A 2-year old, who became a global YouTube sensation in the summer of 2010, has unwittingly become the poster child and symptom of a Big Tobacco-sponsored battle being waged in developing markets. Vanguard correspondent Christof Putzel heads to Indonesia, where he exposes Big Tobacco’s successful and deadly expansion into that country, and observes the stage being set for a David vs. Goliath battle, as a small, underfunded group of concerned advocates battle Big Tobacco and a government drunk on profits and denial.
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For all my tobacco addict friends I keep copies available of the following obituary: “R.J.Reynolds, 3rd, Tobacco heir, 60, died from emphysema and congestive heart failure caused by smoking cigarettes”. I give one to any smoker I encounter to inform them that not only did Mr. Reynolds die from smoking quite young, but also his father, Richard J. Reynolds 2nd, a smoker, died at age 58 in 1964 of emphysema from cigarette smoking. How ironic, that at the very time cigarettes enjoyed their most widespread public advertising, these masters of the industry were killing themselves using their own product. Well, I’m now 79 years old, and have lived for about 20 years longer than these two idiots. What a philosophy….. Get rich selling an addictive substance that destroys ones body and kills at a young age….. just brilliant! Yes, it took me 8 attempts to finally quit, and two of those times were for 3 years each, but I always went back. It would take just 2 cigarettes to establish firmly in my mind a small voice that would just pop up at any time and suggest that a cigarette at that very moment would be a good idea. Well, truth told, I had experienced side effects from headaches to acid reflux to hemorrhoids to constant coughing, all of which stopped immediately when I quit smoking. And my parents were addicted too……meaning I was addicted while in the womb! So please note: I have lived 20 years longer than these two genius Reynolds smokers, who got rich from getting other people addicted. TWENTY YEARS my friends, think about it…. 20 years I’ve experienced health and happiness because I decided to QUIT smoking cigarettes. You can do it, believe me, you can do it too……. In fact, here’s the method I used, I call it a SMOKE OUT. I got a couple of packs and started smoking, as rapidly as I could. One after the other, for as long as possible. Finish one, light up another, until I was really ‘smoked up’. This little trick would enable me to get through the next few hours, and the next few days or so without any cravings, and I could say yes, that I had quit, it’s been a day, it’s been three days, it’s been a week…… Yes, the cravings returned, but diminished, and armed with a little knowledge that ‘these damned things are really killing me’ i quit finally, for good. That’s been 30 years ago…. so tell me I”m not one happy camper now! Do it NOW! I’m serious, just do it TODAY. Do you have to see the files I’ve collected about the reality of cigarette addiction? How prisoners will trade food for cigarettes for example? Think about it…. trading life sustenance for a poison that will shorten your life……. DO IT! QUIT NOW! DO IT!
Feel free to be the first to go
From a knowledgeable, experienced, unbiased, reasonable person… (Before I say anything else: I smoked for over six years and within the last 4 or so months quit. The last 3 years I was smoking chemical/preservative free, organic certified dried tobacco leaf and unbleached hemp/rice paper, nothing else. I had, of course, started with regular US brand cigarettes.)
Tobacco is but also is not addictive (keep reading). Like cocaine, heroin, or caffeine, there’s a quality to tobacco (some say it’s nicotine, but this is not entirely responsible) that causes a stretching of attention span, energy levels, appetite, etc. This effect is followed soon after by a “down,” being the opposite of the effect(s) caused initially.
