The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that, at present tobacco plants are cultivated all over the world, in areas about the size of a standard football-field. If edible plants are cultivated in these areas instead, food can be produced to feed the world population of about 20 million starving people annually.

Information from the National Bureau of Statistics specified that, in 2006 there were, in total, 9.53 million habitual smokers in Thailand. If, on average, each of these chain-smokers smoked 10 cigarettes a day, all over the country the quantity of cigarettes consumed would be 95.3 millions.
 
This information was in keeping with the finding provided by Dr. Prakit Wateesathokkit, secretary of Foundation of Campaigning for Non-Cigarette Smoking. Dr. Prakit found that Thai people smoked not fewer than 30,000 cigarettes each year, costing more than 150,000 million baht.

The outcome was, each year about 52,000 people died of diseases related to cigarette smoking, and as many as 100,000 patients had to be admitted for medical treatments, costing the government 1,000 million baht in medical services per year.

In the United States of America, there has been research about employees smoking in their workplaces, with estimation of monetary losses, based on each workplace having 1 employee who smoked 1 packet of cigarettes daily.

The research reported that their employers would have to pay some additional expenses of 600 dollars for damages caused by each person per year. These damages were the results of the following causes.

1. Absenteeism
   In general employees who smoked, were more inclined to be sick and hospitalized, than non-smokers. They were absent from work more often than those non-smokers, about 25-30%. Moreover it was found that those who smoked more than 15 cigarettes a day, would take twice more sick leaves than other workers.
2. Accidence
   Employees smoking at work tended to have more accidents than non-smoker employees, due perhaps to lack of concentration, with one hand having to hold a cigarette, or smoke making their eyes sore. Thus, they had more accidents. Construction workers climbing up and down, and workers driving vehicles in construction cites were also more prone to accidents.
3. Fire
   Cigarette stubs could unintentionally cause fire in the workplace, leading to huge damage. In the United States of America, 1 out of 5 fire accidents, was caused by cigarette stubs.
4. Cleaning and maintenance cost
   Office furniture together with office equipment, such as carpets, desks, leather wares, panels, curtains, could be damaged by cigarette stubs and smoke.

Especially in cases of smoking in air-conditioned rooms, with stale smell from cigarette smoking penetrating air-conditioners, maintenance cost would be six times as much.

Apart from the damages and increases in cost, the same research reported that, good things about workplaces where cigarette smoking would not be permitted, were, increase in productivity with more working time, reduced medical expenditure and opportunity loss due to absenteeism.

Other cost savings would be from, office maintenance and cleaning, air-conditioning, fire insurance, arguments between smokers and non-smokers. But, more importantly it would create a good image for the enterprise.

Because of the above-mentioned reasons, at present there are many organizations or workplaces where cigarette smoking is 100% forbidden!

But making people giving up cigarette smoking voluntarily in their workplaces would not be easy. 

Dr. Prakit Vathesatogkit, chief captain of the campaign against cigarette smoking, said that there have been increasing attempts to rid cigarette-smoking in workplaces. Previously, the Thai government signed the Convention to make public places and offices free of cigarette-smoking., by February 2010.

Therefore, there will be hardly any public places where cigarette-smoking is allowed, with the exception of airports where people can smoke in specially provided areas.

“A survey shows that there are two places where people spend most of their time, office and bed. Therefore these places should have pure air. It may be argued that, it does not matter as air filter can take care. In reality, such apparatus do not help, as cigarette smoke evaporates” .

He admitted that cigarette is as highly addictive as heroin and cocaine. Although most smokers would like to quit smoking, it would not be easy for them to give it up.

He also told that in most workplaces only 1 out of 4 of all the workers smoked cigarettes.

57% of all the smokers started smoking when they were 16-20 years old, mostly to see what it was like, persuasion by friends, and to reduce stress.

83% tried to give it up but failed. Some quitted smoking straightaway, once they decided, some substituted sucking sweets, lozenges, or chewing gums for cigarette smoking, and some took up physical exercise in stead. 
The reasons for not being able to give up smoking were, habit, having the desire to smoke when seeing someone smoking, and restlessness, thus, taking up cigarette smoking again.

Dr. Supreda Adulyanon, Deputy Manager of ThaiHealth said, “Do not regard cigarette smokers as villains or criminals. They should be seen as victims. On the contrary, manufacturers making cigarettes for sale are the real baddies. Therefore, we must find ways to help the tobacco consumers. Especially now, there are about 2-3% of female workers in factories or other workplaces, who smoke cigarettes, and among them 4 out of five want to give up cigarette smoking, but cannot do it yet”.

Dr. Kitja Ruengthai, representative of the Siam Cement Public Company Limited, another non-cigarette-smoking organization, informed that, addiction to cigarette is as powerful as addiction to heroin and cocaine. If they are likened to criminals, cigarette, heroin and cocaine should have the same award for their arrest.

“Admittedly, giving up cigarette smoking is not an easy thing to do, but it can be done. We only have to know before hand what problems we have to face, once we quit the habit. We may have to cope with, for example a strong urge for smoking, which is a physical and mental reaction during the first two weeks, after having given up smoking. Some people experience insomnia, lack of concentration, irritability, and anxiety”.

“Besides knowing what confront them, these cigarette quitters must have other alternatives. Some times they rely on help, such as sedatives or drugs for anti-depression for some new quitters. Therefore, they need medical and nursing cares to help them give up cigarette smoking successfully”.

He shared his opinion that to make each workplace truly free of cigarette smoking would depend on 6-7 factors. For instance, the workplace must have clear policies. Manager of the organization must not smoke, and the organization must have sign posted in front of its establishment declaring its non-smoking policy. Ashtrays must be removed and close circuit televisions to be installed in various places. Selling cigarette in the workplace must be forbidden. Importantly, the workplace has a clinic where employees wanting to give up cigarette smoking can go for advice.

“Although cigarette is like an executioner at the finger tips, but if everyone is serious about it, and by helping each other and with understanding, to turn the workplace into 100% free of cigarette smoking is not more than one is able to do”, the doctor concluded

Source: Thai Rat