Advancing calls for a smoke-free country in line with Earth Month 2023, Social Watch Philippines (SWP) said, “Around 33 to 49.6 billion cigarette butts are littered every year in the whole Philippines.” This data echoes the World Health Organization’s (WHO) alarm that about 4.5 trillion cigarette butts pollute the planet.
In Baguio City, a “Contain that Butt” activity was carried out in observance of the 2022 World No Tobacco Day wherein almost 100 kilograms of cigarette butts were collected, according to Karl Pagada, smoke-free Baguio communications development officer. Each barangay mobilized to execute the initiative aside from the volunteers and the health centers around the city that lent a hand.
“Sa isang stick ng sigarilyo, 7,000 chemicals ang content niya. Isang stick lang ‘yan… 70 of these chemicals are carcinogenic, which means hindi lang lung cancer ang pwede mong makuha diyan. There are 70 types of cancer na pwede mong makuha,” Pagada uttered with a tone of warning.
He stated that cigarettes contribute to environmental degradation. “‘Yung cigarette butts, kase ‘yun nga 7,000 chemicals ang magleleach into the soil or kung anong ground man, heavy metals pa ang iba diyan,” he added.
Stick that can do so much
In their April 2023 report, Truth Initiative, a non-profit organization concerned with tobacco use, underlined that heavy metal contamination in water could come from littered cigarette butts, which can endanger local organisms.
The report also cited a study on the effects of roadside waste on soil, which revealed the chemicals found in cigarette butts seeped into the soil, noting the similarity in the patterns of hydrocarbon levels. “Some hydrocarbons are carcinogenic,” the report said.
In an interview, City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) assistant officer Marivic Empizo noted that cigarette butts clog drainages, given smokers just flick them away. Cigarette butts contain foam filters that expand when it makes contact with water. The accumulation of these butts causes drainages to clog, especially since these are non-biodegradable.
Truth initiative stated that cigarette butts can actually decompose, but it will take a long time, given a 2015 study found that “a cigarette butt was only about 38 percent decomposed after two years.”
On plastic pollution worldwide, microplastics found in cigarette butts comprise the second-highest form. Electronic cigarettes also contribute to the accumulation of these plastic wastes, WHO said. Pagada pointed out that the batteries of these e-cigarettes add to environmental problems since most of these are disposable.
“Lithium-ion batteries in e-cigarettes have been known to explode and cause fires in garbage trucks and waste management plants if damaged or exposed to extreme heat,” Truth Initiative reported.
According to the Baguio City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), human irresponsibility manifested through flicking away lighted cigarette butts is one of the most common causes of grass and forest fires in the city.
To make way for plantation, the tobacco industry burns pieces of land which contributes to the rise of greenhouse gas levels and the decrease in forest cover, Truth Initiative stated. CO and Carbon dioxide (CO2) are greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, NASA Climate Change said.
Empizo also noted the effect of cigarette smoke on air quality. “‘Yung smoke niya titignan din natin sa gas phase. The gas phase of cigarette smoke includes nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, acetaldehyde. Consists of several toxic chemicals,” she stated while clicking away on her keyboard.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is also found in cigarettes. This toxic chemical causes the heart to pump harder and prohibits the lungs from functioning properly. According to the Department of Health, this chemical can either be addictive, toxic, or can cause cancer.
Stick that destroys the body
With her newborn sound asleep inside their home, Aina Manahan shared why she put an end to her smoking habits, which began way back in high school under a false belief that puffing is cool.
“Simula 2016, siguro triny kong magstop ng mga four to five times. Kase ang napapansin ko, kapag nagkaroon ako ng sakit, inubo ako or sinipon ako, malala talaga siya,” she said in her calm voice.
Pagada, who was also a smoker years back, shared that peer pressure and curiosity, the top two reasons why people start smoking, are also the same reasons why he got swayed to try.
