Kicking the habit

ISLAMABAD:

Remember how rugged Clint Eastwood, with a cigar casually dangling from his mouth in those wild western classics, made smoking look so cool? And how Marilyn Monroe puffing nonchalantly on her slim fags, looked sexy and confident?  During most of the twentieth century, smoking was considered modish — both onscreen and off screen. Adolescents, being the quintessential aimless rebels, were particularly drawn to the habit which let them come across as defiant adults. And for the longest time, smoking was the perfect way to unwind with friends at social gatherings.

But now when smokers light up, they can hardly replicate the coolness of the previous cigarette-smoking generation. The time when smoking was in vogue is definite a bygone era.

It’s  now painfully obvious that consumption of tobacco sorely clashes with healthier eating and living choices that people are more now adopting. France, the last country where smoking was allowed in public places, has recently banned smoking in bars and clubs. Thus the smoker, who could relish his badass status in past years, has now become an outcast.

And since green and organic is now the fresh mantra, smokers will find few urban havens — other than abandoned sidewalks — to enjoy cigarettes in peace, without people scowling at them in a judgmental manner.

Staying away from your nicotine fix is definitely easier said than done, especially in a country like Pakistan where there is little check over public smoking and cheap quality tobacco is easily available. According to the WHO framework convention of tobacco control, the tobacco epidemic will kill nearly six million people this year. But in Pakistan the concern of tobacco-related deaths is especially pressing. While a pack of cigarettes now costs up to $11 in New York, you can buy one for under Rs100 here. Thus people are not given a monetary disincentive to continue smoking and more importantly the substandard quality of this tobacco makes smoking a sure shot killer.

Almost every smoker acknowledges the painfully obvious hazards of smoking, but the firm habit once made is definitely hard to break. But there are tricks to ease the withdrawal process by tapering off slowly by switching to better quality tobacco. Contrary to the conventional idiom — a cigarette a day can keep the doctor in pay — reducing your tobacco intake by switching to better alternatives can actually be your best bet to permanently quit. The very first step is to quit consuming commercial cigarette brands which contain harmful additives (you’d rather contemplate gluing your mouth to the car’s exhaust pipe).

Start rolling your own cigarettes with natural tobacco instead. You’ll smoke less because making your own cigarettes requires time and energy. Moreover the tobacco’s quality is much better. By doing this, you’ll find yourself chain — smoking a lot less.

“I think it’s a good idea. I smoke once in a while and would prefer a hand-rolled smoke over something from a pack. Actually, I know someone who eventually quit once he switched to rolling,” said Dania Garibeh, a recreational smoker.

Shams Super Market, which has an expansive tobacco/cigar section, is quite popular amongst customers looking for loose tobacco. “Golden Virginia rolling tobacco is very popular. We have people both young and old buying it,” said Nazakat Aziz, the salesperson at the market.

Similarly, switching to electronic cigarettes is another, albeit expensive, option.

These alternative eliminate seriously harmful chemicals and carcinogens and give you get a pure vaporous dose of nicotine. In fact these can be safely smoked anywhere without incurring penalty or judgment because there is no risk of passive smoking involved.

Remember, going cold turkey is extreme and often pointless because it increases the risk of relapse, especially if you’ve been chain smoking. Ease your way out of the habit, one rolled cigarette at a time. But always remember: The only safe cigarette is your last one.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2011.