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A RESEARCH ON SMOKERS AWARENESS OF ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES AS A LESS

HARMFUL ALTERNATIVE TO SMOKING

A Research Paper

Submitted In Partial Fulfillment

of the requirements in ENG103

Submitted to:

DR. TARA DONOZO

Faculty, Department of English

College of Arts and Sciences

University of Asia and the Pacific

Submitted by:

GABRIEL ANGEL V. DE VERA

October 8, 2012


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Abstract

This study aims to discover the awareness level of smokers on electronic cigarettes as a

healthier alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes is a harmful vice that

can often lead to death. Electronic cigarettes are a battery powered device that produce vapor

instead of smoke. There is a need to see how aware smokers are to this alternative, so they may

be able to smoke in a less harmful way. Chapter 1 describes the basic terms, significance of the

study and review of related literature. Chapter 2 illustrates how the researcher gathered his data

and tabulated his results, as well as who the respondents were. Chapter 3 presents the findings of

the researcher and his interpretation. Chapter 4 gives the over-all summary of the research, the

researchers conclusions and his recommendations for the study.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter

1 THE PROBLEM AND A REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Introduction.5

Review of Related Literature...8

On Cigarettes..8

On Electronic Cigarettes14

Conceptual Framework16

Statement of the Problem.16

Scope and Limitation of the Study..16

Significance of the Study.16

Definition of Terms...17

Chapter

2 METHOD

Research Design...19

Research Participants and Other Sources of Data....19

Research Instruments....20

Data-Gathering Procedure.....20

Chapter


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3 PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS

Age of Respondents..21

Number of Years the Respondents have been Smoking21

Age when Respondents Started Smoking..23

Why Respondents Started Smoking...24

Estimate on How Much Respondents have Spent on Smoking..24

Belief of Negative Effects of Respondents on their Health25

Desire to Indulge Habit in a Healthier Way25

Awareness of Alternatives to Smoking...26

Preferred Alternative of Choice..27

Chapter

4 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary...29

Conclusions...31

Recommendations.32

REFERENCES

APPENDICES


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Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND A REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Introduction

Smoking has been a part of mans life since it was discovered. People smoke for many

reasons, among them are peer pressure, to look cool, to relieve stress and to help in the digestive

process. Due to these reasons, people have formed the habit of smoking, and, as we know, habits

are very hard to break. Unfortunately smoking is a very bad habit, and is very dangerous not only

for the smoker; but for those around him/her.

Studies have shown that the chemicals used in cigarettes can cause different kinds of

cancer. It is interesting to note that despite warnings from doctors and health organizations,

people continue to smoke. However there are alternatives now, to help people either reduce the

amount of cigarettes they smoke in a day; or help them quit altogether. These inventions are the

nicotine patch, tobacco gum, nicotine pills, therapy; and the latest being electronic cigarettes.

The researcher was very interested in this study because he was a smoker and had been

smoking two packs a day for eleven years. After much consideration and a few computations,

the researcher discovered that he had already spent three hundred thousand pesos at the very

least. The reasons why he developed this bad habit are: to look cool, peer pressure and to

socialize with others. Most people start out the same way.


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The researcher realized at some point that this could not go on. He was wasting money

and time and destroying his health in the process. Even those around him were affected by the

second and third hand smoke that he emitted. He wanted a healthier lifestyle, but he had a hard

time quitting. He did not want to try other smoking cessation methods because he knew that none

of them would address the oral fixation that he had developed over the years with smoking.

Then the researcher discovered electronic cigarettes being sold in Greenhills and

Megamall. He thought that this product might be able to help him smoke in a less harmful

manner, if not totally quit. He know did not know much about the great health differences of e-

cigs and regular cigarettes at that time. In fact, after only two weeks of smoking, the

researchers dentist already saw the difference and asked him if he had quit smoking because his

teeth had reduced nicotine stains. This experience motivated the researcher to focus on the e-cigs

as a less harmful alternative to smoking regular cigarettes. Hence, he decided to do his paper on

this new invention.

Before anything else, we need to define the word. Electronic cigarettes resemble

traditional cigarettes or cigars. They are battery-powered devices designed to convert liquid to

vapor, emit and deliver the vapor to the user. The user can opt to have flavored vapor, or

traditional tobacco brands. The prices range from one thousand five hundred to twenty thousand

pesos, depending on the model. While it is initially expensive, the long-term benefits are

numerous.


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After two weeks of using e-cigs, the researcher noticed that he felt better and could do

more exercise. Aside from that he also slept better at night, food tasted so much better, and he

didnt reek of the smell of cigarettes. The people around him were not disturbed by the vapor he

emitted.

The reason the researcher chose this topic is because he believes that the electronic

cigarette can become a less harmful alternative for those who cannot let go of smoking, but who

want to be healthy. While it is something relatively new and needs further study, the results of

the current studies show a lot of promise. It is therefore worthwhile to find out how aware

smokers are that electronic cigarettes are a less harmful alternative to smoking.


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REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This is a review of related literature in the following: (A) On Cigarettes, and (B) On Electronic

Cigarettes.

On Cigarettes

Cigarette smoking is known to be the most potent nicotine delivery device of tobacco

addiction. Tobacco is the worlds deadliest drug, and it is highly addictive. In the United States

alone about four hundred forty three thousand (443,000) die annually from tobacco related

diseases that can be prevented (Kushner, Sunaya, Nidhi & Paintal, 2011). Cigarettes are made of

about four thousand chemicals, fifty-one of them are known carcinogens (Kushner et al., 2011).

According to The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)The cigarette is a very

efficient and highly-engineered drug delivery system. (Tobacco Addiction, 2009.) The most

addictive substance in a cigarette is nicotine. But what makes the cigarette deadly, are all the

other chemicals that it is composed of. Some of the other chemicals found in a cigarette as

according to Jacobs (1995) are tar and carbon monoxide.