Tobacco in particular causes general body relaxation (including muscles) but also slightly heightened awareness and mental acuity. The heart and some other tissues are also stimulated, as if by organic adrenaline production, and the automatic immune system is somewhat suppressed. Soon these effects fade and change to anxiety and nervous tension, brain fogginess, melancholy, fatigue, lowered heart rate (producing, along with detoxification, minor blood abnormalities), and hyperactive immune responses, as well as temporary dulling of sensory ability (smell, taste, etc). These lead to other problems, for example peptic ulcer, paranoia, hyperhidrosis (too much sweating), etc. (Keep reading)
Speaking of therapeutic benefits (which are never mentioned, because apparently it’s taboo to speak the truth): long term (“acquired”) benefits for reasoning abilities, treatment of dementia, confusion, chronic dizziness, tremulous nerve conditions, adrenal insufficiency, exhaustion, and emotional distress (such as those related to sadness/depression, grief, and anger). Native Americans (including from the Amazon) say tobacco “feeds the spirit,” resulting in all positive and negative effects of its use. This is said for both cultivated and wild varieties, but only the leaf itself. Native Americans also have used it for deep cleansing of the tissues – the juice and decoction especially as emetics, but also as snuff (introduced via nasal inhalation), suppository, and enema. The tabaqueros and medicine men generally do not describe tobacco as addictive, but (“as a powerful medicine”) easily abused. (Keep reading…)
From one medicine man: “Tobacco is abused by city folk, because they have stress and anger and grief, and everything that God gave it to treat.” Tobacco was used by natives as a peace offering because of its calmative properties. If there were any anxieties between tribes (as there often seemed to be), or any fear or nervousness whatsoever, it could be buffered by inhalation of tobacco smoke. (–which was, by the way, a common method of application for medicines in ancient medicine, especially in Eastern traditions – an example being non-habituating blends of herbs, honey, oils, perfumes, barks, roots, etc used for pipe smoking in India.) I asked about tobacco: What about the people that don’t use it very much and still get problems? The answer was that they were using it to cover up pre-existing conditions, and that their tobacco was poisoned. (Keep reading.)
Speaking of poisons – and I’ll assure you that I’m against recreational tobacco use, and don’t condone the use of cigarettes or processed tobacco products – did you know that you can find the same poisonous chemicals in a very high percentage of other burned substances? By burning a healthy apple, for example, you’ll end up with smoke containing arsenic and aldehydes, as well as the irritant and carcinogenic byproducts of man-made pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, waxes, municipal water additives and pollutants – and a small but startling amount of radioactive elements, including potassium. (But this isn’t the type of science that gets much attention, for whatever reason.) Also, did you know that potatoes contain nicotine? Did you know that one of the oldest “living fossil” plants, Equisetum, which has been used for thousands of years as a dependable medicine, contains nicotine? In fact, just like there are hundreds of known plants that contain significant amounts of caffeine, there are hundreds that contain nicotine.
Of course, added to processed tobacco products are “quality control” and “flavor enhancing” substances that include nicotine and synthetics with known side effects. Whenever I switched to smoking real non-filtered tobacco instead of the chemically laced stuff, I suddenly lost most of my cough and lung irritation. (Note: don’t take this to mean that habitual smoking of unprocessed tobacco is okay, because it’s still an abuse of medicine that can lead to disease.) (Keep reading.)
So now that you know a bit more about tobacco – which like any substance (food, plant, medicine, drug, mineral, vitamin, etc) has its own limit of usage before it’s being abused and starts to produce negative effects – let me comment on Indonesia and this documentary. I’m not an expert when it comes to economics, but isn’t it a little selfish and irresponsible to suggest they demolish their tobacco industry? It sounds to me like it needs to be swapped, but gradually, because of the type of commodity tobacco is, and because of the types of commodities that could take its place.
Even though I don’t smoke anymore, and even though I tell people about the negative aspects of smoking – and even though I’ve experienced most of them firsthand – I don’t tell others to quit. I think children should not be allowed by parents to use tobacco, partly because they themselves aren’t responsible enough to control their own usage, and cannot understand the potential side effects of using it – besides that, it messes with metabolism and might interfere with their growth. (Keep reading if you’re a smoker!)
For current smokers who don’t care to quit, I encourage you to switch to additive free, chemical free roll your owns or unflavored pipe tobacco. For those who want to quit, start with general health practices, including cardiovascular exercise, replacing some animal products with raw fruit and vegetables (BITTERS especially, so not just garlic and onion and spinach, because honestly they barely count), doing periodic fasting and/or herbal cleansing, drinking only water, entirely cutting out CAFFEINE (which often ruins peoples’ attempts to quit), cooking your own meals (and if you don’t have time, make time or eat healthy raw foods), etc. Sources of caffeine include: Yerba Mate, guayusa, guarana, black leaf, yaupon, domestic and wild holly, coffee, tea leaf (all colors), cacao/cocoa (primarily theobromine/theophylline, but also caffeine and also a strong whole-body stimulant), kola nut, and many pharmaceuticals (you may have to ask your pharmacist if caffeine is one of the “inactive” ingredients). Of course, you don’t have to avoid caffeine forever, but it makes quitting easier.
