Monrovia – An internal survey conducted by a local youth group, “Youth Bridge,” on the habit of smoking shows that 63% of people who smoke cigarettes do it because of peer pressure while 28% do it for pleasure and 19% for the sake of gaining activeness.
Report by Henry Karmo, [email protected]
According to their findings, about 53 percent of its respondents continued to smoke for various reasons including; addiction and
“Appallingly, 69 percent of the interviewees also consumed illegal substances such as cocaine. Nearly all of them said they switched products mainly for flavour. To finance their habits, respondents said they were mainly engaged in criminal activities such as armed robbery/petit thefts.”
Aware that cigarette quitting is a daunting task, Youth Bridge, Inc. Liberia began studying the possibility of creating a smoke free environment. Through the foundation for smoke-free world, Youth Bridge has begun conducting research with the goal of determining; the socio-cultural and economic determinants perpetuating the culture of smoking, reasons why partisans switched from one brand to another and smokers’ motivation of continuing to smoke.
Survey findings
The survey findings also show that majority of the respondents have switched from other types of cigarettes to a preferable one (name withheld). According to them, this cigarette has different flavors, such as strawberry and apple. “Since they wanted better flavor/pleasure, they had to switch.”
Some respondents switched from low graded products such as marijuana/grass to high grades ones such as Italian White, cocaine, and Koko (The Rock) because, according to them, the lower the grade, the lesser the strength of the products.
Some respondents were constrained to switch because of the side effects experienced from smoking one brand of cigarette.
Further, respondents said this particular cigarette brand does not make their hearts beat faster as others brand do it makes them sleep, while sitting and nodding their heads which is referred to as “numbing”. For them, numbing is the most enjoyable aspect of the smoking.
Some respondents said, the urge for smoking lead them to do odd things, including armed robbery, burglary, begging, manual jobs and crediting amongst others.
Respondents’ description of various crimes:
Survey result further shows that armed robbery, commonly referred to by smokers and drug addicts as “third shift or make it stink”, involves breaking into people’s homes, be it rich or poor, at night with arms and other deadly instruments just to steal or take money. If the person refuses to cooperate, they are murdered or wounded. The murdering or wounding aspect of the “third shift” operation is what they call “make it stink”.
Burglary: this is another form of “third shift” which they termed as “bugeryaykay”.
Auto boosting: This criminal act involves using master keys to open locks on cars or houses.
Slapping Touch this activity is usually done on vehicles that window glasses are down. It is done to distract the driver and occupants. One or two smokers hit one side of the vehicle; while another one or two persons take away phones or valuables from the vehicle.
The urge for money to buy cigarettes and drugs at times lead to stealing items and properties belonging to friends and family members as well as partners and other individuals.
This criminal act involves tearing window screens at night while residents are asleep in order to steal phones and other handy materials.
“Dropping Figure”: This is a common act that involves begging pedestrians for money.
“Day Break Inside”: This criminal act involves harassing and hijacking people, mostly market women, who leave their homes early in the morning, around 4 – 5 a.m. while they are going to work or to their market stalls. These smokers and drug addicts usually run to market women with cutlasses, threaten to harm them, and quickly collect phones, other valuables and money and then run into a corner commonly refer to as “Yusu”.
“Galaxy/ “Ban and Saw”: This criminal act targets those who want to buy street things. The actual item is presented, but when payment is made it is switched to an insignificant item, for example, rock in the identical package.
Crediting: As customers, most smokers and drug addicts credit from those who sell to them.
Begging: Although not healthy, they beg fellow smokers for the remaining or half shot of cigarettes/drugs.
Manual jobs: some smokers are actively engaged with manual jobs in order to continue their habit.
The Youth Bridge’s survey also discovered that to quit smoking/drugs, the respondents said, they need to be of help to each other. Some said they need to be counseled or trained to discourage their colleagues from smoking – “Each One Converts One”.
According to them, this method would have better and greater impact as compae to discouragement from outsiders. Moreover, free time could be spent jogging with their colleagues.
Change of mindset:
According to the respondents, the act of quitting has to be decided by themselves. Every smoker has to make-up his/her mind to leave cigarettes/drugs before quitting can be successful.
Abstain from ghettos:
“Since they all know that peer pressure is one of the root causes of smoking/drugs, staying out of drugs/cigarettes outlets and disassociating themselves with friends in the habit would make a positive difference in the quitting process.
“Youth Bridge and other international partners need to be actively involved with counselling and awareness. Counseling is a method that could help an addict to quit. Since some of them are traumatized from war and also frustrated, they need to be talked to. They need to be advised on the procedures and the need to quit.”
Medication:
Medication is a prime aspect. According to respondents, they need medical attention so that the urge, pain and others sicknesses that are likely to arise in quitting can be quenched.