Africa heading for 'smoking epidemic'

[ccharles000]

At Jeevanjee gardens in Nairobi, smokers gather during their lunch hour to read, chat and light up.

It is one of the few zones in the Kenyan capital where people can smoke in public, since the ban on smoking in public came into effect in 2007.

As he takes a puff, one of the young men describes his habit.

"I've been smoking for 40 years but I hate it," he says.

"I have often tried to give up by throwing cigarettes into the toilet, but I have not succeeded in stopping smoking."

He says he smokes about 40 a day, but would smoke more if he had more money.

"It is expensive for me so I sometimes go without lunch."

According to some researchers, tobacco addiction is rapidly increasing in Africa.

Dr Twalib Ngoma, president of the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), says that Africa is on the brink of a smoking epidemic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8355619.stm

[DavidDvorkin]

1. How young can he be

if he's been smoking for 40 years?

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Plus he probably feels like he's 100. Smoking does that to a person.

[Warpy]

5. Face it, they don't age as badly as white folks do

and if he started when he was a little kid, a 40 year smoking history and calling him young aren't mutually exclusive. He could be mid to late 40s.

After 40 years of smoking, white folks are wrinkle city along with all the internal damage the smoker in the article undoubtedly has.

Kids who start are taking a big chance that they'll only get dependent and not addicted. This poor guy is addicted and he knows it.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. Of course "young" is subjective

I was thinking that he'd have to be at least in his 40s, and to me that's not young. But others may feel that it is.

[Warpy]

7. "Young" is 15 years younger than you are when you're adult.

"Old" is always 15 years older than you are at whatever age you happen to be.

[DavidDvorkin]

8. Up to a point

I'm 66, and I wouldn't say that "old" is 81 and above.

It's 67 and above. Until next year.

[The Straight Story]

2. We need to christianize them, for their own good

damned savages :evilgrin:

[arcadian]

4. The "developing world" is a lot easier for tobacco companies.

Little or no regulation and you can advertise to 5 year olds.