Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
276-638-8801
Toll Free: 800-234-6575
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
By KIM BARTO - Bulletin Staff Writer
Some local cigarette smokers doubt a new anti-smoking bill signed Monday by President Barack Obama will have its intended effect of keeping teenagers away from tobacco.
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act calls for limiting tobacco advertising that could attract young people, banning candy and fruit flavors in tobacco products and requiring large graphic warnings on tobacco products.
However, some cigarette smokers interviewed Monday said these changes would not have affected their decision to light up their first cigarettes as teenagers.
“If people want to smoke, they’re going to smoke, regardless of advertising,” said Curtis Player of Martinsville, a smoker since age 18.
“When I was growing up, we didn’t have flavored cigarettes, and everybody still smoked,” Player said. “I never paid attention to advertising... Being around smoking, that’s what did it.”
Angelo Andino of Bassett said he began smoking at age 13 “to be part of the ‘cool crowd.’”
Andino, 32, said teenagers pick up the habit for a number of reasons that do not involve advertising, such as “stress, family issues, to be hip. I started smoking because all my friends started smoking.”
What prompted him to give up cigarettes for more than 15 years was when he got a physical at school and was told, “‘It’s going to stunt your growth,’” he said. After that, he quit and did not smoke again until he moved to the area two years ago.
As for warning labels, Andino said, “it’s not going to stop me. You’re going to smoke if you want to.”
Conrad Gilbert of Bassett agreed. He began smoking at age 17.
“I think a larger warning label’s a waste of our money,” Gilbert said. “It really doesn’t have much of an effect. They’re going to smoke or they’re not.”
Tara Martin, communications director for the Martinsville-Henry County Coalition for Health and Wellness, said she agreed with the law’s provision to block cigarette labels such as “low tar” and “light.”
“I think there is a misconception that I’ve heard come out of lots of people’s mouths that ‘Oh, it’s light, it’s not going to kill me,’” Martin said.
“You’re still getting the same amount of tar in your lungs, and it’s doing the exact same amount of damage,” she said. “The ‘light’ label does just reflect the taste.”
The federal government’s National Cancer Institute has found that cigarettes labeled “light,” “low-tar,” “mild,” and “ultra-light” are just as harmful as regular cigarettes. Lower tar and nicotine numbers are listed on the cigarette packs, but these are measured by smoking machines and are not an accurate measure of how much a person will inhale, according to the cancer institute.
This is because tobacco companies designed light cigarettes with tiny vent holes on the filters, or use other means to cause the machines to measure less tar and nicotine, according to the cancer institute. To compensate, smokers may inhale more deeply, take more frequent puffs or smoke more cigarettes each day to satisfy their nicotine cravings.
In her experience, Martin said tobacco products with fruity or sweet flavors are appealing to the younger generation. She said she agreed with the ban.
“I think the more we can limit what’s appealing to them (about tobacco), the better off we’ll be,” she said.
The Coalition for Health and Wellness does not currently offer programs to help smokers quit, but some of its health and exercise programs touch on the harmful effects of smoking. The coalition “highly encourages” a healthier lifestyle, which includes not smoking, Martin said.
“We tell people that every time you smoke a cigarette, it does take off minutes, and sometimes years, of your life, and how bad it is for you,” she said.
“People that smoke have less lung capacity, so they’re unable to engage in the types of physical activities we push for people to engage in,” Martin said. “Smoking is definitely not good for the heart, either.” |
| |
|
|
.jpg)