Once you’re ready to quit, find a support group online or around town, or a hotline, or anything to give you someone to talk to about your experiences. Don’t put all of your stress off on your wife or children, or your friends – trust me. Buy some regular gum or flavored toothpicks, but don’t use them until the third day. Don’t try to lose weight at the same time, but don’t over eat. Try to avoid grazing, opting for fresh fruit like bananas and oranges and snacks. Eat non-constipating foods, don’t take a multivitamin, drink tons of water and freshly made lemon/lime water and herbal tea (no caffeine, things like rose hips (dog rose), chamomile, etc), don’t drink soda if you can help it, do short periods of light exercise at least once but up to 3 times a day, take lobelia inflata pills when you get an urge, use herbal calmatives and “chill pills” as non-habituating tension tamers (not cannabis), read books, talk to family, play with kids, sun bathe and walk in summer and go outside for pushups, chinups, jogging, etc in winter. Just some tips from me. 🙂
If you’re trying to quit, you’ll fail. If you quit, you quit – it’s that simple. I just decided to quit, and it happened. Most people who can’t quit have a problem with their past – either something happened to cause them to be mentally disturbed or depressed or seriously anxious, like a 2-pack-a-day war veteran, or (and this is more common) the person just doesn’t know what feeling healthy is like, and so doesn’t have a real reason to quit. That’s why it’s a great idea to cut down and switch to less burdensome types/brands while focusing on health, religion, family, whatever – especially pay attention to the happiness of kids and animals – and then get ready to actually stop smoking.
Question: How long does it take to feel like you’ve quit, and have no cravings?
Answer: It completely depends on your determination and health. Some people smoke for 40 years and feel “quit” after 2 months. Some smoke 3 years and spend the following 3 as an unhappy “quitter,” still having cravings and fits.
Lastly: I didn’t mention cancer, because I don’t believe tobacco itself causes cancer. I think many things work together to create the problem (and mainstream medicine states the same quite clearly), and I personally believe that too much of anything can weaken the body, making it more susceptible to metabolic disease like cancer. Understand that inhaling any type of smoke 10+ times a day will increase your chance for lung disease. Cancer is certainly another huge topic on its own, but it’s not relevant to this video.
In advance please be apologies for my letter. From my view, your letter is too long, isn’t it? Nobody can be reading the book long thinkings of this video Batman. One or two sentences will be the many and sufficiently.
🙂
Thank you for your articulate and highly imformative response. A pleasure to read
When you decide to quit smoking, enlist the help of friends and family. Tell everyone you know that you are trying to stop smoking. They can encourage and support you, and that can make all the difference for you. Also consider attending a support group or getting some behavioral therapy to assist you in quitting.
So a billion fewer people on Earth is a bad thing? Maybe I missed boat. That sounds like something good for the planet right now. I don’t exactly hold humans in high regard like a precious animal. We’re idiots, some of us can die.
Not sure how this became a debate of cigarettes vs. alcohol.
This is no different than the wall street housing debacle we just expierenced in the US, you do not have to go out to indonesia to see companies putting profits first before people. In both cases, the average Joe, not educated enough, bought into the lies and false advertising, at great financial loss.
It’s terribly unethical for cigarette companies to lure younger population into smoking because they know it is addicting, and will secure them long term profits, knowing full well smoking causes cancer. Cigarettes manufacturers, should be all closed down.
For those in the US, that choose and want to defend smoking, they should be held to paying their own medical cost, and denied any insurance coverage. If you choose to continue to smoke, than you need to take responsibility for the medical cost you will incur as you age due to years of smoking.
Agreed.
And one little thing I never seem to see when the subject of smoking comes up (yes, we know smoking kills and/or ruins lives and health, anyone arguing that point is silly and uninformed) does anyone notice how disgusting smoking is? How AWFUL it smells? Even if I had no clue that it caused tongue cancer and fatal cardiovascular disease, I’d be staying far away because the smell alone makes me nauseous like an amusement park ride. I hear the sensation from nicotine is just marvelous but I doubt I’d enjoy it with my head in a toilet. Pardon me for being so shallow.
Smoking is bad for you and drinking too much is bad for you but that’s just what I think you can whatever the fuck you want it’s your life!
Tobacco is a product where sole intention is to get you addicted and the only result is death. It has ZERO benefits
It should not be legal especially to 18 year old kids still growing.
