Tobacco Use in Egypt

I thought that with all of the news reports of political unrest coming out of the country of Egypt lately, that I would look into tobacco abuse by it's citizens.

Let's take a look at this amusing video from GlobalPost about smoking and street life in it's capital city, and the continent of Africa's largest city, Cairo, for an overview.


What this video reveals to me is that Egyptian smokers are in even worse denial about their addiction than American smokers. Since about 40% of adults in Egypt are smokers, that would make Egypt about twice as worse. But, how could that measurement be so high? Egypt does have a democratically-elected Ministry of Health, with leaders presumed to hold their beloved citizen's health paramount to any corporate profits, right? Like the one smoker in this video said "If the government thought smoking was harmful, they would have banned cigarettes". So, what possible reason could there be, other than smoker ignorance, that put Egypt in the lead of smoking Arab nations? Well, well, well - looky here. According to Google Finance - Eastern Company SAE is an Egypt-based joint stock company and a subsidiary of Chemical Industries Holding Company, engaged in the manufacture and trade of tobacco and its related products. The Company’s product portfolio includes cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and molasses tobacco (Moassels), as well as other related products such as cigarettes’ filter rods and homogenized tobacco. And it looks as though Eastern Company SAE also holds a monopoly in Egypt. According to excerpts from an August 10, 2010 Euromonitor International analysis (my bold) -

Eastern Company SAE remained under the control of the Egyptian Government, which continues to hold a 66% share of the company. Eastern Company continued its dominance of sales in all tobacco categories during 2009 as other tobacco companies are unable to compete with the low prices of Eastern Company’s domestically produced tobacco products and also lack Eastern Company’s high levels of penetration. Eastern Company provides the Government with an important revenue stream, constituting a significant amount of money to Government coffers yearly. This means that the Government is likely to be reluctant to make great efforts towards curbing the number of smokers among the Egyptian population. As long as the Egyptian Government remains the controlling shareholder in Eastern Company SAE, strict measures are not expected to be taken in terms of curbing the number of smokers in Egypt. Therefore, sales of tobacco products are expected to continue to rise in Egypt over the forecast period, with low public awareness of the health risks of smoking combining with high illiteracy and poor levels of education to cause widespread ignorance of why smoking is a dangerous activity. Laws banning the sale of tobacco products to minors, tobacco advertising and smoking in public places have officially been passed but are not yet being strongly enforced. As a result of this lack of enforcement, anti-tobacco legislation is not expected to pose any significant threat to sales of tobacco in Egypt during the forecast period.

No wonder there's so much political unrest in Egypt right now. With a democratically-elected Government profiting by addicting it's own citizens to nicotine, I'm surprised that only 40% of Egyptian adults smoke. It makes me wonder - if the Egyptian Government is doing this to it's own citizens, what else could they be doing?

Be smart my Egyptian friends. If you're unhappy with your current government, why do you financially support them with your smoking habit, it makes no sense? Quit smoking now!

Smoking POPaganda

Truth about the tobacco industry from my favorite satirical billboard artist, Ron English.

Images Source: Pulp Factor

Flicking Butts is not OK

Multiple grass fires swept through parts of Oklahoma Saturday, fanned by unusually dry and windy conditions throughout most of the state. So far, there haven't been reports of any serious injuries, but thousands of acres have been scorched and a few people have even lost their homes.

Causes for all of the various fires haven't been fully determined yet, but I have my own suspicions about what may have sparked a few of these blazes.. SMOKERS.

Not only do smokers think it's their constitutional right to invade everyone's space with their secondhand smoke, they have to find other ways to create chaos wherever they travel.

Smokers, remember the world doesn't revolve around you. Don't be an ashhole, watch when and where you're flicking your butts.

Teenagers Are Like Sheep

The main reason why Big Tobacco continuously succeeds in their efforts to reap big profits at your expense is because - like they say in this film - teenagers are like sheep.

Do you really want to be one of the tobacco industry's sacrificial lambs? Wise up!


Source: Kick Butt

Smoking Women Prefer Smaller Babies

While 4 out of 5 dentists recommend Trident, and choosy mothers choose Jif. Big Tobacco leaders say that smoking women prefer smaller babies. But, don't just take my word for it. Watch for yourself.

How Many Cigarettes Does Your Kid Smoke?

Could it possibly be as much as you? Something to think about when you're wondering why your kid is so hyperactive, irritable, or sick. But then again, smokers' minds are clouded.

Smokers Always Rationalize Their Behavior

Talk to any young smoker about smoking and they'll always have a reason for not quitting. The denial is truly amazing. It's only later in life, when the consequences of their nicotine addiction catches up with them, that they change their tune.

Trust me, I work in a hospital and see these same exact things in older smokers almost every day. PLEASE - don't get started, you'll always come to regret it.

Movies Glamorize Smoking

The movie industry is notorious for glamorizing smoking in their films, especially when the American baby boomer generation was growing up. During the 40s, 50, and 60s, it seemed as though everyone on film smoked.

I can only imagine the countless millions that the tobacco industry probably spent on filmmakers over the years in order to ensure that smoking is considered a normal and everyday activity to the American public.

But, in recent years we've seemed to become more aware of the manipulation from the tobacco industry, and some filmmakers and actors have become concerned about how their actions affect their fans, and have refused to promote smoking in their films.

As a matter of fact, some classic filmmakers have re-edited their old movies to remove any scenes of smoking. To describe what I mean, here's the re-edited version of the 1942 film classic, Casablanca, the one movie that had smoking in just about every scene.

Filthy Habits Are Cool, Right?

Whoa Suzy! Smoking, it's snot appealing.

Businesses and Smoking

The University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center released the results of it's study, An Analysis of the Economic Effects of Wisconsin's Smokefree Municipal Ordinances on Alcohol Licensed Establishments: 2005-2009 (pdf) today.

