The harmful effects of smoking will now be included in the curriculum of elementary and high school students. Well it’s about time! I find it quite alarming when I see really young kids smoking, oblivious to the dangers that this filthy habit brings. And since tobacco manufacturers target their ads towards the young, the school would then be the logical choice to put up the first line of defense. Many smokers acquire the habit because of peer pressure, in order to have a sense of belonging and approval from older adolescents. Others get into to it because of a desire to project an image. And when they do, the addicting effects of nicotine, long withheld by the manufacturers themselves before it was exposed, have a stranglehold on the smoker. That’s why a majority smoke because they like it.
So much effort has been exerted to prove the harmful effects of smoking. Requiring tobacco manufacturers to place the very first surgeon general’s warning was a victory for the anti-smoking advocates in 1965. The warning has since evolved from a probable health hazard to stern warnings and even identifying the deadly gases involved such as carbon monoxide. Even cigarette ads, long-time sponsors of so many events, have taken a beating in recent years. The very popular F1 racing sport is one good example. It was once standard for a cigarette brand to be one of the main sponsors of racing teams. Then certain racing venues banned them, with teams cleverly “disguising” their sponsors’ logos and brand names. Today, the organizers have totally banned cigarette ads on anything related to Formula 1, whether on the tracks or on the cars themselves. Smoking has been banned in all malls in the city, and on most restaurants, buildings and even some bars. Airlines no longer have a smoking section.
But still, the industry remains one of the largest in the world, with Asia being its largest client at present. Despite all the warnings and dangers concerning smoking, the youth are still the most vulnerable to being lured into this hazardous habit. Even cartoons are not spared from endorsing the habit, prompting people like Ted Turner to take steps in removing or editing scenes that depict characters smoking in cartoon such as Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones and Scooby-Doo, which are shown on his Cartoon Network TV channel. Informing the young of the ills and dangers of smoking may prevent our children from acquiring the habit, especially in their formative years. Along with the campaign against dangerous drugs, a good information and education curriculum may spare our youth from the ills of the habit. Something they will be very thankful for in the years to come.