School kids smoke
Yannick Rivet
By Yannick Rivet
Published on 30th May, 2008
In Mauritius, one student out of three has smoked a cigarette at least once. And this is not all. Statistics reveal another startling reality about smoking habits in this country : some 15% of school goers between 13-15 are regular smokers.
The Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2003, conducted for the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life judges the situation is quite preoccupying at a time when the world is celebrating world no-tobacco day on May 31. Lack of resources remains the principal hurdle in the fight against smoking.
According to the survey, the most common age initiation to smoking is 12-13 years with 34.6% of students in Mauritius and 29% in Rodrigues first experimenting with cigarettes. A high number of students were also initiated to smoking when they were below 10 years, with 17.4% in Mauritius and 23% in Rodrigues.
Awareness campaign
The findings urge an early intervention in schools so that the awareness is created at an early age on the hazards and addictive nature of tobacco.
“We have noticed a progressive upward trend regarding the percentage of students initiated to smoking as from the age of seven until it reaches the age of 13 when a decline is noted. However it is alarming to note that 6.7% of respondents in Mauritius and 9.5% in Rodrigues first tried their cigarettes at seven years or younger,” says Deowan Mohee, Officer at the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life.
The survey also says that the main reasons to start smoking among current cigarette users are peer pressure and the desire to experiment. The influence of friends in experimenting with new and sometimes risky behaviour at an early age is well known. The survey recommendations underline that it is imperative that smoking prevention programmes for young people be geared towards the teaching of refusal and other skills so that they can effectively cope with peer pressure.
Reduce outlets
Another doctor, Comalchandra Radhakissoon, says other factors that induce youngsters to take to smoking are: influence of advertisements where a top actor or personality is shown with a cigarette, and identity seeking. “Many children believe smoking gives them an identity and a status,” he says.
Dr Radhakissoon thinks cigarette selling outlets must be reduced and sales restricted to timings when children are already in school. “I think, we can also raise the price to make the product inaccessible to the low income groups. We must at the same time ban unit sales of cigarettes in Mauritius.”
According to the survey, the most common age initiation to smoking is 12-13 years with 34.6% of students in Mauritius and 29% in Rodrigues first experimenting with cigarettes. A high number of students were also initiated to smoking when they were below 10 years, with 17.4% in Mauritius and 23% in Rodrigues.
Awareness campaign
The findings urge an early intervention in schools so that the awareness is created at an early age on the hazards and addictive nature of tobacco.
“We have noticed a progressive upward trend regarding the percentage of students initiated to smoking as from the age of seven until it reaches the age of 13 when a decline is noted. However it is alarming to note that 6.7% of respondents in Mauritius and 9.5% in Rodrigues first tried their cigarettes at seven years or younger,” says Deowan Mohee, Officer at the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life.
The survey also says that the main reasons to start smoking among current cigarette users are peer pressure and the desire to experiment. The influence of friends in experimenting with new and sometimes risky behaviour at an early age is well known. The survey recommendations underline that it is imperative that smoking prevention programmes for young people be geared towards the teaching of refusal and other skills so that they can effectively cope with peer pressure.
Reduce outlets
Another doctor, Comalchandra Radhakissoon, says other factors that induce youngsters to take to smoking are: influence of advertisements where a top actor or personality is shown with a cigarette, and identity seeking. “Many children believe smoking gives them an identity and a status,” he says.
Dr Radhakissoon thinks cigarette selling outlets must be reduced and sales restricted to timings when children are already in school. “I think, we can also raise the price to make the product inaccessible to the low income groups. We must at the same time ban unit sales of cigarettes in Mauritius.”
Can the addicts quit?
One Non Governmental Organisation, VISA - Vie Sans Tabac - caters for prevention and sensitization. The Seventh Day Adventist Diocese of Mauritius runs a 5 Day Plan to help addicts break their tobacco dependency. Natresa also supports this plan.
Dr Radhakissoon, who is also the director of Shatayu, an Ayurvedic medical institution, runs a special programme to help smokers quit. “We go slow and steady. We first diagnose the smoker, put him on a diet and a monitored plan to give up smoking gradually. We have so far been quite successful with 50-60 % cases that we have treated.”
