FEBRUARY, 2019 | Th e HEALTH
ISSUE: SMOKING
13
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Can I vape
my vitamins?
TAKE your vitamins! Yes, we’ve heard that from
our mothers since we were kids. But vape your
vitamins?
Vape companies are coming up with “healthy
vapes” stating that it provides the smoker with a
great taste, natural aromas and mostly importantly
they supplement the smoker with vitamins. We get
Kenneth to debunk this.
“From what we understand in nutrition, we
obtain our vitamins from whole food. By vaporising
it – it’s defi nitely innovative, and with a really good
marketing team, it defi nitely draws in a crowd. Plus
it doesn’t really mention that they have nicotine.”
“From a nutrition point of view, consuming
whole food will always be the best way to absorb
vitamins. Even supplements, we have to consider
whether our body requires that much minerals
and vitamins. Also if it caters to our body’s needs.
These ‘healthy vapes’ are more fun than they are
healthy since the vitamin content is actually rather
low according to a person’s daily requirement.
However what we are trying to impose is that
neither smoking nor vaping is healthy and should
not be considered as an alternative.”
Be more vocal about them
For us non-smokers, or for those who wants to quit,
one of the challenges is to be friends and hang out
with smokers.
“When people around us pulls out a cigarette to
smoke, we don’t give out the message, whether verbal
or non-verbal, that they should not. We should be
brave instead of shying away. We need to fi nd the cour-
age to tell them that they should not smoke or give
them some advice about why they should not smoke
because when we say nothing, it seems as if we’re just
accepting it,” explains Swinder.
“We should be more vocal. By lighting up a cigarette
today, chances are, you may resort to more extreme
measures such as substance abuse in the future.”
Necessary quitting
Claire was an avid smoker, yet her habit took a turn for the
worst, and she has successfully quit
T
HE journey a smoker takes in order
to quit smoking is not without
speed bumps and obstacles. Claire
(not her real name), is an ex-smoker
who was willing to share about what
motivated her to quit smoking.
Starting point
“At fi rst, I only wanted to try it. It was supposed
to be a one-time thing. Unfortunately, when I
began working, it became a habit. I believe that
this has to do with the fact that my co-workers
were smokers as well. I got infl uenced by them
but it was a choice that I made that, I am now
happy to say, is a thing of the past.”
Peer pressure
“I was never the type to start early in life. I only
started smoking because of the peer pressure
from my co-workers who were smoking at the
time. I joined in, thinking it was not going to be
something long-lasting, without realizing that I
was about to make a huge change to my lifestyle.”
The reason
“I thought little of how others felt before light-
ing my cigarette. All I knew was that whenever
I wanted to smoke, I would do it. I only thought
about my own desires. In truth, I was afraid for
my health but I chose to ignore those thoughts as
I was already comfortable with the habit.”
At fi rst, I only
wanted to try it.
It was supposed
to be a one-
time thing.
Unfortunately,
when I began
working, it
became a habit. I
believe that this
has to do with
the fact that my
co-workers were
smokers as well. I
got infl uenced by
them but it was a
choice that I made
that, I am now
happy to say, is a
thing of the past.”
What drove her to quit
Eat your vegetables. Drink your water.
Vape your vitamins?
Th ere has been a surge of products dubbed ‘vitamin
vapes’, where it is advertised as a healthier alternative
to smoking and vape.
According to Swinder, vapes are just as bad as
cigarettes, even more so with the inclusion of so-called
‘vitamins’.
“Encouraging smokers to keep smoking by saying
these are vapes but with vitamins is just an excuse in
order for these companies to continue selling their
products through diff erent methods. If you eat health-
ily, exercise regularly or just practise a healthy lifestyle
in general, you wouldn’t need to resort to any form of
vitamins.” — Th e Health
“It was long process to fi nally quit smoking.
Th ere were many hardships that I had to undergo
in order to fi ght off the urge to relapse and
that made it a real struggle, both mentally and
emotionally. However, I kept my mind focused
on my goal which is to better the quality of my
lifestyle.”
“I urge you to not try it. You will probably
think it won’t last. Th at you’re going to try it
just one time and that will be it. Once you take
that fi rst puff , you have already been pulled into
that world. A new door is opened to you and it is
one that you would not want to enter.”
The drive
“What kept me focused on my journey to quitting
was my fear of getting sick. I am so grateful that
my family cared so much for me that they took
as many measures as possible to keep me on the
right track.” — Th e Health