by
Alexis Wenzowski
In
the past century, myths about tobacco
seemed to multiply at a phenomenal
rate. It wasn’t until the
1980s that individuals began to
deconstruct those myths. However,
the truths contradicting those stories
haven’t been realized by everyone.
Indeed, not everyone even knows
what these smoking myths are. Leave
the Pack Behind is here to debunk
some of the smoking myths for you,
the students, this week.
1.
It’s about the smoker not
the smoke.
It’s
hardly about the smoker. Well, the
smoker has the choice to pick up
a cigarette and smoke it. However,
it’s the smoke that really
irks people because others have
no choice but to inhale when they’re
around smokers. They could possibly
leave the vicinity but who wants
to put their life on hold for a
smoker? Therefore, when people tell
the smoker to stop, it could possibly
be about the health of the smoker,
but it’s more likely about
smoke bothering other people. The
world does not have a vendetta against
smokers, but rather people in this
world dislike having smoke blown
involuntarily in their faces.
2.
It’s only the tar in tobacco
that can harm your health.
Ha
ha. There are numerous chemicals
in cigarettes. In fact, there are
a plethora. To be specific, there
are more than 4000 chemicals in
one little cigarette. Out of those
4000 plus chemicals, there are over
40 that cause cancer. These deadly
forty include Arsenic (ie. ant poison),
Acetone (ie. Paint stripper), Cadium
(ie. used in car batteries), amongst
those other treats. Yum! Even nicotine,
that addictive little substance,
can be lethal!
3.
The Marlborough man is sexy.
That
concept of sexy equalling the charming
Marlborough man is a bit dated.
Actually, it should be described
as a dead concept considering that
the original Marlborough man is
dead (and died of lung cancer at
that). If the thought of a dead
skeletal Marlborough man isn’t
unappealing enough, then consider
his most probably yellowed fingers
and teeth, fetid breath, and impotency.
Oh! Did I mention impotency? Well,
according to Health Canada male
smokers are twice as likely to experience
impotency as opposed to a nonsmoker.
Indeed, it can be said that considering
all the aforementioned things, the
Marlborough man is NOT and was not
sexy.
4.
Smoking doesn’t actually cost
that much.
Hmmm…Well,
I suppose that if you were pulling
in a nice fat sum of money then
perhaps smoking wouldn’t cost
you that much financially. However,
if you’re reading the illustrious
Silhouette, then you’re most
probably a student. And if you’re
a student, then you most probably
know the value of budgeting your
dollars. Well, consider this: If
you smoke one pack a week, then
over the four years of university,
your habit is going to cost you
a whopping sum of almost $1000!
If you happen to be really hooked
and smoke a pack a day, then those
little packs amount to almost $7000
over four years. So, when buying
those cigarettes, consider those
thousands that could be going to
better places (like tuition, books,
cds, etc.). Smoking is a financial
drain.
5.
If you can’t quit for good,
then there’s no point in quitting
at all.
Sadly
enough, many people do comply with
this sort of mentality. Their reasoning
is, “Well, I tried to quit
before, and I just couldn’t
do it. I sort of just took a break;
then I got stressed out/exposed
to a social situation where I wanted
one/craved one, and so I had one.
There’s really no point. I’m
a smoker for life.” BUT this
is hardly the truth. In fact, all
smokers who quit are at high-risk
for a relapse within their first
six months of smoking cessation.
And to make things even more interesting,
it takes a smoker an average of
4 (plus) attempts to actually quit.
So, there’s no need to comply
with that sort of mentality. Every
little effort counts.
Well
McMaster students, If you want more
information about smoking myths
or are interested in information
about tobacco, then Leave the Pack
Behind can be reached through Student
Health Services (in the basement
of the Student Centre) or through
the e-mail address of [email protected]
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Alexis
Wenzowski is currently a 3rd
year Political Science and
Peace Studies student and
hosts a weekly radio program.
Her personal mission is to
help and support
Richard Ashcroft, should
he ever decide to quit smoking
(or at least cut down).
Questions and comments can
be emailed to her at [email protected].
Sass is encouraged.
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