Animals and Smoking.

Alas, one of the problems which contributes to this issue is the attitude we have against other humans. We don’t really care about their well-being or feelings.
But animals are another story. It seems like many would for some strange reason save 1 dog and sacrifice 100 people for it. Perhaps, smokers would refrain from doing so if they were reminded that they harm the animals too.

Dogs with long noses are at an even greater risk of developing certain nasal and sinus cancers, as they expose more tissue to the carcinogens when they inhale. Following known exposure, chemicals from cigarette smoke can be found in animals’ bodies for a long period of time. In fact, measurable levels of carcinogens can be found in dogs’ hair and urine for several months after exposure.
Cats exposed to secondhand smoke have an increased chance of developing squamous cell carcinoma, a type of oral cancer commonly found in humans that smoke tobacco, possibly because the carcinogens in tobacco smoke can settle on a cat’s fur and be ingested when the cat grooms itself.
Pets can also have strong reactions to smoke particles in the air. Just like members of their human families, pets can develop respiratory infections, lung inflammation and asthma when exposed to secondhand smoke.
I decided to share this because I have noticed some people act like animals are somehow immune to the effects of smoking.
I hope you are able to see the dangers of smoking for everyone. – G.S.

Bus stop and a Restaurant.

Smoking in a bus stop affects everything around it, including restaurants.
Some restaurant owners on Mulgrave Road (London, UK) are afraid that the construction of a bus shelter outside its doors will block in visitors and fill the premises with the smell of cigarette smoke.

Floral Silvio, 36, owns Casa Nostra restaurant in Mulgrave Road.
He said: “To be honest I’m very concerned about it. Just the stop with no shelter, that would have been OK, but the shelter will be right in front of my restaurant. When we open the doors and windows in the summer the view will not be nice and for the customers at the front of the restaurant there will be a lot of smoke coming in from people smoking at the bus stop.”
There is a major concern of it affecting their business. Before coming across this article, I have never thought about what smoking in these places affects the places around it. It gave me a new perspective on how such a small thing which many people scoff at can actually cause so much damage.
This brings the importance of the bans we have against smoking into the light again.
big question smokers should ask themselves is : “Who will get affected by this?” before lighting it, because it might just not be an innocent and quick escape from reality as they think it is.

Read more at: http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/11829834.Bus_stop_wars_as_restaurant_owners_vow_to_fight_new_Sutton_bus_shelter/

Cigarette Butts.

Let’s pretend that you have decided to smoke despite the law and moral issues in places where you’re not supposed to (like a public transportation stop). You can still do something to lower the damage you can do to the environment.
Cigarette butts have become one of our most important litter issues. The problem has increased in recent years with government legislation for smoking restrictions in public buildings and restaurants forcing smokers outside, where butts are often littered.

An estimated 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered worldwide every year. 1 Not only do littered butts seriously reduce the aesthetic quality of any environment, but they can cause a great deal of harm.
Areas with a high number of littered cigarette butts look dirty and uncalled for, which attracts more littering of other rubbish items. If a butt is simply dropped, it can smoulder for up to 3 hours. Cigarette smoke contains up to 4,000 chemicals so each second the butt is left alight, dangerous toxins are released into the environment. Flicked butts can cause fires. When thrown from a motor vehicle into dried grass butts can start a grass fire or even a bushfire. The Australian Fire Authorities Council estimates that more than 12 fires a day are caused by cigarettes or smoking materials.

– G.S.

Prison Example.

Although I am for banning cigarettes everywhere. From a smoker’s point of view, is it correct to instantly ban what they have been addicted to from the get-go?
According to a report done by Rachel Olding from The Sydney Morning Herald. A smoking ban that has been implemented in NSW prisons has begun to stir problems.
Since smoking was banned in August, the price of a pack of cigarettes has skyrocketed from $28 on the prison buy-ups scheme to $300 on the black market, prison sources have told Fairfax Media.
Matches and papers once sold through the buy-ups scheme for $3, now fetch up to $90.
Amid the desperation, some unconventional ingenuity has emerged from inmates, who are making homemade cigarettes and designing makeshift tools to probe for scraps of tobacco.
Inmates have begun soaking and cutting up nicotine patches, blending them with tea leaves and using pages from their state-issued Bibles to roll the toxic mix, Fairfax Media has been told by several prison insiders. Microwaves are being used to light cigarettes.
This addiction is so strong that people start to deceive and even go as far as hurting each other to get what they want.
Something here is different than my beach example (one of my previous posts). There, people are more compliant because they have freedom and knowledge that they can smoke somewhere else. In prison, however, the ban forces the people to give up smoking without them being ready for it.
Public transportation is, of course, alongside the beach when it comes to bans. The people there are not forced to quit without their consent.
All in all, I don’t think smokers should feel any anger or the feeling of being trapped because they are only bound to the rules while they’re in that certain location where the ban applies.
It all comes to the morals of those who smoke. Do they want to smoke next to other people or not. -G.S.