It is also important to note that 24.2 percent of Americans have started smoking within

their teenage years, as early as 12 years old (NIDA, 2009). In 2007, NIDA conducted a survey of

more than 3 million American adolescents (aged 12-17) who were reported to have been using a


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tobacco product the month before the survey. Studies have shown that cigarette smoking with

teens is a result of psychosocial influences like peer pressure (NIDA, 2009).

Nicotine, in its purest form, can kill a person with one drop. It is commonly found in bug

sprays as well. Nicotine is also a highly addictive substance that stimulates the brain (Jacobs,

1995; NIDA, 2009.).

Jacobs (1995) research explains that, Tar is the oily material which remains after

tobacco passes through the filter. When a smoker inhales, a lot of the tar sticks to and blackens

the lungs.

Carbon monoxide on the other hand is a gas that is emitted by cars and interferes with

respiratory functions (Jacobs, 1995). These are only three of the four thousand plus chemicals

that constitute a cigarette. From a birds eye view, it is difficult to understand why a person

would smoke. Taking a quick look at how smoking delivers its effects would paint a better

picture.

NIDA (2009) has explained that By inhaling tobacco smoke, the average smoker takes

in 1-2 mg of nicotine per cigarette. When tobacco is smoked, nicotine rapidly reaches peak levels

in the bloodstream and enters the brain. A typical smoker will take 10 puffs on a cigarette over a

period of 5 minutes that the cigarette is lit. Thus, a person who smokes about 1 packs (30

cigarettes) daily gets 300 hits of nicotine to the brain each day. NIDA (2009) further explains

that immediately after exposure to nicotine, there is a kick caused in part by the drugs


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stimulation of the adrenal glands and resulting discharge of epinephrine (adrenaline). The rush of

adrenaline stimulates the body and causes an increase in blood pressure, respiration, and heart

rate.. The problem with smoking is that, not only is the smoker getting the positive and negative

effects, but so are those around him/her.

There are enormous health risks to the smoker, those who inhale the smoke through

secondhand smoke, and those who come in contact with third-hand smoke (Kuschner et al.,

2011). A brief definition of second and third -hand smoke will give us a better understanding of

what they are.

Goldman et al. (2010) argues that secondhand smoke is the complex aerosol of which

85% comes from the burning tip of a cigarette and 15% from the smokers who exhale it This

smoke is passed on to those who are within the immediate vicinity of the smoker.

Third-hand smoke, on the other hand, is the long lasting effect in an area where smoking

occurred, but has not had any cigarette smoking for a long time. Third-hand smoke is the cause

of the negative effects considered on long-term scale (Kuschner et al., 2011). There are a wide

range of hazards, diseases and chronic illnesses available to those who smoke as well as those

who are victims of second and third-hand smoke.

According to Stanley Pontiere (n.d.) Cigarette smoke is dangerous to both smokers and

non-smokers. Cigarette smoking causes many types of cancer. It can also affect the


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reproductive system of the woman according to the American Cancer Society (2011). Smoking is

commonly known to also cause emphysema, lack of respiratory function and loss of taste.

Most smokers know that tobacco is harmful and want to either reduce or quit. The

difficulties are enormous, due to the withdrawals and the cravings. However, there are means

that smokers can use to quit smoking. Some of these are: nicotine patch, nicotine pill and tobacco

gum (NIDA, 2009.)

The consequences of smoking are common knowledge, but there is a constant need to re-

iterate them. NIDA (2009) claims that:

Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ in the body. It has been conclusively linked

to cataracts and pneumonia, and accounts for about one-third of cancer deaths. The overall rates

of death from cancer are twice as high among smokers as nonsmokers, with heavy smokers

having rates that are four times as high as nonsmokers. Foremost among the cancers caused by

tobacco use is lung caner-cigarette smoking has been linked to about 90 percent of all cases of

lung cancer, the number one cancer killer of both men and women. Smoking is also associated

with cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, cervix, kidney,

bladder, and acute myeloid leukemia. (p. 78)

There are available alternatives or cessation tools for smokers that are currently approved

by the FDA. Some of these are: nicotine patches, nicotine pills and tobacco or nicotine gum

(NIDA, 2009). A nicotine patch is attached to a part of the body to deliver nicotine via the skin

pores. The pills are ingested so as to curb cravings and make smoking distasteful. The gum tries

to soothe the cravings at the same time deliver nicotine (NIDA, 2009).


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On Electronic Cigarettes

The Electronic Cigarette or e-cig is a battery-powered device, designed to deliver

nicotine to the human respiratory system via vapor (Caponetto, Polosa, Russo, Leotta &

Campagna, 2011). According to a group of researchers (Kuschner et al., 2011) it has also been

termed as Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS) by the World Health Organization .

Instead of using tobacco, the e-cig uses a e-liquid that is converted into vapor.

According to Foulds et al. (2011), the e-cig was invented by the Chinese pharmacist Hon

Lik in 2003. He wanted to provide a healthier option for smokers, as well as save his father from

lung cancer in the process. Patents are currently held by the Ruyan company.

The e-liquid is mainly composed of propylene glycol (PG). But there are other additives

that can change the thickness and flavor of the vapor. Due to the nature of what is being emitted,

people who use e-cigs are not called smokers.

For Foulds, Veldheer and Berg (2011), people who use electronic cigarettes are called

vapers. They do not want to be associated with smokers and smoking, so they have called

themselves as vapers. This has given rise to the more advance e-cigs known as Personal

Vaporizer or PV.


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PVs are a more customizable e-cigs that are larger in size with varying battery sizes to

produce higher voltage. In a study conducted, the researchers (Foulds et al., 2011) found out that

those who use the PVs are usually long time (at least 10 months) e-cig users. There are many

advantages to e-cigs, and there are also some disadvantages. A quick look should present the

general idea.

