Jordan faces a silent epidemic, one where the fragility of youth is masked by wisps of cigarette smoke. Alarmingly, this menace lurks right outside school walls, entwining itself into the fabric of young lives. A cigarette or two, sold separately, seemingly innocuous, but they are the harbingers of chronic ailments that know no mercy. Family, the primary fortress of safety, has seen its walls crumble. Guardians lighting up cigarettes at home inadvertently erode their protective stance, normalizing a harmful act. Add to this the state’s lenient enforcement of anti-smoking laws, and one finds a society inadvertently condoning this health hazard. Ruba Madadaha’s tale is a testament to the systemic negligence. She faced an ordeal between health and employment, battling second-hand smoke at her workplace. It’s disheartening when a nation’s problem escalates to the point of requiring royal intervention. Yet, this isn’t a challenge exclusive to Jordan. The global ubiquity of tobacco, combined with lax regulations, paints a grim picture for the youth. A survey by the “No Smoking” Association underscores the gravity of the situation. An astonishing 70% of stores near 94 schools in Amman peddle tobacco. About 20% of these hawk cigarettes individually, and a shocking 80% don’t display age restrictions. Earlier studies indicated that by the age of 15, a quarter of students had already embraced this perilous habit. In a ticking time bomb scenario, these rates precede the boom of e-cigarettes. Larisa Al-Wer of the “No Smoking” Association offers a grim projection. Adolescents’ susceptibility to the tobacco trap, she asserts, stems from passive exposure. The allure of flavored tobacco – banana, cherry, or strawberry – further ensnares the young. Schools, spaces of learning, now carry the stench of smoke. Teachers must remember their role as beacons of emulation. Al-Wer champions stricter age checks and proposes raising the legal smoking age to 21. Tobacco giants’ marketing strategies target the youth, packaging death in attractive wrappers placed tantalizingly next to candies. The fight against tobacco requires more than just slogans. The “No Smoking” Association has collaborated with health ministries for over a decade, striving to shield the young from tobacco’s talons. Ghaith Owais, from the Directorate of Health Awareness and Media, rings alarm bells about the explorative nature of 12-16-year-olds. Their dalliance with tobacco has repercussions on their academic and overall growth. While the Ministry of Health has initiated some countermeasures, the real test lies in their consistent application. On a hopeful note, there’s been a rise in the number of liaison officers monitoring violations and the number of doctors trained in aiding smokers to quit. Dr. Muntaha Al-Eidi highlights the uphill task of convincing adolescent smokers to quit, more so when their immediate environment stokes the habit. The repercussions are dire: respiratory diseases, heightened vulnerability to infections, and a greater predisposition to develop cancer. Psychologically, the problem is multi-faceted. As Haneen Battoush notes, teenagers are lured by the erroneous belief that smoking is a rite of passage. Peer pressure, ease of access, parental negligence, and the illusion of stress relief further compound the issue. In summary, Jordan’s youth stands at a precipice. The future’s promise is overshadowed by the specter of tobacco. The remedy? A mix of stringent regulations, societal introspection, and a persistent, nationwide commitment to purging this menace.
Source: Jordan News Agency