Anti-tobacco movement in Nazi Germany

After German doctors became the first to identify the link between smoking and lung cancer, Germany initiated a strong anti-tobacco movement and led the first public anti-smoking campaign in modern history. Anti-tobacco movements grew in many nations from the beginning of the 20th century, but these had little success, except in Germany, where the campaign was supported by the government after the Nazis came to power. It was the most powerful anti-smoking movement in the world during the 1930s and early 1940s. The National Socialist leadership condemned smoking and several of them openly criticized tobacco consumption. Research on smoking and its effects on health thrived under Nazi rule and was the most important of its type at that time. It really make you wonder when such a negatively regarded group from the past paid more attention to the dangers of smoking than the general public today.

The Nazi anti-tobacco campaign included banning smoking in trams, buses and city trains, promoting health education, limiting cigarette rations in the Wehrmacht (the Nazi army, organizing medical lectures for soldiers, and raising the tobacco tax. The National Socialists also imposed restrictions on tobacco advertising and smoking in public spaces, and regulated restaurants and coffeehouses.

Some even say that the anti-smoking campaigns way after this one weren’t as successful.
Adolf Hitler was a heavy smoker in his early life himself, he used to smoke 25 to 40 cigarettes daily—but gave up the habit, concluding that it was “a waste of money”. In later years, Hitler viewed smoking as “decadent” and “the wrath of the Red Man against the White Man, vengeance for having been given hard liquor”, lamenting that “so many excellent men have been lost to tobacco poisoning”.
Even here he gives a really racist remark while talking about this issue but it shows us one detail that many smokers would be uneasy to hear. Even someone like Hitler managed to get to his senses about smoking.
Are we right to be all mighty on our high horses when we can’t even make the right decision where even a dictator managed to do the right thing.

Smoking ban for the beach.

Smoking in public transportation stops is done even though it is illegal due to it there not being enough attention of the topic. I’ve looked through the other places where such a ban also exists and discovered that the same problems show its face in beaches.

Smokers are getting away with flouting bans on some of Sydney’s most popular beaches because they are not being fined. Despite having the power to hit smokers with $110 fines, council ­rangers patrolling beaches including Manly, Bondi and Coogee have been told by their bosses not to fine those lighting up on the sand. The rangers just politely ask ­people not to do it again. Council rangers can also fine people who ­dispose of their butts on the sand up to $200. But they don’t.
I personally think they’re not fining them because it’s too much work and seems a bit obnoxious.

However, as a Sydney resident I have never witnessed someone smoke on the beach. Perhaps the smokers not getting fined worked in some way?
Randwick councillor Katherine Neilson, who put the smoking ban motion to council, said that they didn’t want to make the ban a money-making exercise because she thinks that most people will say sorry and stop smoking if asked nicely.
It seems people respond more positively when the rules are held in a friendlier and nicer way. In the case of the public transportation, no one constantly asks people to stop smoking. It also should be someone in charge and not random people because psychologically people going to or coming back from work are more likely to get defensive and respond in a negative way. This could’ve been one of the ways to push people into stopping it but again, the officials don’t even care about it even as much as they do with the beaches.

Queensland against smoking.

We know what the rules dictate here in NSW. But what about other states? Are they as strict or more lenient towards smoking in public transportation stops, or just smoking in general? Their attitude towards it might dictate how and where NSW fits in their ability to battle smoking. This posts analysis is on Queensland. The Beautiful state home to the magnificent Gold Coast, and blooming Brisbane.

It seems Queensland is one of the most active states who’re against smoking in any place that a significant amount of people gathers including public transportation stops.
Even the Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick was quite vocal about this issue and stated that “Smoking, even second-hand smoke, is proven to cause cancer” and ” People in malls or queuing for a bus or train won’t have to inhale second-hand tobacco smoke. This supports my previous blog about the dangers of secondhand and third-hand smoke and it personally gives me hope that someone in power has knowledge about it and cares.
It seems Mr Dick thinks cigarettes costs Queensland more than $6 billion each year and causes around 3,700 deaths and 36,000 cases of hospitalisation.
That is a staggering amount of money and resources spent on a stupid addiction. Even spending half of that money on finding ways for people to stop it seems economically more stable and smart. Queensland is indeed an interesting state. After looking at the official governmental site (https://www.qld.gov.au) about this issue, you can find what exactly are they hoping to achieve with their rules and campaigns. They are stated as the following:
– Reduces exposure to environmental tobacco smoke
– Supports smokers trying to quit
– Discourages young people from taking up the habit.

Some in-depth work has been done by the government in Queensland and that is very admirable, don’t you think? At first it might seem only to reduce the environmental and personal impact, but the banning of smoking in the public transportation stops (and the other places) tries to tackle the problem by attacking the main cause of it… young people casually taking up the habit. If schools, homes and any other areas are smoke-free then it is easier for kids to stay away from it by not being affected negatively by what they see. It also gives the smokers a reason to refrain and thus forces them (in a good way) to drop their bad habits.

Keep up the good work Queensland!

