Nowadays, the imitation of Western countries, especially America, has become very common, as the scientific progress dazzled a lot of people of our nation who became unable to distinguish the good from the bad or right from wrong.
As the prophet (PBUH) said “You will follow the paths of those before you, span by span, and arm by arm, so that when they enter a lizard’s hole you will take it.” The companions asked “Jews and Christians?” He said “Who else?” Unanimous.
One form of this blind imitation is the notable increase in the number of people smoking cigar, after the launch of a marketing campaign a few years ago to promote and encourage cigar smoking in America, especially after all the recent consecutive lawsuits against tobacco companies that manufacture cigarettes, which led to the weakening of these companies and an increase in the activities of cigar-producing companies.
There have been some publications, and seasonal and monthly magazines to promote and specialize in certain kinds of cigar, the best-known of which is Cigar Magazine, which found a huge market and is considered one of the few magazines that were able to achieve big revenues since publishing the first issue.
These companies were able to attract celebrity and influential characters in the Western societies in different areas of life. There is even a picture of the US president Bill Clinton with a cigar in his mouth, a picture that was used in many magazines including Newsweek on 21 July 1997.
The sales of cigar doubled during the last 3 years in the US and, of course, in our Arab countries, especially among high-income households.
Some might not know that a cigar contains 7 times more tar than a cigarette, which is a carbonic substance that deposits in the lungs. It also includes 11 times more carbon oxide and 4 times more nicotine.
As the smoke of a cigar is very alkaline, a lot of its ingredients enter the bloodstream directly through the mouth.
Despite the fact that some statistics show a lower possibility of developing lung cancer from smoking cigar than cigarettes, other statistics show that the possibility of having cancer in the mouth or the esophagus is higher from smoking cigar compared to cigarettes.
Scientists in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) are working on finalizing a complete and comprehensive document about the dangers of smoking cigar. The health official in America is asking the US government to codify the selling of cigars and launch campaigns to fight them in the same way cigarettes are being fought these days.
A report and warning from the surgeon general in America concerning the cigar is expected to be issued in the upcoming months.
In the meantime, we can only say “choose your poisons carefully.”
OKAZ Newspaper – Tuesday 18 Rajab 1418 AH falling on 18 November 1997 AD
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