One stick is all it takes

Advancing calls for a smoke-free country in line with Earth Month 2023, Social Watch Philippines (SWP) said, “Around 33 to 49.6 billion cigarette butts are littered every year in the whole Philippines.” This data echoes the World Health Organization’s (WHO) alarm that about 4.5 trillion cigarette butts pollute the planet.

In Baguio City, a “Contain that Butt” activity was carried out in observance of the 2022 World No Tobacco Day, which resulted in the collection of almost 100 kilograms of cigarette butts, according to Karl Pagada, smoke-free Baguio communications development officer. Each barangay mobilized to execute the initiative aside from the volunteers and the health centers around the city that lent a hand.

“Sa isang stick ng sigarilyo, 7,000 chemicals ang content niya. Isang stick lang ‘yan. From that 7,000 chemicals, 70 of these chemicals are carcinogenic, which means hindi lang lung cancer ang pwede mong makuha diyan. There are 70 types of cancer na pwede mong makuha,” Pagada stated with a tone of warning.

He stated that cigarettes contribute to environmental degradation. “‘Yung cigarette butts, kase ‘yun nga 7,000 chemicals ang magleleach into the soil or kung anong ground man, heavy metals pa ang iba diyan,” he added.

In an interview, City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) assistant officer Marivic Empizo noted the effect on air quality. “‘Yung smoke niya titignan din natin sa gas phase. The gas phase of cigarette smoke includes nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, acetaldehyde. Consists of several toxic chemicals,” she stated.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is also found in cigarettes. This toxic chemical causes the heart to pump harder and prohibits the lungs from functioning properly. According to the Department of Health, this chemical can either be addictive, toxic, or can cause cancer.

Empizo added that cigarette butts clog the drainage, given smokers just flick them away.

According to the Baguio City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), human irresponsibility manifested through flicking away lighted cigarette butts is one of the most common causes of grass and forest fires in the city.

On plastic pollution worldwide, microplastics found in cigarette butts comprise the second-highest form. Electronic cigarettes also contribute to the accumulation of these plastic wastes, WHO stated.

Pagada noted that the batteries of these e-cigarettes also contribute to environmental problems, given that most of these are disposable.

---

Stick that destroys the body

Her newborn sound asleep inside their home, Aina Manahan shared why she put an end to her smoking habits that began way back in high school, with a false belief that puffing is cool.

“Simula 2016, siguro triny kong magstop ng mga four to five times. Kase ang napapansin ko, kapag nagkaroon ako ng sakit, inubo ako or sinipon ako, malala talaga siya,” she stated.

Dr. Donna Panes, tobacco control coordinator, said that tobacco intensifies a person’s risk of getting a stroke and developing lung cancer and various illnesses by up to 500%.

“If tatanggalin natin ‘yung sigarilyo sa atin or vape, mababawasan ‘yung risk factor natin for heart disease and stroke,” she added.

Pagada stated that the number one reason why smokers quit is the effect of cigarettes on their health. They were more encouraged to quit when they knew about the smoke cessation service of the Health Services Office (HSO), he furthered.

The Baguio Adults Tobacco Survey (BATS) 2022 revealed that there is a downward trend in Tobacco use. From 34% in 2014, the prevalence of current tobacco users decreased to 13% in 2022. Data also showed that six out of ten current tobacco users are thinking about quitting.

Pagada, who was also a smoker years back, shared that peer pressure and curiosity, the top two reasons why people start smoking, are also the same reasons why he got swayed to try.

“Noong nafully understand ko na talaga ang effects nito, long-term effects, and noong nagkapamilya na rin ako, then that’s the time I quit smoking,” he stated.

BATS 2022 showed the number of those who believe smoking leads to severe illnesses rose from 83% in 2014 to 99.7% in 2022, thereby saying the citizens of Baguio are now well-informed on the harm of tobacco.

---

Revamped same old stick

Saying that its pleasant smell pushed her to try, Manahan shared that she resorted to using e-cigarettes as a way to totally quit smoking.

“Kumbaga kung icocompare mo sa yosi, hindi ka mangangamoy na amoy yosi ka 'pag papasok ka sa establishment or kaya kapag imemeet mo ‘yung family mo, hindi ka amoy yosi,” Manahan explained.

Based on the BATS 2022, a 300% increase in the prevalence of e-cigarette use from 2019 to 2022 among the age groups of 15-24 and 25-34 was observed.