Some of the immediate advantages of the e-cigs are that they emit vapor and not smoke.

It disappears rapidly and does not cling onto clothes or other substances, making sure that there

is no secondhand and third-hand smoke. There are a variety of flavors and the nicotine levels

can be customized. It can also address the oral fixation, which other tobacco or nicotine

alternatives dont.

There are also disadvantages. First of all, it is initially expensive. Secondly, there have

been no long-term studies. Lastly, if the vaper or an infant were to ingest the e-liquid containing

nicotine, it could prove fatal.


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Conceptual Framework

The researcher, through a survey questionnaire, decided to look into the personal factors

of the respondents such as the age they started smoking, the number of years they have been

smoking and how much money these respondents have already spent over the number of years

they have been smoking.

It would be safe to conclude that if a person started smoking at a young age, he would not

only become addicted to it but he may also begin to feel the negative effects of smoking like

severe coughing, asthma attacks, weak respiratory system, predisposition to respiratory ailments,

and even cardiac problems. If smoking has become a habit, then it would be one that will be

difficult to break. The many years of smoking does take its toll on a smokers health. And this

can result in even more fatal diseases such as cancer, heart attacks etc. and, ultimately, death.

While a pack of cigarettes may not be as cheap as they used to be, they are still, more or

less, affordable. In a country where they can be bought by the piece or stick, the availability of

the product is never a problem. Hence, precisely because the item is affordable or within ones

budget, a person never truly realizes just how much he has spent until he takes the time to

compute how much money he has spent on this bad habit over the years.


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Aside from wanting to know if the respondents were aware of the negative effects of

smoking on their health, the researcher wanted to know if they were willing to try out other less

harmful alternatives. Since smoking is a lucrative industry and because many business-minded

individuals would like to take advantage of the situation, there are many products in the market

that are presented as less harmful alternatives to smoking regular cigarettes. There are also

products that were created to help the smoker either curb or totally break the habit. Some well

known examples are nicotine patches and pills, tobacco gum and the electronic cigarettes. The

latter appear to be the latest invention now available in the market.

The researcher wanted to find out if the awareness of the respondent to these products

would induce him to try any one of them as well as his reasons for doing so.

Conceptual Paradigm


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Statement of the Problem

This research paper aims to find out if smokers are aware that electronic cigarettes are a less

harmful alternative to smoking regular cigarettes. Specifically it seeks to answer the following

questions:

1. Do most smokers know the harmful effects of smoking on their health?

2. How aware or familiar are they with electronic cigarettes?

3. How aware are they that electronic cigarettes are a less harmful alternative to smoking

regular cigarettes?

Scope and Limitations of the Study

The respondents of this study were 50 individuals ranging from ages younger than 16

years old and over 60 years old. A researcher-made questionnaire was distributed for the

respondents to answer. Some of the respondents are students of a prestigious university in

Ortigas, Pasig across all year levels. Other respondents are call-center agents from a well-

known multinational company. All data was tallied by a computer program designed by the

researcher.

Significance of the Study

The results of the study may be beneficial to the following:

To all smokers. Smoking is a bad and harmful habit, and we know that habits are very

hard to break. Many of the negative effects of smoking are lethal therefore, there is a need to


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look for a less harmful alternative if indeed it is difficult to break the habit. The researcher

hopes that smokers will explore these alternatives.

To parents who smoke. Children tend to imitate what their elders do, most especially their

parents. For their sake, there should be awareness of lethal effects of second and third-hand

smoke. Hence, electronic cigarettes may just be the answer to the problem of the harm that

regular cigarettes deliver.

To the public in general. The effects of second and third-hand smoke cannot be

underestimated, since this has been proven to be just as harmful or if not more lethal than

first-hand smoke.

To the future researchers. That they will be interested to do a long term cigarette to confirm

the validity of electronic cigarettes as being less harmful, and its non-lethal effects, whether

on a long or short term basis.

Definition of Terms

For the purpose of clarity and a better understanding of concepts and terms used in this study,

the following are defined in their conceptual and operational use:

Cigarettes. Are rolled from tobacco leaves and contain more than 4000 chemicals, 51 of

which are known carcinogens (Jacobs, 1995).

Cigarette Smoking. The act of smoking cigarettes

Tobacco addiction. An addiction of a tobacco product such as cigarettes, cigars etc..


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Nicotine addiction. The psychological effect of being addicted to any form of nicotine.

Prolonged use or an urge to use a nicotine product that cannot be resisted (National Institute

of Drug Addiction [NIDA], 2009).

First-hand smoke. The smoke that the smoker inhales.

Second-hand smoke. The smoke that the smoker emits, which is also harmful to those

around him or her (Goldman et al., 2010).

Third-hand smoke. The substance that remains in an area, piece of clothing of any material

substance that can pass on the harmful effects of cigarettes or tobacco. These effects can be

evaluated or observed on a long term basis (Kuschner et al., 2011).

Nicotine patch. A patch that is stuck on any part of the body to deliver nicotine only (NIDA,

2009).

Tobacco gum. A chewing gum with tobacco or nicotine only. Nicotine is delivered by

chewing and then the gum is spat out after (NIDA, 2009).

Nicotine pill. A pill that is ingested to replace nicotine and/or curb the cravings for

traditional tobacco products (NIDA, 2009).

Electronic cigarettes. The Electronic Cigarette or e-cig is a battery-powered device,

designed to deliver nicotine to the human respiratory system via vapor (Caponetto, Polosa,

Russo, Leotta & Campagna, 2011).


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Chapter 2

METHOD

Research Design

The research design that was used was a quantitative one. A questionnaire, which was

constructed by the researcher, was reviewed and approved by his professor before it was

distributed to a cross section of society. This method was used to be able to find out how

many smokers were aware of the different alternatives that are currently in the market which

may be less harmful than regular cigarettes.