Even marijuana holds a benefit or two. Alcohol as well. Tobacco should be illegal however, economic greed will not allow it.
Actually tobacco has benefits. Weight loss, helps schizophrenics, and was actually used as a means for walking with the gods I guess you could say. Caffeine is the most abused drug in the world and is found in soda which leads to obesity, disease, and the same number of deaths if not more (soon will be more for sure) but who’s looking to ban it? Fight better battles that will save more lives, just raise your kids that smoking is bad and don’t smoke (if you do you’re a fucking idiot saying do as I say not as I do, which is why so many people are fucked today anyways).
I have smoked maijuana for over 20 years and I…what was I going to say?
had no idea about the “smoking baby” until this doc … scary … sad that ethics of big businesses such as PM and others continue to be nonexistent and prey on uneducated societies … if people choose to smoke, it certainly is their (albeit bad) decision but everyone has the right to be educated of the consequences …
Good Doc
It’s fascinating how much the idiot population seems to enjoy using comments sections to share their asinine opinions on politics, world issues, etc.
It’s even more fascinating how much those same imbeciles allow themselves to get dragged into idiotic “comment debates” with all of the other poorly educated lounge chair professors.
If you only smoke 6 or 8 cigarettes per day, don’t worry about it.
http://www.mayormikeapoem.net/2003BMJ.html
http://www.joejackson.com/pdf/5smokingpdf_jj_smoke_lies.pdf
Neither one drink, nor one cigarette will cause irreversible damage – how ridiculous. Longterm, they are exremely bad for you. And I enjoy both.
whoops i forgot the negatives of alcohol: when abused alcohol can lead to irrevocable liver damage (i.e cirrhosis of the liver) mental degeneration (premature dementia) and a host of social problems we all know of.
Oh my god you’re all crazy… alcohol is extremely addictive as well. However in moderation alcohol is actually good for you by thinning the blood and lowering blood pressure. if you’re drinking red wine the tannins present make it even more healthy. In small doses it also encourages creativity eventually building new neural pathways, tobacco has no upside other than the slight social stimulation it provokes, it is full of carcinogens and tar and other toxins and lead to heart disease, cancer and a myriad of other conditions which lead to death… pot is psychologically addictive which means the addiction process is slightly slower and less severe but nonetheless present. cannabinoids in weed tend to protect tissues against the carcinogens also present in marijuana putting it basically at a draw health wise. the most recent studies have also shown no lung capacity diminishment in heavy pot smokers, thc effects short-term memory but recent studies have shown it too can lead to brain cell regeneration so sort of a draw there too…. EVERYTHING in moderation… except for tobacco.
Re: the alcohol vs tobacco debate..
Both are poisons, but nicotine is highly addictive. Couldn’t ask for a better business model, except maybe longer survival of consumers.
Nobody forces anyone to smoke. If you’re dumb enough to try it, it’s your own stupid fault. I don’t think anyone needs the government to protect them from themselves.
alan carr the easy way
Ya, I smoked and I’m not a liberal Nazi about health but smoking is definitely worse then alcohol.. Everyone loves to bring up alcohol now when trying to defend their unhealthy habbits. Alcohol, like food or water, is healthy and perfectly fine to consume in moderation. cigarettes are full of poisons that a person is sucking in to their lungs in large concentrated quantities.
Getting drunk is unhealthy. It screws up your head when you drink too much and that can unduce mental problems later on in life. It’s also hard on your body. Smoking weed can’t be done in moderation because you’re either high or you’re not. You’ve either f’d up your head or you haven’t. There’s no moderate way to smoke weed or cigarrettes.
Your an idiot if you think a small amount of alcohol does irreversible damage. If anything, drinking a small amount each day will actually make you healthier and help you to live longer. One smoke a day will do the exact opposite. Yes there are cons to drinking as well but in moderation it is completely safe.
lol….yes one sip of alcohol most certainly does do irreversible damage….just like cigarettes it’s the cumulative effect.
and lot’s of people don’t think alcohol is “just fine”. Plenty of intelligent people out there are aware that it’s one of the worst possible drugs.
that is because one sip of alcohol doesnt do irreversible damage like smoking does. it isnt the tobacco, its the other toxins in the cigarette.
I love how everyone attacks tobacco but then feels alcohol is just fine…