are led by a specially trained facilitator/counsellor. Other programs, called mutual aid groups, provide an opportunity for smokers to help each other without a formal counsellor. Research shows that, in general, group programs are among the most successful types of services to help people quit smoking. However, not all people feel comfortable in group situations.

Medications
A variety of medications are used to help people quit smoking. However, in Canada only three types are widely available: nicotine chewing pieces, nicotine patches and bupropion (a pill originally developed to treat depression). Special medical clinics occasionally prescribe other specialized medicines such as clonodine and nortriptyline. Research suggests that, when used as directed and when combined with other behaviour programs (e.g., self-help, brief counselling, etc.), these medications dramatically increase the odds that a person will quit smoking. Nicotine chewing pieces and nicotine patches are available without a prescription and can be purchased from most drugstores in Canada. You start using them on your designated quit day. Bupropion requires a doctor's prescription and must be taken for one to two weeks prior to your quit date. Not all people should take medications. If you have questions, ask your pharmacist or doctor. See medications for quitting to get more information.

How should I select a method?
When selecting a program or service to help you quit smoking, consider these things:

- Was the program or service developed by a credible organization and/or based on sound scientific and medical recommendations? Programs that are not based on sound scientific practices may actually do more harm than good.

- Is the program offered or distributed by a credible organization such as a national voluntary agency, a public health department, a community health center, a local hospital, or a licensed health care provider?

- If the program is led by a facilitator or counsellor, how much training and experience do they have in helping people to quit smoking? Programs designed or implemented by qualified professionals tend to be more effective. The more a health professional is involved in the delivery of the program, the better.

- Does the program fit your schedule? Does it require you to attend specific sessions and are they offered at a convenient time and place? In general, more intensive programs work better. No program will work if you can't adhere to it.

- Does the program require you to meet and share with others who are trying to quit?Do you enjoy social interaction? Some people are uncomfortable trying to change their behaviour in front of relative strangers. Others find that they like and need extra social support. In general, group programs are highly effective.

- How much do you smoke? Heavier smokers (e.g., more than 15 cigarettes per day) tend to benefit more from quit smoking medications, group programs, and more intensive counselling. Light smokers tend to do relatively well with self-help programs and brief telephone or in person counselling.

- How motivated are you to quit? Are you confident that you can quit and remain smokefree? Most programs are designed to help people already motivated to quit smoking. If you aren't sure how committed you are, make sure the program or service will help you build your confidence and readiness to quit.

- How many times have you seriously tried to quit before? You many find that even the most intensive programs (including medications) are unsuccessful if you have little or no experience in trying to quit. Quit attempts are a special kind of practice. If you are relatively inexperienced at quitting, you may find that self-help materials, and brief counselling live or by telephone will help you either quit or get the experience you will need to make the most of more intensive treatments.

- Do I have any special medical, emotional or social factors that need to be monitored or that could make the treatment dangerous to you? If you are pregnant, breast feeding or under the care of a doctor for a chronic illness such as heart disease, schizophrenia or depression, you should talk to your doctor about what types of quit methods are best for you.

Don't be discouraged if you've tried one or more of these methods and they didn't work for you. People learn something each time they try to quit smoking. Therefore, something that didn't work in the past may work now because you will approach it differently.

Youth Smoking [pamphlet]


The Facts

- Canada is home to just over 5 million smokers over the age of 15, who make up 20% of the population.

- The cigarette smoking rate among 15-19 year-olds held at 18% in 2004, with daily smokers consuming an average of 11.6 cigarettes a day.

- 18% is the lowest rate of female youth smoking since monitoring began in 1965.

- Youth smokes rates may have decreased due to higher taxes, more graphics warnigs on packages, and smoking restrictions in public places such as schoolyards, coffee shops and work environments.

- For the 7% of youths who only smoke occasionally, their risk for developing tobacco-related diseases isn't really significantly reduced.

- There is a greater likelihood for working teens to smoke (33%) compared to teens in school (15%).