Research Participants and Other Sources of Data

The researcher distributed eighty ( 80 ) questionnaires at random to two sources namely:

students from the University of Asia and the Pacific, Ortigas Center, Pasig City from all year

levels and programs and call center agents and supervisors from IBM-CRM located at

Hanston Square, Pasig City. Before filling out the questionnaire, the respondents were first

asked if they smoke. Out of the eighty ( 80 ) questionnaires that were distributed, the

researcher was able to retrieve fifty ( 50 ).


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Research Instrument

As mentioned earlier, a survey questionnaire ( see appendix _ ) was constructed then

submitted to the researchers professor for possible revisions and approval. There were nine

questions which the respondents had to answer. The first seven focused on the following : the

respondents age, the number of years they were smoking, how old they were when they first

began to smoke, the reasons for smoking, how much they have spent on the habit over the

years, how aware they are about its negative effects on their health and, if given a chance,

would they want to be able to continue smoking in a less harmful way. The last two questions

focused on the following : if the respondents have heard of alternatives to smoking regular

cigarettes and which of the four alternatives listed on the survey sheet were they willing to try.

They were also asked their reasons for the choice/s that they made.

Data Gathering

The researcher distributed and managed half of the questionnaires himself and requested

trusted friends and classmates to distribute and manage the other half. More than half of the

survey sheets were retrieved a week after they were distributed which was on August 20,

2012. The rest were retrieved by the end of September 2012. After gathering the

questionnaires, the researcher created a computer program using the JAVA programming

language to double check hand tallied results thereby ruling out human error. After the data

was tallied and processed, it was interpreted.


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CHAPTER 3

PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF FINDINGS

Research Problem: How aware are smokers that electronic cigarettes are a less

harmful alternative to smoking?

People are aware that there are less harmful alternatives to cigarette smoking. Cigarette

smoking is nothing more than a tobacco and/or a nicotine addiction. Therefore, people are open

to the possibility of trying out alternatives to either curb or break the habit of smoking traditional

cigarettes. But most would prefer to continue smoking in a healthier fashion. Among the four

alternatives presented, the most prominent choice is the electronic cigarettes hereafter after

referred to as e-cigs. From 50 respondents, 36 have said that they are willing to try the electronic

cigarettes.

Age of Respondents

The first question the respondents were asked was their age. Most of the respondents

were between 16-60, as 38 of them claimed as such. Only 6 were below 16, and only 6 were

above 60. This would suggest that those under 16 years of age have just begun to smoke, while

those who are between 16-60 have been smoking for either just a few years or decades . While

those above 60 must have been smoking for close to half a century. The National Institute of

Drug Abuse (NIDA) confirms that smoking starts 90% of the time during the adolescent years

and can continue well into old age (National Institute of Drug Abuse [NIDA], 2009).

Number of Years the Respondents have been Smoking

Out of 50 respondents, 20 have said that they have been smoking from between 1-9

years. This would mean their addiction can still be broken, or re-directed to something less


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harmful. Another 10 respondents claimed to have been smoking for less than a year. Which

means that they are not yet even past the dizziness of smoking. The researcher claims to have

forced himself to smoke for at least 1 year. During that time, he had to bear with nausea that

comes from smoking. This is normal for those who are still developing the habit. Another 14

respondents admitted that they have been smoking between 10-20 years, while another 6 said

that they have been smoking for over 20 years. In comparison to those who have been smoking

less than 10 years, those who have been smoking for a longer time may have either a harder or

easier time shifting. It may be harder because their bodies have already developed dependency

not only on nicotine, but also the psychological facets of smoking. The cravings and withdrawal

effects could also be much greater because of the prolonged dependency of the body on nicotine

(NIDA, 2009). It could also be easier in the researchers opinion in the sense that those who have

been smoking for a longer period might want something healthier since they have noticed the

negative effects on their health.


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Age when Respondents Started Smoking

When asked how old the respondents were when they started smoking, the respondents

had varied answers. The researcher felt it would be better illustrate his findings. See Figure 1.

Figure 1: Age of respondents when they started smoking


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Those who started smoking may have either entered high school early or found the

influence of smoking to be appealing at such an early age. The bulk of the respondents were 15

when they started smoking. It could suggest that these respondents were either caught by peer

pressure, or simply found that this was a habit that could help them in some aspect of their life.

For those who started at 16-8, it may be assumed that they were just about to enter college, and

had not yet come across cigarettes. The respondents who started at the age of 20 and above, were

clearly adults who must have found a great need to start smoking. As compared to those who

were younger and more experimental, these respondents most likely made an informed decision,

or a badly informed decision.

Why Respondents Started Smoking

When asked why they started the habit, 14 respondents wrote that they started to smoke

in order to relieve stress. 17 claimed that smoking just developed into a habit, 3 became addicted

to nicotine and 2 began the habit to look cool. It is interesting to note that only 6 respondents

claimed that it was peer pressure that made him start smoking, and another 5 claimed that they

did it out of curiosity. It is interesting to note once again that the majority of the respondents

admitted that it just developed as a habit and that the next largest group of respondents said that

stress was the cause of their smoking habit. Prior to this research, the writer of this paper

presumed that the majority of respondents would claim that the reason they started to smoke was

due to peer pressure. The fact that the majority of the respondents answered it became a

developed habit and stress reliever, is something the researcher found thought provoking.

Because in his experience it was more stressful to develop the habit of smoking. Smoking only

became a stress reliever after the habit had developed. It could be possible that these respondents

were told that smoking relieves stress, and thus they based their reasoning for developing this


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habit on that presumption. It was also quite strange to note that the respondents who claimed

that smoking developed into a habit did not bother to reflect on why smoking became a habit. To

simply claim that something develops into a habit, may suggest that one does not understand his

or her reason for the habit itself. Because as NIDA has shown in their studies, almost all

teenage smoking cases begin with psychosocial issues such as peer pressure or curiosity (NIDA,

2009). It can be observed that only 7 respondents started smoking after their adolescent years.