“Noong na-fully understand ko na talaga ang effects nito, long-term effects, and noong nagkapamilya na rin ako, then that’s the time I quit smoking,” he conveyed in a rather self-reflecting way.
Pagada revealed that the number one reason why smokers quit is the effect of cigarettes on their health. They were more encouraged to quit when they knew about the smoke cessation service of the Health Services Office (HSO), he furthered.
The number of those who believe smoking leads to severe illnesses rose from 83% in 2014 to 99.7% in 2022, thereby saying the citizens of Baguio are now well-informed on the harm of tobacco, the Baguio Adults Tobacco Survey (BATS) 2022 showed.
Dr. Donna Panes, tobacco control coordinator, said that tobacco intensifies a person’s risk of getting a stroke and developing lung cancer as well as other illnesses by up to 500%. “If tatanggalin natin ‘yung sigarilyo sa atin or vape, mababawasan ‘yung risk factor natin for heart disease and stroke,” she added.
BATS 2022 further revealed that there is a downward trend in Tobacco use. From 34% in 2014, the prevalence of current tobacco users decreased to 13% in 2022. Data also showed that six out of ten current tobacco users are thinking about quitting.
Manahan shared that she resorted to using e-cigarettes as a way to totally quit smoking, saying that its pleasant smell pushed her to try. “Kumbaga kung icocompare mo sa yosi, hindi ka mangangamoy na amoy yosi ka,” Manahan explained.
In contradiction to the downward trend of cigarette use, BATS 2022 observed a 300% increase in the prevalence of e-cigarette use from 2019 to 2022 among the age groups of 15-24 and 25-34.
Dr. Nelson Hora, medical officer IV at the HSO, voiced, “Wala tayong survey ng e-cigarette nung 2014 and 2016 kase hindi pa siya uso that time. Nauso actually ang e-cigarette nung nakita na ng mga tobacco industries na naghihigpit na ang mga different countries. So they keep on looking for other alternative ways to sell their products. Kaya nga ‘yan na ‘yung emergence ng e-cigarette.”
Panes said that these vapes are claiming they are non-nicotine, but they’re not. “Ang pangalan nga niya is Electronic Nicotine Delivery System. That’s the generic name pinangalanan lang na vape…It contains more than a hundred chemicals that can destroy your lungs,” she asserted.
Vape has immediate effects, she furthered. “Yung smoking natin medyo parang pinikpikan lang, it will kill you softly. Pero sa vape, meron talagang acute lung injury.”
Manahan strived to limit herself by not using vape for a day until she was able to totally get rid of it, citing health concerns and the nature of being a mom who is spending a full day with her kids.
Stick that transforms corners
Earlier this year, a groundbreaking ceremony unfolded in the vicinity of Baguio City Hall to mark the construction of a smoke-free park.
“So dati kase pinagyoyosihan ‘yan ng mga tao, nagtatago sila sa sulok. Pero ngayon ginawa naming smoke-free park, sana naman mahiya silang magyosi diyan. Pero lilipat sila, so ini-encourage namin na mag-quit. Wala na sana silang area. Inuubos namin ‘yung pinatataguan nila,” Empizo said with a soft laugh.
Empizo stated that CEPMO is putting no smoking signs in their smoke-free parks, including Burnham Park, one of the famous tourist attractions in the city. The office is also conducting clean-up drives, she added.
“Ganon din sa may convention, ‘yung GSIS property doon, smoking area doon ay maraming call center, ang dumi-dumi, ang daming upos ng sigarilyo, ginawa naming smoke-free park. Mayroon ding signage doon,” Empizo uttered with a tone of satisfaction.
Asking if she also irresponsibly flicks away cigarette butts, Manahan shared that she never had that habit, further explaining that she picked the practice of putting her cigarette butts in small containers or plastic bags while working in Manila in 2016. She also mentioned her fear of being caught and paying a fine as reasons for doing so.
