Smoking Habit among Students in Malaysia
Cigarette smoking is very prevalent habit among secondary children, especially male secondary students in Malaysia. In reality, smoking is the major cause of deaths of many people worldwide. In Malaysia, with the advanced socio-economic condition; still, health problems are emerging. And, coronary artery disease is the main cause of death in many hospitals in the country. Smoking has been a major problem among teenagers in Malaysia. This smoking habit among them is influenced by their family member’s habits; foremost that of their father’s smoking habits. In this connection, it came out from the data collected in 1997 in Kota Bharu, Kelantan Malaysia that that 32 % of male secondary school children were in habitual cigarette smoking. Deep analysis showed that smoking habits are deeply rooted from family factors such as fathers’ and siblings’ smoking habits; and most especially the lack of parents’ guidance and supervision in the consequences to their health of engaging smoking at an early age. Aside from the stated factors, there is a great influence to them the cigarette advertisements and the strong peer pressure among their group of friends and classmates. In the same manner, it is proven that current behaviors are often imitated from the people that the children are really looking up to. Hence, parental behaviors whether it is either positive or negative can certainly have a great impact on the growing years of the children and even during their adolescence period. Equally important is the significant findings that the type of school attended by the students has been one of the major reasons that many students learn to smoke. If the school has a good reputation and outstanding moral values that instill in their students; naturally, the students will be restricted from indulging themselves into any kind of vices. There must be a set of rules and policies that will guide all the students about the proper behavior that they should have acted inside the school premises. As a matter of fact, a high moral standard school will greatly help the children to mold their lives in a better way.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671541/)
However, this can not be completely successful without the help and cooperation of the parents. Remember, the home is the basic educational institution of the children. And, whatever, they see and hear is doing great impacts to the development of their personalities as well as to their attitudes. Similarly, religion is mostly a reason for the male students whether to smoke or not to smoke. There are some religions that they really prohibit any kind of vices that will ruin the health conditions of the believers. While, there are other religions that do not really give emphasis on the prohibition of smoking or even drinking alcohol. In Malaysia that considered as the Islamic country; smoking is not forbidden. Similarly, cigarette manufacturers have been the center of aggressive cigarette advertisings that promotes cigarette smoking habits in many consumers’ ranges from children, teenagers, young adults and adults. Therefore, it may be concluded that bad influence of habitual smoking really depends on the upbringing of the children within the family. Next is the great influence of the environment and the other people who surround them.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671541/)
At this time and age, mass media plays a significant role in disseminating important information about the bad effects of smoking habit. There are various anti-smoking campaigns that associated with the religious movements that promote intervention programs against smoking. Identically, many talks and seminars from religious organizations that tackle about the current unpleasant behaviors of teenagers and adolescents towards their parents. For this reason, a behavior modification program is also established to have inspirational talks and testimonies about the past experiences of those speakers and other advocates. Bear in mind that these people who are supporting these advocacies against smoking are those people who had been experienced worst health problems and other smoking related issues that once ruined their lives as well as their dreams to have a better future. So, to avoid these things to happen to other people, these advocates are doing their best to discourage children, adolescents, young adults and adults to refrain from smoking. Among the number of reasons why an individual learn to smoke, lack of awareness and knowledge on the worst effect on their health is very significant. As well as the fact that smoking is the main cause of many deaths among people in the globe but many people especially the youth do not really care about it; perhaps they have not experienced yet the bad impact of their habitual smoking. Likewise, the medical personnel are the one who also have large responsibility in reducing the increasing rate of smoking habit in the country.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671541/)
References:
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671541/)
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671541/)
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671541/)
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