Estimate on How Much Respondents have Spent on Smoking

When asked to estimate how much they had already spent on the habit of smoking

through the years, the range was quite large. Since it spanned from Php 1000 to Php 3,000,000.

But the majority were in a tie with regard to the amount. Six of them say Php5000 while another

six said Php100,000. It is obvious that the ones who have just started smoking have not spent that

much. However, those who have been smoking for many years have a greaterexpenditure on the

vice. The reason this question was posed is because the researcher wanted to ascertain if the

respondents were aware of the great amount of money gradually spent over the years.

Belief of Negative Effects of Respondents on their Health

When the respondents were asked if they believed that smoking cigarettes that has had

negative effects on their health, 42 respondents have said that they are aware of some form of

negative effects on their health, while only 8 said no. It is clear that the majority of the

respondents are fully aware of the dangers and potentially harmful effects of smoking. The 8

who said no, are either individuals who may be in denial or are not engaged in any physical

activity that requires strenuous cardiovascular or pulmonary functions. Most respondents who

affirmed belief of the negative effects of their habits stated that their belief was physically

confirmed by mostly respiratory problems like: bad lungs, persistent cough and cold, bad breath,


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loss of appetite, pain in the lungs, difficulty of breathing, asthma attacks etc. It is not uncommon

for smokers to be aware to the negativity of their habits and persist in smoking. NIDA has shown

statistically that almost all, if not all smokers are aware of the risks and potentially lethal

repercussions of the habit (NIDA, 2009). The researchers initial presumption that smokers are

aware of the negative effects of smoking cigarettes was confirmed.

Desire to Indulge Habit in a Healthier Way

The majority of 50 respondents (45 of them) stated that they would like to be able to

indulge in their habit in a less harmful way. While again, only five respondents specified that

they would like to continue smoking regularly.

Desire to Indulge Habit in a Healthier Way

When asked why they would like to look for a less harmful alternative, it is interesting to

note that none of the respondents mentioned the desire to limit the negative effects of second and

third-hand smoke. It may be safe to conclude that the respondents are not yet aware of the new

phenomenon of third-hand smoke (Kuschner et al., 2011) .We may also safely conclude that the

respondents either underestimate the negative effects of second-hand smoke or disregard them

completely (NIDA, 2009). This sort of behavior would suggest that smokers are less concerned

with those who are affected by their vice. This behavior is a common trait seen in any form of

addiction (NIDA, 2009). However, for the reasons of the respondents as to why they would like

to seek a less harmful alternative, the common reasons that were stated are: they would like to

have a better lifestyle, so they can keep smoking, they would like to regain their stamina and get

rid of their persistent cough and cold. Some of those who have claimed to want to choose a

healthier alternative have also expressed their desire to prevent diseases that can lead to death,

such as cancer. This would once again confirms what NIDA (2009) said about smokers; that they


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are aware that cigarettes can cause cancer and other harmful and lethal diseases. It would be safe

to conclude that those who prefer a less harmful alternative would like to have a healthy lifestyle

as well as continue their vice.

Awareness of Alternatives to Smoking

Thirty-six (36) respondents have said that they are aware of healthier alternatives to

smoking regular cigarettes, while 14 have said no. Among the 36 who said yes, the alternatives

they were aware of were quite varied and strange. Most of the answers were, eating pork, eating

chips, chewing gum and many more which were not actual suggested or approved alternatives by

the FDA. Very few of the answers were, gum, patches and electronic cigarettes. This would

suggest that very few smokers are actually aware of electronic cigarettes. Although more

electronic cigarettes stores have opened recently based on the researchers observation, it is quite

distressing to note that smokers have not taken time to research or even read a simple article on

what ecigs are. However, the fact that not very many smokers are aware of electronic cigarettes

is not surprising, because they are relatively new and started only in 2003 (Foulds et al., 2011).

While the 14 who said no, appear oblivious to what alternatives are in the market. Like the

nicotine patch, which has been in the market for quite a few decades.

Preferred Alternative of Choice

The respondents were given 4 alternatives to choose from. These are: tobacco gum which

is a chewing gum designed to deliver tobacco and nicotine to the human body (NIDA, 2009);

nicotine patches which are patches that are stuck on the skin to deliver nicotine to the human

body (NIDA, 2009); nicotine pills which are ingested and which deliver nicotine to the human

body (NIDA, 2009); and finally electronic cigarettes which is like a cigarette but instead of

smoke, vapor is emitted and levels of nicotine are customizable (Foulds et al., 2011). Thirty-six


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(36) respondents have expressed the desire to try the electronic cigarettes for quite a few reasons.

Some of these are: adjustability of the nicotine level, flavors, no smoke but vapor, classy

looking, true smoking sensation and the oral fixation is addressed. 2 respondents chose tobacco

gum out of curiosity, while 4 chose nicotine patches because they were more famous for them, 1

chose the nicotine pill because he was also curious and 7 who said that they do not want to try

anything. The obvious preferred alternative is the e-cig, because it offers the smoker a lot of

options, which were already mentioned earlier.

To sum up all of the results, the researcher concludes that the habit of smoking usually

begins at the early stages of adolescence and can continue to until the late stages of life.

Furthermore, it is a habit that is developed over the years; whether the respondent started out of

curiosity, peer pressure or as a stress reliever. It is a developed habit that is very difficult to

break. It is also interesting to note that respondents are aware that smoking is an expensive vice,

which has negative and even fatal effects on health. The majority of the respondents were

receptive to the alternatives presented to them and they preferred alternative was the ecig,

although majority of them did not about e-cigs.


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Chapter 4

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

The following are the summarized findings of this research:

1. Clearly, the number of products available in the market to either curb or stop the

habit of smoking appears to increase every year. The latest is the electronic cigarette, which was

invented in 2008. Since smoking is a bad habit or a vice, unfortunately, not everyone can cut the

habit immediately. Many find great difficulty getting rid of it because of the nicotine addiction.