"'Yung bag ko dati ‘pag nakita mo, so laging may upos ‘yun, laging may itim-itim yun kase hindi ako nasanay na magtapon ng upos kahit saan," she stated.
According to the Smoke-free Baguio ordinance, parks fall under the category of public places where smoking is prohibited. BATS 2022 revealed that there is an overall decrease in second-hand smoke exposure in public spaces.
“Bawal na silang magyosi sa labas, because if you compare it, before the pandemic noong 2019, 2018, nawala na ‘yung mga takatak boys, wala ng nagbebenta sa public, wala ng nagbebenta sa stalls sa central business district (CBD) kaya wala na silang pagbibilhan, wala na rin silang pwedeng pagyosihan,” Pagada remarked.
“Nabawasan sa public, sa churches, sa schools, sa parks, at dahil doon, the only place where they are allowed to smoke is their private properties,” he stressed.
Although no official results yet, Hora revealed that their recent study noted an already high and increasing second-hand smoke exposure in homes. From public places, "We will now campaign for a smoke-free home,” he uttered with a positive tone.
Stick that rallies communities
Pagada said that 90% of those who are applying for permits to have Designated Smoking Areas (DSA) in their establishment are being rejected, a manifestation of the strictness of the smoke-free ordinance.
“Kailangang may mini-measure pa diyan. Dapat ganito kalayo, dapat hindi siya enclosed, dapat hindi malapit sa walkway, sa entrances ng establishment. So ‘yun palang, wala ng ganon ‘yung establishment. Kaya dito sa CBD walang designated smoking area. ‘Yung mga nasa outskirts usually ang naapprove kase sila lang ang may space na ganon,” he stated.
Because of this, smokers often light their cigarettes within their barangay, which the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) officers cannot reach.
Daryl Longid, POSD chief, expressed the incapacity of the POSD to immediately respond to complaints within the barangay, citing the lack of roving teams.
“So at most meron tayong tatlong teams na umiikot. That’s not enough to cover the 128 barangays po. At minsan pag may nagreport po sa amin, and we go to the area of concern, wala na yung violator,” he said.
He claimed that it’s best to empower the barangays to help in forwarding the advocacy, given that they are in close proximity with their constituents.
Baguio General Hospital (BGH) Compound Brgy. Kagawad Marylou Aquino expressed her frustration over the reality of this cigarette smoking situation.
“Sa barangay kase sinasabihan din sila, pero meron at merong time talaga na hindi mo sila mapigilan, kaya hirap din ang barangay. Kase tinatago nila, tinatago nila, hindi nila basta-basta maaalis ‘yan. Lalo na ‘pag nakauwi na sila sa mga bahay, ginagawa nila ‘yun sa bakuran nila talaga,” she said in quite a low spirit.
Despite this, BGH Compound barangay continuously adheres to the calls of a smoke-free city by distributing Information Education and Communication (IEC) campaign materials and giving violators a word of warning before issuing them citation tickets.
Aquino thinks that raising the penalty might further combat cigarette use in barangays, saying that even though prices of cigarettes have already increased, some could still afford to buy.
“Saka ang unang babawalan diyan kase yung mga nagtitinda talaga, ngayon, so far dito may mga store din na tago silang magtinda, pero ‘pag chineck mo sila, sabi nila wala, pero ‘pag kilala nila ‘yung bibili, binebentahan talaga,” she revealed.
A life-changing stick
Pagada said he often convinces smokers to quit, especially those who finish two packs a day, by making them realize the amount of money they could've saved instead of buying cigarettes, which could be up to 60, 000 pesos in a year. He emphasized that cigarette smoking can affect a person's life in more ways than one, such that it is terrible for one's finances, physical and mental health, and the environment.
Pagada then mentioned that the smoke-free unit of HSO has an internship Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Benguet State University. He also hoped to have a MOA on research with higher education institutions to obtain more data on the environmental effects of cigarettes in Baguio and other relevant information that could help in combating the prevalence of cigarette use.
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