Why Youths Take Up the Habit

Youth smoking could be attributed to several factors, among which:

- Having relatives at home who smoke. Studies show that kids are more likely to consider smoking "normal" and to smoke if people in their immediate backfround -their parents, singlings and other role models- smoke.

- The need for peer acceptance. Besides family, friends exert the greatest influence on youths. Many smokers start the habit to gain the friendship of classmates who do smoke and for whom smoking may look "cool." Some also take up smoking to rebel or assert their independence in their growing up years.

- The influence of advertising and the mass media. Additionally, there's advertising and the media that sets trends, promotes lifestyles, and breeds hero-worship. While the movies and television show celebrities and other influential people smoking, tobacco advertising campaigns continue to market a lifestyle where smoking appears hip and fashionable.

- A way to deal with stress or as a form of weight control. Smoke start smoking to cope with or escape from stress and other growing-up pains. Still, others -especially girls- smoke in the belief that smoking keeps one trim or enables one to lose weight.

- Youthful curiousity. Finally, there's the usual desire to experiment with things new - and to experience a new kind of rush.


Tobacco Smoking

Tobacco is used in various ways, although cigarette and cigar or pipe smoking are the two most popular. Cigarettes are essentially shredded tobacco leaves and additives rolled in chemically treated paper. Cigars, on the other hand, are shredded tobacco rolled in sheets of reconstituted tobacco. While cigars still contain higher levels of tar and nicotine than cigarettes, cigarettes today also have more nicotine content than before and have additives not used a century ago.

The average youth lights up 11.6 sticks of cigarettes and inhales about 150 times per day. Tobacco smoking replaces the oxygen in the body with carbon monoxide, increasing both heart rate and breathing rate. It also interrupts the flow of air and blood into the lungs and narrows the blood vessels, which causes blood pressure to rise.

Tobacco smoke contains tar, a particulate matter that bears over 4,000 chemicals, some 50 of which cause cancer. The average smoker deposits about a cup of tar in his/her airways and lungs each year.

Smoking is the cause of 30% of all cancers - and 87% of all lung cancer cases. It is the leading cause of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and of heart diseases and strokes (about 90% and 35% of cases, respectively). Smoking has also been associated with impotence; research shows that 4 out of every 5 men suffering from impotence are smokers.


Other Substances That Youths Smoke

Marijuana - Though sometimes smoked using a normal pipe or a water pipe, marijuana leaves are more commonly rolled in cigarette papers before being smoked. Occasionally, marijuana is also smoked is "blunts" - that is, marijuana leaves rolled in tobacco leaf (instead of paper) wrappers.

Marijuana contains the active ingredient delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which can cause extreme psychological dependence in users. Youth who smoke marijuana show a lack of interest in their studies, in work, in making friends and building relationships. In fact, most suffer from "amotivational syndrome," the loss of anything else other than dope. Because THC is stored in fat cells, withdrawal effects may persist even long after a marijuana user quits.

Short-term effects of marijuana use include: relaxation and sometimes loss of motor co-ordination, impaired concentration/memory, altered perception, paranoia, dilated pupils, dry mouth and throat, increased heart rate, and fear and anxiety.

On the other hand, long-term effects include: decreased hormone levels that sustain growth and development, damaged sperm, irregular menstrual cycles, diminished fertility for both sexes, COPD, compromised immune response, and diminished coping skills.

Marijuana has more cancer-coping agents than tobacco. The two differ primarily in terms of the amount used. Very few will smoke the same amount of marijuana per day as they will tobacco. Also, marijuana users usually don't smoke for their lifetime.

Marijuana users tend to break in the smoke more deeply, holding it in their lungs for as long as possible to maximize the effect. Marijuana smoking can damage the airways in much the same way as tobacco smoking. Research indicates that one joint is roughly the equivalent of 5 cigarette sticks.


Hashish - Comes from the resin of marijuana; thus, it has the same effects as its derivative. Because hashish has a higher THC content, it results in more heightened sensations. Appetite loss, anxiety, nervousness, and sleep disturbances are some of the withdrawal symptoms associated with the use of hashish.