Hence, the invention of the alternatives to smoking regular cigarettes such as tobacco gum,

nicotine pills and patches and the e-cigs.

2. As mentioned earlier, the mere fact that someone manages to come up with

something new to address this age old habit shows that people are aware of how difficult it is to

cut and cut clean when it comes to smoking. Despite the fact that this vice has claimed the lives


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of so many millions across time, race and culture, people continue to smoke and spend so much

money either to continue to indulge in the addiction or to try to wean themselves from it. What

makes it even more challenging for the smoker is the numerous stressful situations he has to deal

with either in his professional or personal life. It is a fact that many people smoke because they

claim that cigarettes are a good stress reliever.

3. Studies have shown the negative effects of smoking not only on the smoker but to

all those around him due to second and third - hand smoke. In fact, experts have said that

second and third hand smoke are even more fatal than first-hand smoke. It is truly unfortunate,

considering the long history of smoking that the information that we have of this phenomena

was made available only in the twentieth century. Furthermore, it is difficult not to think of the

many lives that were lost because of this lack of information and awareness about the true

nature and health hazards of smoking.

4. While looking back with much regret, people can also look forward with more

hope since more and more people are convinced of the lethal health problems that this vice

brings to mankind in general. With this awareness, comes measures or alternatives to help those

who have made smoking a habit that is very hard to break. Society, in general, is more aware of

the negative effects of smoking through second and third-hand smoke and, therefore, have

become more vigilant. There are now designated areas for smokers or, in some major

establishments, there is a strictly enforced no smoking policy.


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As mentioned earlier, the smoker has quite a few alternatives to choose from which will

help him to: (a). get his dose of nicotine without inhaling and exhaling lethal smoke, (b). help

him curb his habit and, hopefully, break it, and (c). continue with the habit but in a less harmful

way specifically through the e-cigarette. The e-cigs seem to have become a popular alternative

because they address the oral fixation that many smokers appear to need; they can be customized

to address the smokers needs ( e.g., nicotine level etc.); they do not emit toxic smoke but vapor

which is made from fruit essences; they do not contain the numerous toxic elements found in

regular cigarettes.

Conclusions

On the basis of the study the researcher therefore concludes:

1. The electronic cigarette is a relatively new product, which was invented to help the

smoker either curb or cut his addiction to nicotine as well as to other highly toxic

materials found in regular cigarettes. While it is true that there are no conclusive

studies that state that this product is the best and the healthiest alternative, data from

the studies that have been done so far are very promising.

2. The researcher, who has been using the e-cig for almost a year has been able to

successfully stop his addiction to nicotine. He no longer uses it but has replaced the

substance with fruit essences instead. Therefore, when he feels the need to vape (this

is the term used because vapor and not smoke comes out of the e-cig.) due to stress,


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he does not inhale or exhale any toxic materials. In fact, the fruit essences are quite

fragrant. Furthermore, there are a number of former smokers who, because they

switched to e-cigs, have been able to successfully quit smoking altogether. They have

said that the e-cig is effective.

3. There is unfortunately a lack of awareness among smokers when it comes to

electronic cigarettes. The fact that they are not up to date with new developments

with smoking alternatives may suggest that their vice has either put them in a state of

denial, or they are simply not interested to learn more about their vice. It was very

encouraging to know that smokers who want to smoke in a less harmful way are open

to try the electronic cigarette, which is showing a lot of promise.

4. While it is true that the e-cigs are quite expensive since they range from Php 2,000-

Php20,000 depending on the model, they do come out cheaper in the end when we

consider the health benefits they can give to the smoker. For instance, those who have

switched from smoking to vaping have said that they feel healthy and are able to

keep up with strenuous exercises at the gym.

There can be no doubt that the best solution for a smoker is to stop smoking altogether.

However, we do need to realize that breaking the habit is not as simple as it may seem to be.

While nicotine patches and pills nay have their own success stories, many smokers still feel the

need to put something in between their lips. The e-cigs seem to be able to address this problem.

Recommendations


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After having read the responses of the respondents, the researcher would like to make the

following recommendations:

1. The youth will always be drawn to things/activities that are taboo. They are generally

curious and the more adventurous ones will take the initiative to find out more about the

thing /activity that they have been told to stay away from. Likewise, many young people

give in to peer pressure. Hence, because they want to feel they belong, they engage in

activities that their friends are involved in. Smoking happens to be one of them. Parents,

guardians and caregivers need to be fully aware that the best way to keep young people in

check is to be completely involved in all their activities. Nothing can take the place of

good parenting and good parenting means being a hands-on parent. A childs character is

formed at home and the strengthening of the will through virtues and good habits will

prepare the child to resist peer pressure in the future. Parents, guardians and caregivers

also need to remember that they are the childs role model. It is difficult to tell a child not

to smoke if the parent smokes.

The researcher would also like to suggest to parents and guardians not to give big

allowances to their children since, many times, they use this money to buy

cigarettes.

2. Young people should be made aware of all the dangers of smoking. The researcher

believes that since the youth spend more time in the academic environment, school

authorities should implement a vigorous no smoking campaign in all schools.

Furthermore, students should be exposed to periodic school sponsored talks by medical

experts on the lethal effects of this vice. Hopefully, constant reminders will encourage


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students to stay away from cigarettes especially since studies have shown that young

people begin smoking between the ages of 12-16 years. This means that they are either in

high school or just graduating from grade school. Vigilance on the part of both the home

and the school may bring down the number of young people who might start smoking at a

very young age.

3. The researcher believes that the public, in general, should make the effort to know more

about the dangers not only of second but third-hand smoke since studies have shown just

how lethal it is. Many non-smokers have died because of second and third-hand smoke

and, while we may be aware of this, we might not be fully aware of the nature of second

and third-hand smoke. Studies have shown how fatal third-hand smoke can be.

