NEXT month, change is coming—particularly to those who often smoke in public places. They can no longer smoke anywhere. That is, when President Rodrigo R. Duterte will sign the executive order (EO) that will impose a smoking ban throughout the country.
Health Secretary Pauline Jean Ubial said the president will most likely sign the EO this month. Before leaving for Brunei last Sunday, Duterte told reporters that nationwide smoking ban will be implemented.
Once signed, all public places will be 100% smoke-free. “There will be nobody smoking in public places anymore, whether indoor or outdoor. Parks, bus stations, and even in vehicles. All these are considered public places,” the health secretary said.
According to Dr. Ubial, the EO they drafted essentially replicates the existing ordinance in Davao City implemented since the time of Duterte as a mayor. “What is being done in Davao is set to be done nationwide,” she pointed out.
Yes, no one is allowed to smoke cigarettes in Davao City. You won’t see people puffing cigarettes while striding along the sidewalks. You won’t see children selling cigarettes in heavily traffic streets. Even inside the public utilities, cinemas, malls, restaurants, and bars.
People are also strictly prohibited to smoke in public gatherings like concerts, rallies, and parades. The cemetery, markets, terminals and public places are not excluded.
Damn, smokers may say. But wait, there are few places in Davao City where you can smoke to your heart’s content. These are in your own residence or in someone’s, in private vehicles, and designated outdoor smoking areas. “If you want to smoke, find a place where it is allowed,” Duterte said.
Tobacco, when being smoked, is considered as one of man’s greatest killers. “Each year, smoking-related illnesses cause the most number of deaths in the Philippines,” said Dr. Willie T. Ong, an internist/cardiologist, book author, and newspaper columnist. “What is worse is that smokers actually hurt the non-smokers around them by letting them inhale its toxic fumes.”
A study done by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute shows that 47 percent of Filipino males and 16 percent of females are smokers, one of the highest worldwide. Moreover, 33 percent of Filipino minors are already smoking by age fourteen.
“Smokers are people who hard to convince,” Ong said, but adding that that there are over 70,000 scientific articles to prove that smoking damages a person’s heart, lungs, esophagus, stomach, bowels, prostate, and predisposes a person to all kinds of cancers. “It’s been proven beyond any doubt,” he said.
Generally, people who smoke are advised to quit smoking. While most of them fail, there are few who were able to do so. Emmanuel Piñol, the current secretary of the Department of Agriculture, is one of the chosen few. He used to consume three packs of cigarettes a day. “Not a single stick of cigarette has ever touched my lips for the last 18 years,” he said.
It all started on September 20, 1998 when his daughter asked her what she wanted for her birthday. “I want you to stop smoking,” she told him. It was a birthday request he couldn’t refuse. So, he quit smoking.
Today, he doesn’t smoke anymore although he could still imagine the smell of tobacco. “But I could easily control myself,” he said.
When it comes to smoking, it is usually those who quit who emerge winners. Ong said a person who quits smoking will immediately get his rewards instantly. Citing a study done by the American Lung Association, Ong said the health benefits of quitting will “begin just 20 minutes after your last cigarette. Your blood pressure and heart rate will decrease, and the oxygen content of your body will increase.”
After the first day of quitting, a previous smoker’s risk of suffering a heart attack will be reduced. On the second day, his nerve endings will start to heal and his ability to smell and taste will improve. Between two weeks and three months after quitting, his blood circulation will improve. His cough will be lessened and walking will become easier. Soon, his lung function will improve dramatically.
“By the time you reach 15 years of never touching a cigarette, your risk of dying will be the same as a non-smoker,” Ong pointed out. “This just goes to show that the ill effects of smoking are serious and deadly. Quit early and quit now. Quit while you are still young to obtain the full health benefits from quitting.”
In 2002, the Philippines was listed as the 15th largest consumer of cigarettes in the world. Among Asian countries, the country has one of the highest smoking rates in the region. Small wonder, the World Health Organization estimates that 10 Filipinos die every hour due to cancer, stroke, lung and heart diseases brought on by cigarette smoking.
Because of these reasons, health advocates are urging Filipinos to quit smoking. “Some people can quit smoking just like that and suffer no side effects,” Ong noted. “However, for others, it can be a difficult process.”
Ong cited three factors responsible for the difficulty in quitting. “Knowing these factors will help you prepare yourself for the quitting process,” he said.
The factors were: (1) the number of cigarettes being smoked each day, (2) the people who smoke around the person who want to quit, and (3) the real reason on why the person smokes. “It could be due to peer pressure or for weight control,” Dr. Ong said of the latter.
“If you really want to quit smoking, you must identify the situations that trigger you to smoke, and do your best to avoid them,” Ong suggested.