Pastor Norman Latchman, from the Advetist Diocese and also VISA's treasurer, says the 5 Day Plan has an 80 to 90% success rate. However, quite a few go back to smoking after some time.
Only 35% succeed to stay off smoking after 10 years. “Breaking through such a tenacious addiction as that of cigarette smoking requires more than just physiological treatment. Many programmes recommend the use of medication and patches, but what has to be taken into consideration is also the psychological dependence developed by the smoker.”
The-5 day Plan considers the physiological and psychological aspects of cigarette addiction. It guides the smoker through the different stages of breaking the addiction habit through an individual programme coupled to a group therapy where the smoker will have the opportunity to express his fears, shortcomings and receive the emotional support necessary to break away.
Those who are serious about quitting can get free counsel and follow the 5-day plan by calling 697 7166.
Dr Radhakissoon, who is also the director of Shatayu, an Ayurvedic medical institution, runs a special programme to help smokers quit. “We go slow and steady. We first diagnose the smoker, put him on a diet and a monitored plan to give up smoking gradually. We have so far been quite successful with 50-60 % cases that we have treated.”
Pastor Norman Latchman, from the Advetist Diocese and also VISA's treasurer, says the 5 Day Plan has an 80 to 90% success rate. However, quite a few go back to smoking after some time.
Only 35% succeed to stay off smoking after 10 years. “Breaking through such a tenacious addiction as that of cigarette smoking requires more than just physiological treatment. Many programmes recommend the use of medication and patches, but what has to be taken into consideration is also the psychological dependence developed by the smoker.”
The-5 day Plan considers the physiological and psychological aspects of cigarette addiction. It guides the smoker through the different stages of breaking the addiction habit through an individual programme coupled to a group therapy where the smoker will have the opportunity to express his fears, shortcomings and receive the emotional support necessary to break away.
Those who are serious about quitting can get free counsel and follow the 5-day plan by calling 697 7166.
Why I smoke
“What started out as a sheer curiosity developed into a nasty habit and despite knowing that it is bad I can't get it off my mind.
“My smoking habit started in my early twenties. I will not use the excuse that life was tough and that I started to smoke for temporary relief. Instead, it was out of curiosity,” says Nivedan Seetohul, a chain smoker.
“My father, uncles and friends smoked and I wanted to know why so many people were doing it. The first pull almost choked me, but I stood firm. One pack later, I was able to smoke without noticing the foul taste in my mouth or the shortness of breath. I reached a point where I started to look forward to the idea of lighting up a cigarette. I now smoke out of habit. When I go to the loo, I need a puff; so also do I need it during or after a drink. I don't smoke to show off or to cut across as macho. I understand the fact that it is killing me softly. I am in my early thirties. I am finding it hard to shake off the habit. The idea of quitting has been on my mind for some time now, yet the urge to light up seems more appealing. To shake off the habit, I have tried cigarette patches, chewing gum and even been to see lung cancer victims of cigarette smoking. Yet none of it works. It's like a constant mental struggle between my will power and also my mind. I will quit soon, and hopefully before it’s too late.”
“My smoking habit started in my early twenties. I will not use the excuse that life was tough and that I started to smoke for temporary relief. Instead, it was out of curiosity,” says Nivedan Seetohul, a chain smoker.
“My father, uncles and friends smoked and I wanted to know why so many people were doing it. The first pull almost choked me, but I stood firm. One pack later, I was able to smoke without noticing the foul taste in my mouth or the shortness of breath. I reached a point where I started to look forward to the idea of lighting up a cigarette. I now smoke out of habit. When I go to the loo, I need a puff; so also do I need it during or after a drink. I don't smoke to show off or to cut across as macho. I understand the fact that it is killing me softly. I am in my early thirties. I am finding it hard to shake off the habit. The idea of quitting has been on my mind for some time now, yet the urge to light up seems more appealing. To shake off the habit, I have tried cigarette patches, chewing gum and even been to see lung cancer victims of cigarette smoking. Yet none of it works. It's like a constant mental struggle between my will power and also my mind. I will quit soon, and hopefully before it’s too late.”