4. It is hoped that this research will encourage others to do a more detailed and extensive

study of the electronic cigarettes to determine just how safe and harmless they are.

5. The researcher also believes that it would be very beneficial to current smokers if more

information campaigns about ecigs could be made. This would allow smokers to either

learn about ecigs and their benefits, or at least increase in their awareness of its existence.

Despite the fact that ecigs are relatively new and require more study, the current findings,

which are scientifically accurate, should suffice to promote information campaigns.

6. Tobacco companies should (in the researchers opinion) begin to look into the field of

ecigs. The reason for this is so that their views on ecigs are not limited to possible

financial loses. Tobacco companies should be willing to market the product as well for 2

reasons. The first in the interest of corporate social responsibility. Second, there is a

greater chance of innovation if they were to do more research on ecigs and make better

ones. They would also have an opportunity to make more money.


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REFERENCES:

Ayers, A.W., Ribisl, K.M., & Brownstein, J.S. (2011).

Tracking the Rise in Popularity of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Electronic

Cigarettes) Using Search Query Surveillance.American Journal of Preventive Medicine,

40, 448-453.

Caponnetto, C., Polosa, R., Russo C., Leotta C., & Campagna, D. (2001).

Successful smoking cessation with electronic cigarettes in smokers with a documented

history of recurring relapses: a case series.Journal of Medical Case Reports, 585, 1-5.

Foulds, J., Veldheer S., & Berg, A. (2011)

Electronic Cigarettes (e-cigs): Views of aficionados and Clinical/Public Health

Perspectives. The International Journal of Clinical Practice. 65, 1037-1042.

Goldman, L.R, Benowitz, N., Bhatnagar, A., Dominici, F., Fienberg, S., Friedman, G.D., et al.,

(2010). Seconhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular Effects: Making Sense of the

Evidence.National Institute of Medicine

Kuschner, W.G., Reddy, S., Mehrotra, N., & Paintal H.S. (2011).

Electronic Cigarettes and Third-hand Tobacco Smoke: Two Emerging Health Care

Challenges for the Primary Care Giver.International Journal of General Medicine, 4,

115-120.


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National Institution of Drug Abuse (2009). Tobacco Addiction

Pontiere, S.R., (n.d.) The Electronic Cigarette Alternative to Death by Cigarette

Siegel, M.B., Tanwar K.L., & Wood, K.S. (2011).

Electronic Cigarettes as a Smoking-Cessation Tool: Results from an Online Survey.

American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 40, 472-475.


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APPENDICES

Appendix A: Survey Questionaire

English Research Survey Gabriel Angel V. de Vera 11-2407Electronic Ciga English Research Survey Gabriel Angel V. de Vera11-2407

Electronic Cigarettes as a healthier alternative to smoking

1. How old are you?

_ less than16

__ between 16-60

__ above 60

2. How long have you been smoking?

_ less than 1 year

__ 1-9 years

_ 10-20 years

_ more than 20 years

3. How old were you when you started smoking?

4. Why did you start smoking?

__ Stress reliever

_ _ It became a developed habit

_ It became a nicotine addiction

_ To look cool

_ Others (Please Specify) : Peer pressure, curiosity

5. How much do you estimate you have spent on smoking?

6. Do you believe that smoking has had negative effects on your health?


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Why?

What Negative effects have you observed if any?

7. If given the chance would you like to be able to indulge your habit in a healthier way?

Why?

8. Have you heard of any healthier alternatives to smoking?

Yes

If yes, what are these?

No

9. Which of these would you like to try as a healthier alternative?

_ Tobacco gum (A chewing gum designed to deliver tobacco to the system.)

_ Nicotine Patches (A patch that is put on a part of the body to deliver nicotine to the human body.)

_ Nicotine Pills (Ingested pills that are designed to deliver nicotine to the human body.)

__ Electronic Cigarettes (Like a cigarette, but instead of smoke vapor is emitted and levels of nicotine

are customizable.)

Why?

rettes as a healthier alternative to smoking

1. How old are you?_ less than16

__ between 16-60

__ above 60

2. How long have you been smoking?

_ less than 1 year__ 1-9 years


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_ 10-20 years

_ more than 20 years

3. How old were you when you started smoking?

4. Why did you start smoking?__ Stress reliever

_ _ It became a developed habit

_ It became a nicotine addiction_ To look cool

_ Others (Please Specify) : Peer pressure, curiosity

5. How much do you estimate you have spent on smoking?

6. Do you believe that smoking has had negative effects on your health?

Why?

What Negative effects have you observed if any?

7. If given the chance would you like to be able to indulge your habit in a healthier way?

Why?

8. Have you heard of any healthier alternatives to smoking?

Yes

If yes, what are these?

No

9. Which of these would you like to try as a healthier alternative?_ Tobacco gum (A chewing gum designed to deliver tobacco to the system.)

_ Nicotine Patches (A patch that is put on a part of the body to deliver nicotine to the human

body.)_ Nicotine Pills (Ingested pills that are designed to deliver nicotine to the human body.)

__ Electronic Cigarettes (Like a cigarette, but instead of smoke vapor is emitted and levels of

nicotine are customizable.)

Why?


