"Steemit Engagement Challenge Season 8 Week 3: Smoking Kills"

Steem greetings my fellow steemit health friends. It is another awesome week for the engagement challenge. Talking about concerns about our health is vital and the topic for this week’s challenge is great. Great because it has been making waves in the health sector, and many are still addicted to smoking.

One of my greatest worries in my country is the rate at which youngsters are actively involved in smoking. Nevertheless, I am here today to share my ideas about smoking and its effects.

I will further share my thoughts based on the guideline questions below👇 👇 .

Give your views about the phrase "Smoking Kills!".

Of course “smoking kills” is written boldly on all cigarette 🚬 packs I have come across. Before talking about the phrase, permit me to share a little experience with you all. When I was a kid, my dad used to be a smoker. He was gradually becoming addicted to smoking because of life challenges, my mom was allergic to cigarette smoke.

Each time she perceived the smell, her stomach start grumbling and in no time she will start vomiting. My dad developed a new way of smoking it whenever he is on the farm alone. Thereafter, he will take sweets to cover up the smell in his mouth. But this was not helping until when he developed illnesses from smoking.

My dad started having difficulties in breathing and cannot walk or climb a distance of 100 meters without seating down to rest. He developed chest pain and an unfinished cough. Thank God after several counselling sessions with the doctors, one new year's day, his resolution was “no smoking”. And that is how his life was saved.

Therefore, from my experience with my dad and my uncle being smokers. And the health challenges that they went through, I can say smoking kills.

Smoking leads to the smoker suffering from lung cancer. My uncle suffered from this because he was so addicted to smoking that he later died.

It causes serious damage to your heart, brain, liver, etc. Smoking damages all your internal organs and can lead to death if not quit smoking.

What are the main reasons why people become addicted to smoking?

From my dad’s experience, he was facing life challenges as his business went bankrupt. He was unable to feed his family or pay his bills. As if that was not enough, the little he had saved, armed rubbers rubbed him on a business trip. He thought smoking was a way for him to forget about his misery.

Some people become addicted because of peers smoking or constantly being amongst friends smoking. They turned to try it out and later become addicted.

The new development of high-tech smoking devices used in nightclubs has equally influenced youths to become addicted to smoking. Trying to prove a point to friends and the ambience led to addiction as a result of nicotine.

Smoking is just like taking cocaine, some smokers claimed it boosts their morals and they become fearless, and courageous to do anything in life.

Are you addicted to smoking, or someone you may know have addicted to smoking? What changing have you seen after addiction?

I am not a fan of smoking but as I earlier said, my uncle was a smoker and addicted to smoking to the extent that he could not do without smoking.

Even on the hospital bed, he will sneak out of the hospital to smoke. Most often, the toilet is his best place to seat as he will stay there and smoke till satisfied for the day.

There were serious negative changes after addiction. He developed lung cancer and could not still stop smoking because he was addicted to smoking. He, later on, died after suffering for about 2 years.

What should we do to reduce the rate of smoking addiction?

There has been a lot of talking and sensitisation of the public about the dangers of smoking. Awareness raising has also been on the rise but there are few measures put in place to reduce the rate of smoking.

For instance, in Cameroon, the price of cigarettes is on a constant rise but the rate of smoking is also on the rise, especially among youths. The reason many claimed is due to a high level of unemployment of youths who made up about 60% of the population.

To curb the rate of smoking among youths, the government should create more avenues for jobs. Reduced taxes on the private sector. This will reduce the rate of youths' involvement in smoking.

Companies producing smoking products should reduce the amount of nicotine which will also reduce the rate of addiction.

Create a safe space for those already addicted, where they are constantly counselled by experts. Later on, trained them to become counsellors and counsel their peers.

Thank you all for reading through my article and I wi use this opportunity to invite @saxopedia, @fombae and @sabarman to share their ideas concerning smoking.