Different ways to quit smoking *Part 2*

I have previously shared some helpful ways to you so you can overcome your smoking addiction. However, those examples are just a few amidst the many ways that can help you with this issue. I have discovered some quite interesting ways, and while I’m not sure if they actually work, they should have an effect to an extent. Also, it might seem like it has nothing to do with public transportation stops, but tackling the problem at the base should also prevent it reaching it.
Without further ado, let’s begin:
1/ Acupuncture
This is one of the more traditional ways to do it. Acupuncture works by pressuring your chakra points. It is widely believed that it lessens the cravings of a smoker. I’m not a smoker nor have I met anyone who decided to try this to give up smoking so I cannot make a comment on how useful it is. In a recent study, “Alternative Smoking Cessation Aids: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials,” researchers gathered data from 14 different studies to see which alternative techniques helped patients stop smoking. The acupuncture studies examined 823 different patients. The researchers concluded that both acupuncture and hypnotherapy may help patients quit smoking. It might not be the first thing that comes to mind, but it’s worth a try.

2/ Laser
This technique works in the same way as the previous one. The acupuncture points in the body are targeted with lasers instead of needles. The existence of such a thing in my opinion validates acupuncture due to it supporting its logic with more advanced tools. Speaking of which, that’s one of the reasons why this option is a very attractive one due to it being more technological (modern medicine is preferred to traditional, although I don’t view it that way). If you’re in Australia, there is a company called, “Acuquit” which you can contact and try this method. the phone number is ‘1800 228784’. Or alternatively, you can check their website: http://www.acuquit.com.au/ for more information.
3/Home Remedies.
This one goes hand to hand with acupuncture as they’re always given together. But, if you’re trying to quit smoking with a different method and still need some help this might just do the trick. First of all, I would like to mention Water! It detoxifies your body, thus helps you get rid of the nicotine and even lessens the cravings! Who knew such a simple thing could be so helpful? Some of the other home remedies used are:
– Licorice Stick: It’s a good substitute to cigarette to refrain yourself from smoking.
– Ginger: One of the most common withdrawal symptoms of smoking is nausea, which can be easily eased up by taking ginger juice.
– Hyssop: It can help to reduce the withdrawal symptoms of anxiety and hysteria, and helps with the cleaning of the lung.
Cayenne Pepper: It helps desensitizes the respiratory system to addictive things.
These are just some of the few home remedies that are used. I have chosen these ones to write about because they cover different things and when used together can do a lot of different work at once.

Different ways to quit smoking *Part 1*

Now, I realize nicotine causes addiction and it’s not east to quit immediately. My previous posts might’ve seemed like I was pointing fingers at smokers and letting it out. However, many people have quit smoking so it’s safe to assume anyone can quit if they actually want to. I have known some people who have said that they will quit it just for the sake of saying without any intent. This post will not be addressed to them. There are some others who have the will but no idea how to quit it. If you’re like that stick with this post.

There are quite few ways to help you quit from very obvious steps to unknown ones. I’m going to go over some of them:

1/ “My QuitBuddy” App. This is a very interesting app which you can download on your smartphone and/or tablet. While it doesn’t assist you physically, it presents information about your health and other nifty things such as how much money you have saved by not smoking or how long it has been since you last smoked. It’s a good app to have in your pocket.

2/ Call the Quitline 13 7848.
Sometimes you need professional help to help you get your decision. You really don’t need to play hundreds of dollars for them when the government has their own quitline which you can call from any state in Australia.
3/ Hypnosis.
While this one might seem a bit make-believe next to the other options, I believe it might just work for some people. The only downside to this approach is the cost of it. I’d suggest doing this as one of your last resort attempts due to it.
4/ Nicotine patches. Addictions are bad and are hard to drop. They can even cause side-effects if stopped immediately as the body requires the substance. Drug addicts for example gradually decrease the intake which helps the body regulate to the absence of it. This is the same logic behind why divers descend and ascend gradually rather than at once. This, mixed with my quit buddy app, for example, can make a nice combo help you get through it in my opinion and is something you should try if you’re trying to stop smoking.

Second and third-hand smoking!

Second-hand and third-hand smoking!
As we all know, second-hand smoking is a dangerous occurrence and it can lead to harm if someone happens to be in the same location with a person who is smoking. Many already know about this (and choose to ignore it) but did you know that there is a thing called “third-hand smoking”? This is the smoke that is left behind. For example, if someone smokes next to a child, not only does the child become a second-hand smoker, but the toxins also sticks on him/her and further increases the risk of damage caused by at least 4000 chemicals that are found in a cigarette.
This is a cause for concern because these chemicals even go as far as causing cancer. Most smokers believe they are not damaging anyone else other than themselves, or even think about such things at all.

Think about it this way (especially if you’re a smoker). You are bringing toxic gas canisters and letting them loose while waiting for your favourite mode of transport. Sounds bad right? You probably wouldn’t even do it if it was in your mind such a bad object like the canisters. However, all this changes when the canisters are replaced with cigarettes which ultimately puts your mind into a deluded-like state and also puts you into a bubble where anything outside of it is unimportant to you as long as you can smoke.
Although, I’m not forcibly asking you to stop smoking (even though it is well within my rights since it’s illegal in the first place), I’m simply attempting to make you think about the other people as well. A little bit of humility and looking around and seeing all the other people and the children waiting for a bus should tell you to not smoke around there, as the harmful toxins as mentioned before also travel with them.