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Appendix B: Computer Code for Tally Checker

import java.util.*;

import java.io.*;

public class Question{

private static int size = 3;

private static Scanner input = new Scanner(System.in);

private static BufferedReader input2 = new BufferedReader(new

InputStreamReader(System.in));

private String Q;

private static int

ans,lessthan16,between,above60,lessthan1year,years1to9,years10to20,morethan20years;

private static int stress,habit,addiction,cool,peer,curiosity;

private static int amount;

private static int [] ageSmoke = new int [size];

private static int [] totalAmount = new int [size];

private static int yNum;

private static int nNum;

private static String [] whatNeg = new String [size];

private static String [] whyN = new String [size];

private static String [] whyY2 = new String [size];

private static String [] whyN2 = new String [size];

private static int healthyTotaly;

private static int healthyTotaln;


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private static int totalHeard;

private static int totalNot;

private static String [] whatY = new String [size];

private static String [] why = new String [size];

private static int tobaccoGum,nicotinePatch,nicotinePill,ecig;

public static void Q1(){

System.out.println("1. How old are you?\n[1] less than 16\n[2] between 16-

60\n[3] above 60");

ans = input.nextInt();

switch (ans)

{

case 1: lessthan16++;break;

case 2: between++;break;

case 3: above60++;break;

default: System.out.println("Error");Q1();

}

}


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System.out.println("2. How long have you been smoking?");

System.out.println("[1] less than a year");

System.out.println("[2] 1-9 years");

System.out.println("[3] 10-20 years");

System.out.println("[4] more than 20 years");


switch (ans)

{

case 1: lessthan1year++;break;

case 2: years1to9++;break;

case 3: years10to20++;break;

case 4: morethan20years++;break;


}

}

public static void Q3(int i){

System.out.println("3.How old were you when you started smoking? ");


ageSmoke[i] = ans;


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}


System.out.println("4. Why did you start smoking?");

System.out.println("[1] Stress Reliever");

System.out.println("[2] It became a developed habit");

System.out.println("[3] It became a nicotine addiction");

System.out.println("[4] To look cool");

System.out.println("[5] Peer Pressure");

System.out.println("[6] Curiosity");


switch (ans)

{

case 1: stress++;break;

case 2: habit++;break;

case 3: addiction++;break;

case 4: cool++;break;

case 5: peer++;break;

case 6: curiosity++;break;


}


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}

public static void Q5(int i){

System.out.println("How much do you estimate you have spent on smoking?");

amount = input.nextInt();

totalAmount[i] = amount;

}

public static void Q6(int i)throws Exception{

System.out.println("6.Do you believe that smoking has had negative effects on

your health? [y][n]");

String answer = input.next();

char ans = answer.charAt(0);

//ans.toUpperCase();

switch (ans)

{


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case 'Y' : case 'y': yNum++;System.out.println("What negative effects

have you observed if any?"); whatNeg[i] = input2.readLine(); whyN[i] = "";break;

case 'N' : case 'n': nNum++; System.out.println("Why?"); whyN[i] =

input2.readLine();whatNeg[i] =""; break;

default: System.out.println("ERROR"); Q6(i);

}

}


System.out.println("7.Would you like to be able to indulge your habit in a

healthier way?[y][n]");

String healthy = input.next();

char ans = healthy.charAt(0);

//whyN2[i] = "";

//whyY2[i] = "";


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switch (ans)

{

case 'Y' : case 'y': healthyTotaly++;System.out.println("Why?"); whyY2[i]

= input2.readLine(); whyN2[i] = "";break;

case 'N' : case 'n': healthyTotaln++; System.out.println("Why?");

whyN2[i] = input2.readLine();whyY2[i] =""; break;


}

}


System.out.println("8. Have you heard of any healthier alternatives to smoking?

[y][n]");

String answer = input.next();

char ans = answer.charAt(0);

//whyN2[i] = "";


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//whyY2[i] = "";

switch (ans)

{

case 'Y' : case 'y': totalHeard++;System.out.println("What?"); whatY[i] =

input2.readLine();break;

case 'N' : case 'n': totalNot++; whyY2[i] =""; break;


}

}


System.out.println("9. Which of these would you like to try as a healthier

alternative?");

System.out.println("[1] Tobacco gum (a chewing gum designed to deliver tobacco

to the system)");


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System.out.println("[2] Nicotine Patches(A patch that is put on a part of the body

to deliver nicotine to the human body)");

System.out.println("[3] Nicotine Pills(Ingested pills that are designed to deliver

nicotine to the human body)");

System.out.println("[4] Electronic Cigarettes(Like a cigarette, but instead of

smoke, vapor is emitted and levels of nicotine are customizable");


switch (ans)

{

case 1: tobaccoGum++;break;

case 2: nicotinePatch++;break;

case 3: nicotinePill++;break;

case 4: ecig++;break;

default: System.out.println("Error");Q9(i);

}

System.out.println("Why?"); why[i] = input2.readLine();

}

public static void A1(){

System.out.println("\n\nTotal less than 16 = "+lessthan16);

System.out.println("Total between 16-60 = "+between);


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System.out.println("Total above 60 = "+above60);

}


System.out.println("Total less than 1 year = "+lessthan1year);

System.out.println("Total 1-9 years = "+years1to9);

System.out.println("Total 10-20 years = "+years10to20);

System.out.println("Total more than 20 years = "+morethan20years);

}


int sum = 0;

for(int i =0;i


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System.out.println("Total Stress Reliever = "+stress);

System.out.println("Total It became a developed habit = "+habit);

System.out.println("Total It became a nicotine addiction = "+addiction);

System.out.println("Total To look cool = "+cool);

System.out.println("Total Peer Pressure = "+peer);

System.out.println("Total Curiosity = "+curiosity);

}


int sum = 0;

for(int i =0;i


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System.out.println("Total No on negative effects = "+nNum);

System.out.print("Reasons why they believe there are no negative effects: ");

for(int i=0;i


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System.out.print("Reasons why they want healthier way: ");

for(int i=0;i


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System.out.print("Alternatives heard of: ");

for(int i=0;i


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public static void main(String args[])throws Exception {

Scanner keyIn = new Scanner(System.in);

System.out.println("Please enter number of respondents: ");

size = keyIn.nextInt();

for(int i = 0;i


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A3();

A4();

A5();

A6();

A7();

A8();

A9();

}

}

english paper of gab

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