BLOG ENTRY #06

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The image shows the two cigarettes slowly turning into ashes. The smoke released by the cigarette can affect the health of one's person. It also illustrates that the smoke produce has a greater effect to the non – smokers rather than smokers.

Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causes many diseases, and reduces the health of smokers in general. Be inform that smoking will not only can cause lung cancer but almost anywhere in the body like the bladder, blood, cervix, colon and rectum (colorectal), esophagus, kidney and ureter, pancreas, stomach and more.

 According to the study from the United State, cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death. More than 480,000 deaths each year in the US cause by cigarette smoking. Moreover, smoking causes more deaths each year than the other disease like Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( HIV), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, and firearm-related incidents. Smoking causes about 90% (or 9 out of 10) of all cancer deaths in men and women and more women die from lung cancer each year than from breast cancer and about

80% (or 8 out of 10) of all death from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are caused by smoking. Smoking will not only can cause cancer but it can make it harder for a woman to become pregnant and can affect her baby’s health before and after birth. It increases risk for: peterm (early) delivery, still birth (death of baby before birth), low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome (known as SIDS or crib death), ectopic pregnancy and orafacid clefts in infants. If it has effect on woman, it is also having in men’s sperm which can reduce fertility and also increase risks for birth defects and miscarriage. Smoking also affects the health of your teeth and gums and can cause tooth loss and it might also increase the risk for cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.

In the Philippines, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) data published in May 2014 lung cancers deaths in the Philippines reached 9,722 or 18% of total deaths.

Smoking is hazardous to one’s health not only to the smoker but to the non - smokers as well is a common knowledge. And to give protection to the health of a person’s in a public places the state recognizes the right of everyone to breathe clean air, in order to protect the people from harmful effects of smoking and regulate the advertisement and sale of tobacco products, Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9211 or Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 came into being. Under this law, smoking in public places has been prohibited. It particularly prohibits smoking in enclosed public areas such as hospitals, schools, terminals, among others.

"Section 5. Smoking in Public Places – Smoking shall be absolutely prohibited in the following public places:

            a. Centers of youth activity;

            b. Elevator and stairwells;

            c. Location in which fire hazards are present;

            d. Within the buildings and premises of public and private hospitals;

            e. Public conveyance and public facilities;

            f. Food preparation areas

"Section 6. Designated Smoking And Non-Smoking Areas – In all enclosed places that are open to the general public, private workplaces, and other places not covered under the preceding section, where smoking may expose a person other than the smoker to tobacco smoke, the owner, proprietor, possessor, manager or administrator of such places shall establish smoking areas. Such areas may include a designated smoking area within the building, which may be in an open space or separated area with proper ventilation, but shall not be located within the same room that has been designated as non – smoking area."

"Section 32. Penalties – The following penalties shall apply:

            a. Violation of Sections 5 and 6. – On the first offense, a fine of not less than 500.00 but not more than 1000.00 shall be imposed.

            On the second offense, a fine of not less than 1,000.00 but not more than 5,000.00 shall be imposed.

The image definitely looks like common image but it tells us many stories and meanings if we only look on the other views. It warns us that life span of a person decrease on every stick of a cigarette. And it follows that the second – hand smokers are the most at risk than the smokers. Death rate caused by cigarette smoking continuously increases every year. It's good to know that there exist law that can protect non – smokers in the public places.

Documentation:

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