Dr. Nelson Hora, medical officer IV at the HSO, voiced, “Wala tayong survey ng e-cigarette nung 2014 and 2016 kase hindi pa siya uso that time. Nauso actually ang e-cigarette nung nakita na ng mga tobacco industries na naghihigpit na ang mga different countries. So they keep on looking for other alternative ways to sell their products. Kaya nga ‘yan na ‘yung emergence ng e-cigarette.”

Panes said that these vapes are claiming they are non-nicotine, but they’re not. “Ang pangalan nga niya is electronic nicotine delivery system. That’s the generic name pinangalanan lang na vape. But it’s actually not a vapor. It’s not water vapor at all. It contains more than a hundred chemicals that can destroy your lungs,” she asserted.

Vape has immediate effects, she furthered. “'Yung smoking natin medyo parang pinikpikan lang, it will kill you softly. Pero sa vape, meron talagang acute lung injury.”

Transitioning to vape, Manahan shared that it might have caused her to take in more nicotine than when she was still smoking cigarettes.

“Kase kumbaga sa yosi, per stick lang siya. Kung nililimit mo 'yung sarili mo, five to six sticks lang siya. Pero kase ‘yung sa vape, kase dahil accessible siya, hithit ka lang nang hithit. Masarap kase siya eh, may fruity na flavor siya. So hindi mo napapansin, minsan napapadami ka na,” she explained.

However, she strived to limit herself, starting by not using vape for a day until she was able to totally get rid of it, citing health concerns and the nature of being a mom who is spending a full day with her kids.

Recently, Mayor Benjamin Magalong, DepEd officials, and the smoke-free task force engaged in a discussion to address the rise of vape use among students within school premises. The discussion resulted in the writing of a resolution that now urges various learning institutions to implement with an iron fist the banning of entry, possession, sale, and use of e-cigarettes inside the school.

The resolution is consistent with Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum No. 06, series of 2021, which “seeks to promote a healthy environment in and around the premises of CHED and all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).”

DepEd will conduct an “Oplan Kapkap and Sita” and present smoke-free videos to further educate students.

---

Stick that transforms corners

Earlier this year, a groundbreaking ceremony unfolded in the vicinity of the Baguio City Hall to mark the construction of a smoke-free park.

“So dati kase pinagyoyosihan ‘yan ng mga tao, nagtatago sila sa sulok. Pero ngayon ginawa naming smoke-free park, sana naman mahiya silang magyosi diyan. Pero lilipat sila, so ineencourage namin na magquit. Wala na sana silang area. Inuubos namin ‘yung pinatataguan nila,” Empizo said with a soft laugh.

Empizo stated that CEPMO is putting no smoking signs in their smoke-free parks, including Burnham Park, one of the many famous tourist attractions in the city. The office is also conducting clean-up drives, she added.

“Ganon din sa may convention, ‘yung GSIS property doon, smoking area doon ay maraming call center, ang dumi-dumi, ang daming upos ng sigarilyo, ginawa naming smoke-free park. Mayroon ding signage doon,” Empizo stated.

Asking if she also irresponsibly flicks away cigarette butts, Manahan shared that she never had that habit.

"'Yung bag ko dati ‘pag nakita mo, so laging may upos ‘yun, laging may itim-itim yun kase hindi ako nasanay na magtapon ng upos kahit saan," she stated.

Manahan worked in Manila back in 2016, where she picked the practice of putting her cigarette butts in small containers or plastic bags.

“Personal and then kase sa Manila, meron ‘yun na 'pag nahuli ka na nagtatapon, pwede kang magkaroon ng fine. Isa din ‘yun, natakot ako na baka mahuli ako, ayoko magbayad. Sa bag na lang," she furthered.

According to the Smoke-free Baguio ordinance, parks fall under the category of public places where smoking is prohibited. BATS 2022 revealed that there is an overall decrease in second-hand smoke exposure in public spaces.

“Bawal na silang magyosi sa labas, because if you compare it, before the pandemic noong 2019, 2018, nawala na ‘yung mga takatak boys, wala ng nagbebenta sa public, wala ng nagbebenta sa stalls sa central business district kaya wala na silang pagbibilhan, wala na rin silang pwedeng pagyosihan,” Pagada remarked.

“Nabawasan sa public, sa churches, sa schools, sa parks, at dahil doon, the only place where they are allowed to smoke is their private properties,” he stressed.

