Carelessness Or Callousness
Number of teen population particularly girls with smoking habits is rising alarmingly
By NIRAKAR POUDEL
One can encounter a number of young boys and girls smoking cigarettes in the restaurants in urban areas. Most of these students are studying in +2 schools of the valley.
Although smoking is not a new thin in the urban areas, the fact that this habit is ensnaring the teen-aged students has become a cause for concern. One can see young girls and boys taking to cigarette smoking. Although most of these young ones are occasional smokers, it seems that if these teenage girls and boys continue to smoke for a prolonged period, they could turn out to be lifelong addicts.
Not only in urban areas, there is a large number of smokers in rural areas also. But, the number of teenage smokers is escalating rapidly in urban areas.
Nowadays, the sight of teenagers smoking openly in pubs, cafes, pool houses and other public places has become commonplace. The teenage smokers come from all kinds of social background. Most of the street children and child labors like helpers in vehicles, workers in factories and porters have also been hooked up with this habit. These street children lack proper education and guidance from guardians. Other teenagers are from well off families. They also have access to education as well as parents who guide them. Despite this, they have become addicted to smoking. There are many factors behind escalating rate of smoking among teenagers.
Says Abhisek Rai (name changed), an 18-year-old smoker, "I started smoking when I was in grade 7. I had many friends in the hostel who smoked. They used to urge me to smoke as well. Ultimately, I gave it a try after initial resistance. Gradually, I got addicted sub consciously." These days Abhisek smokes 4-8 cigarettes a day.
It is evident from the experience of Abhisek that peer pressure is one of the most significant factors behind teenage smoking. Teen age is the most vulnerable period of a person's life. Teenagers usually spend most of their time with their group in the school as well as outside. Their peer group also plays a major role in molding their behaviors.
If an adolescent has a peer group where there are smokers, it is probable that he/she will also learn this habit. Usually, adolescents cannot resist pressure from their group. Some teenagers have also started smoking because of curiosity. There are teenagers who think smoking as expression of their freedom and defiance of their parent's control. Some are also influenced by celebrities smoking in movies. These excuses are ridiculous when the adverse impacts of smoking on health are considered.
According to the study of World Health Organization, Nepal accounts for one of the largest number of female smokers in the world.
Smoking accounts for half a million premature deaths the world over. It is one of the most preventable risk factor for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). Smoking also accelerates the atherosclerotic process in adolescents thereby making them more susceptible to CHD in their adulthood. In women the incidence of heart attack and death is higher compared to men smokers.
The risk of lung cancer is high in smokers than in non smokers. In our country, many women smoke during their pregnancy. Smoking during pregnancy is a major factor contributing to still birth. It is also fatal for pregnant women. Other short term impacts of smoking include loss of taste, nausea, and increase in blood pressure.
These impacts of smoking are also included in health curriculum in school. Therefore, school students who smoke must be aware of these impacts. According to statistics, 20% of health workers are active smokers. Therefore, education is not only enough to prevent smoking. In schools, strict punitive actions like suspension and expulsion are taken against students who are caught smoking. However, such actions have not prevented many expelled students from smoking. Nor have they deterred smoking among other students. The main reason for smoking is negligence.
Parents need to play a major role in preventing their children from being caught up in fatal habits like smoking during their adolescent. They need to be aware of the peer groups and activities their children are involved in.
According to sociologists, parent-children relationship is not transparent in Nepal. Many children conceal their habits from their parents. Parents also don't keep track of their children's behavior. On the other hand, once they find that their children are involved in bad habits, they use force to reform their children. There are also parents who think that disclosing their children's bad habits to society will damage their reputation in society.
They argue that parents should be very open with their children encouraging discussions. Parents should properly counsel their children and take them to proper rehabilitation center once they find that their children are smokers, they say.
It seems that number of adolescent smokers will grow in future as there is no effective anti-smoking campaign. The government and civil society must take immediate action to address the problem of adolescent smoking.
