Maha Al-Azar
Daily Star staff

Recent studies that have shown a rise in smoking in Lebanon, especially among teenagers, have motivated leading experts to kick off a multi-pronged campaign to combat the harmful habit.
Recent World Health Organization studies have shown that puffing on the nargileh is also on the rise, in addition to teenage smoking.
The studies caused the WHO, in conjunction with enthusiastic smoking cessation therapist Rima Khalil, to publicize their messages to students, doctors and the general public in a continuous year-round campaign, which culminates with the World No Tobacco Day, on May 31.
Khalil, who is the author of the WHO-backed Don’t Be Duped Campaign, which was started in 2002, told The Daily Star that her aim was to change attitudes toward smoking.
“The culture here promotes smoking as a relaxing activity, which is closely linked to entertainment,” said Khalil.
In fact, smoking is far from relaxing, and Khalil is on a crusade to dismantle all smoking-related myths.
For instance, many people shy away from quitting smoking, fearing that their weight will increase if they do. But studies have shown that only one-third of those who quit smoking put on weight, whereas an equal number lose or maintain their weight.
Instead of inducing relaxation, it takes only one cigarette to accelerate the pulse, raise blood pressure, tense the muscles and fatigue the heart.
Khalil’s campaign uses any means to relay the message that smoking is harmful and that it is not attractive.
She sends SMS messages to doctors, reminding them not to smoke and to advise their patients against it; she goes to schools with her videotapes on the harmful effects of second-hand smoke, exposing pregnant women to cigarette smoke and helping smokers quit.
Khalil said that nargileh smoking is so fashionable now that many people feel compelled to fit in and take up the habit.
But although nargileh smoking is viewed as a relaxing social activity, a WHO expert pointed out that there is nothing relaxing about its harmful effects.
George Saadeh, a cardiologist and director of the WHO National Anti-Smoking Program, highlighted the results of a recent study on the effects of nargileh smoke.
The smoke contains significant quantities of the same chemicals that make cigarette smoke harmful, said Saadeh. He quoted a study conducted by the American University of Beirut and Universite Saint Joseph, in collaboration with the National Tobacco Control Program in the World Health Organization, and published in the January 2003 issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology.
In addition, teenagers are taking up smoking as young as 11 years old, with 45.5 percent of teenagers between 11 and 17 admitting that they smoke cigarettes or some other form of tobacco.
With tobacco being marketed as a fashionable activity taken up by models and beautiful people, the anti-smoking campaign is aiming to point out the harmful effects of smoking, by inviting models and athletes to participate in anti-smoking advertisements.