Hora underlined that second-hand smoke still exists and that even one smoker can impact a lot of people. He also said that second-hand smoke is equally dangerous as first-hand smoke.

“We have a recent study pero wala pa kaming official results but we’ve seen na tumataas o mataas ang exposure sa home. Kaya our next fight will be from public places, we will now campaign for a smoke-free home,” he said with a positive tone.

---

Stick that rallies communities

Pagada said that 90% of those who are applying for permits to have Designated Smoking Areas (DSA) in their establishment are being rejected, a manifestation of the strictness of the smoke-free ordinance.

“Para ma-approve ang designated smoking area mo, kailangang may mine-measure pa diyan. Dapat ganito kalayo, dapat hindi siya enclosed, dapat hindi malapit sa walkway, sa entrances ng establishment. So ‘yun palang, wala ng ganon ‘yung establishment. Kaya dito sa CBD walang designated smoking area. ‘Yung mga nasa outskirts usually ang naapprove kase sila lang ang may space na ganon,” he stated.

Because of this, smokers often light their cigarettes within their barangay, which the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) officers cannot reach.

Daryl Longid, POSD chief, expressed the incapacity of the POSD to immediately respond to complaints within the barangay, citing the lack of roving teams.

“Kase ‘pag maaga iisa lang, somewhere in the middle of the day meron tayong three na. So at most meron tayong tatlong teams na umiikot. That’s not enough to cover the 128 barangays po. At minsan 'pag may nagreport po sa amin, and we go to the area of concern, wala na 'yung violator,” he stated.

He claimed that it’s best to empower the barangays to help in forwarding the advocacy, given that they are in close proximity with their constituents.

Baguio General Hospital (BGH) Compound Brgy. Kagawad Marylou Aquino expressed her frustration over the reality of this cigarette smoking situation.

“Sa barangay kase sinasabihan din sila, pero meron at merong time talaga na hindi mo sila mapigilan, kaya hirap din ang barangay. Kase tinatago nila, tinatago nila, hindi nila basta-basta maaalis ‘yan. Lalo na ‘pag nakauwi na sila sa mga bahay, ginagawa nila ‘yun sa bakuran nila talaga,” she said in quite a low spirit.

Despite this, BGH Compound barangay continuously adheres to the calls of a smoke-free city by distributing Information Education and Communication (IEC) campaign materials and giving violators a word of warning before issuing them citation tickets.

“Marami na, marami ng nasisita kase dito sa atin, compound ng hospital, bawal talaga kahit nga naglalakad na naninigarilyo. Marami na kaming nasita,” she stated.

Aquino thinks that raising the penalty might further combat cigarette use in barangays, saying that even though prices of cigarettes have already increased, some could still afford to buy.

“Saka ang unang babawalan diyan kase 'yung mga nagtitinda talaga, ngayon, so far dito may mga store din na tago silang magtinda, pero ‘pag chineck mo sila, sabi nila wala, pero ‘pag kilala nila ‘yung bibili, binebentahan talaga,” she revealed.

Aquino also shared that some people she knew only stopped smoking when they already felt something wrong with their health. When they are already sick, that’s the only time they will think of quitting, she stated.

She also expressed her worries regarding second-hand smoke inside the home and urged parents to quit for the health of their children, who can acquire illnesses brought by second-hand and even third-hand smoke, the smoke already absorbed by objects like clothes, phones, and eyeglasses.

“Ang kawawa diyan hindi ‘yung mismong nags-smoke, ‘yung second-hand, kung sino ‘yung nakakaamoy. Balewala sa mga nags-smoke yan eh, ‘yung mga nakakalanghap na hindi nagsisigarilyo, sila ‘yung apektado talaga,” she stated.

---

A life-changing stick

Pagada noted that cigarette smoking can affect a person’s life in more ways than one.

“Masama siya financially, ‘yun ‘yung isang lagi kong, lagi nating inaano sa mga gustong magquit. Kung nagquit ka, magkano ang naipon mo sa isang taon? Mas lalo na sa mga two packs a day ang niyoyosi, up to around 60,000. So, financially, physically, environmentally, and mentally din,” he stated.

Pagada mentioned that the smoke-free unit of HSO has an internship Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Benguet State University. He also hoped to have a MOA on research with higher education institutions to obtain more data on the environmental effects of cigarettes in Baguio and other relevant information that could help in combating the prevalence of cigarette use.

---