Opium and Heroin - Opium is an illegal substance that first spread in the Americas in the 19th century by way of Chinese laborers. Unlike tobacoo, opium is heated -not burned- so it yields no tar. It was traditionally used with pipes in dens where workers would binge for days at a time, oblivious to their surroundings. Though the use of opium in pure form is almost non-existent today, it's worth mentioning becuse heroin, a common drug in the 21st century, is derived from it.

Just like opium, heroin is heated rather than burned. "Chasing the dragon" is the term the Chinese commonly use for heroin smoking. Gram for gram, heroin smoking is less efficient than heroin injecting in producing a "high."

However, smoking is gaining popularity because purer forms of heroin are easily obtainable and because users are better informed about the risk of spreading HIV via injections. Still, heroin smokers have also been known to graduate to using heroin intravenously.

Heroin is the fastest acting of all opiates, reaching the brain in 7 seconds. It produces a relatively short euphoria, which peaks in 10 to 15 minutes from the beginning of use. Thus, users often smoke heroin along with crack (speedballs), which gives a more intense pleasure while also increasing the risk of sudden death. Withdrawal effects from heroin smoking are less severe than from injections.


Crack - Sold cheaply in the form of rock crystals, crack may be smoked in a pipe, while held on a lit cigarette, or free-based. most users start smoking crack for recreational purposes. Because crack gives an intense but short high lasting from just 5 - 10 minutes, most users tend to binge on it, with th eperiods of high decreasing -and the addiction increasing- with each use. Eventually, crack users experience a "crash," which is characterized by feelings of depression, alienation, anxiety, irritability, extreme fatigue, paranoia, along with deterioration in physical health and tactile hallucinations (having "insects under the skin").

Crack smoking constricts the blood vessels, dilates the pupils, and increases the body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. It may cause acute heart attacks or strokes. Used together with alcohol, crack intensifies the euphoria whuile increasing the risk of severe death. Withdrawal causes severe cravings.


Crystal Methamphetamine - Like crack, crystal meth is cheap and readily available, making it the most popular street drug. Most users also start out as recreational users, until they become addicted to the substance. Unlke crack, however, crystal meth gives a substantially longer high of about up to 8 hours. This makes the drug a highly potent stimulant.

People high on crystal meth are euphoric at first; they have increased attention and activity and lose their appetite. But after the initial rush, they go through periods of agitation that lead to erratic and violent behaviour. Crystal meth users may stay awake for days or weeks, doing little except smoke and snort. They develop mood swings, severely lose weight - in short, their personality disintegrates.

Crystal meth is an extremely dangerous drug. Any dose could be fatal. By rapidly increasing body temperature and breathing rate, it can cause seizures or sudden death.


Quitting and Staying Smoke-Free

Quitting smoking can be a difficult process, especially for one addicted to it. Some can quit cold turkey, some take a longer time to succeed. Others still experience a relapse and go back to smoking. Often, quitting is accompanied by withdrawal symptoms, which may include cravings, tremors, headaches, nausea, sleeping difficulties, feelings of anxiety, irritability, even grief and loss. Withdrawal effects and social situations continually test one's discipline and resolve.

Depite the tough challenges and the high relapse rate, there's every reason to choose to quit. Tobacco smokers can begin recovery within a few hours of the last cigarette smoked, as carbon monoxide exits the body and the heart rate and blood pressure normalize. Nicotine is also cleared from the body within just a few days of quitting. Food tastes and smells better; even the previous smoker smells better.

Marijuana users can also expect carbon monoxide to be eliminated from the body within hours, with their ability to focus returning in a few weeks. As for crack and crystal meth users, little is known about the details of recovery except that it is possible.

As with any undertaking, the most important thing is to have a plan - and the courage, discipline and committment to make it succeed.


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The information in this post is from The Lung Association of British Columbia. I do not claim to own any of this information, nor am I trying to profit from it.

Reserved.

Reserved.