The authors of this study concluded that the smoke-free ordinances in five Wisconsin cities, enacted years before the statewide law, did not have a negative economic impact on the hospitality industry. As reported in that study -

The examination of effects of Wisconsin’s municipal smoke-free ordinances
indicates no adverse economic effects throughout the hospitality industry and its subsectors including drinking establishments. The number of alcohol licenses in municipalities remained constant before and after the implementation of the ordinances. Also, as indicated by the very low level of fines, there is no indication that alcohol license holders believed it was necessary to violate the law in order to maintain revenue. Finally, there was no significant difference in employment in any relevant sector of the hospitality industry when comparing counties with smoke-free ordinances and those without protections.

That's all well and good, and is what I would have personally expected not only in Wisconsin, but also nationwide. But, the real question is - Why would I expect these results?

The answer to this question should be obvious to even the most smoke-fogged brain, and may not have been addressed because it could have affected funding to conduct this ridiculous study. The answer is - THE CRITICS OF SMOKEFREE LAWS ARE SMOKERS.

Do you understand the obvious now? Smokers are addicts. Their nicotine addiction causes them to behave and act irrationally. Of course they are going to say that smoking bans will hurt businesses. But yet, for some unknown reason, non-smokers are expected to justify their rational behavior to the irrationally-acting smokers in order to prove otherwise.

We are allowing smokers to manipulate us. Nicotine addiction causes smokers to say and do ANYTHING against prohibiting smoking whenever and wherever they want to smoke, regardless of how their secondhand smoke affects others. So, why are we throwing away money on unnecessary studies just to appease the nicotine addicts' frivolous complaints? Shouldn't we be smarter than that?

Just something to think about.

Smoking - Don't Keep it in the Family

Teach your children well, their father's hell did slowly go by.
And feed them on your dreams, the one they picked, the one you'll know by.

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Congratulations! You've finally earned the right to dance like a marionette on the end of strings being manipulated by the tobacco industry. You've really come a long, long way.

Driven to Quit North of the Border

If you're a Canadian living in Ontario, here's a great financial incentive to help you to kick the habit, The Driven To Quit Challenge. If you are eligible - enter the contest, quit your nicotine abuse, and you could win some really "smokin" prizes for your success. Not to mention that you'll become healthier and wealthier too.

How great it must be to be rewarded for being a nicotine addict.

Although non-smokers aren't eligible to participate in this contest, and I disagree with their enabling namby pamby support of addicts who were well aware of tobacco's addictive and harmful consequences beforehand, I'll support this challenge if it'll get more selfish smokers out of my face.

Quit smoking or tobacco use for the month of March 2011 and you could win:

1. YOUR CHOICE of new Honda CR-Z hybrid or Honda Insight hybrid!
2. One of two $5,000 vacation getaways!
3. One of seven $2,000 MasterCard gift cards!
4. And even more prizes!

Residents of Ontario, aged 19 and older as of March 1, 2011, who use or used tobacco (cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos, pipes, Snus and/or chewing tobacco) at least once weekly for a minimum of ten months out of the year prior to January 1, 2011, and at a minimum used tobacco at least 100 times in his or her life. Visit their website for full contest information.

To register for the challenge, go to the website to see if you qualify or call the Smokers’ Hotline at 1-877-513-5333. Make sure to register by February 28, 2011. Good luck!

I'd Walk a Mile for a Cattle

I can tell you by personal experience that secondhand smoke is more sinister than is often thought. I first explained my theories about the effects of tobacco abuse on the recent mass blackbird deaths last week, and now this week we have news reports of mass cattle deaths.

Again, I can't help but wonder if it was caused by inconsiderate smoking farmers blowing their secondhand smoke into their bovine buddies faces? Just something to think about.

Image Source: the LEEK

Smoking is no Mickey Mouse Addiction

Give any goofy smoker enough rope, and he'll hang himself.

Here's a little comical history about tobacco abuse from that world famous cartoonist and chain-smoker, Walt Disney, whose own wonderful world was cut short by lung cancer.

The Smoking Gun

Finally! Truth in advertising about cigarettes, they're lethal weapons.

The Cigarette Century

This John Stewart interview with Allan Brandt, author of The Cigarette Century, is still as relevant today as it was four years ago. Make no mistake about it, the tobacco industry will do whatever it takes to protect their interests, no matter what the costs.

Smoking Kills

Eventually, your smoking addiction will consume you.


Source: Eduard Gallwas

Nicotine and Gravy

Quitting is contagious. That scares the tobacco industry.


Source: American Genius

Parents May Not Know

Yet again, they may just be living in denial.


Source: Native Life Youth and Venomocity

Quitting is Sexy

Ain't nothing like a beautiful woman who doesn't smoke. Not only that, once you quit smoking, you can afford to buy yourself clothes. Make that next cigarette your last.


Source: how to stop

Nicotine Romance

I have an uncle who got hit by a car recently, and almost killed, because he constantly runs across busy interstate highways. Although he's been hit by a car and is still recovering from his injuries, he continues to run across the same busy highways. He knows the risk is great that he'll be hit again, and he knows his days are numbered, but he continues to play in busy traffic today regardless of the known personal consequences, or how it affects the many innocent drivers on those highways.

Although I have sympathy for his situation, I think my uncle is way too cool. So, I constantly run across busy highways myself. I've perfected this foolish behavior by watching him run across busy interstate highways every day, and I expect to follow in his footsteps one day.

I'd like to learn from my uncle's mistakes and change my risky behavior because I know that I'll likely die young too, but I can't. I fucking love playing in busy traffic, and that takes precedent over everything else in my life. Nothing else is more important.

Hopefully, one day I'll have children of my own to pass along what I've learned from my uncle.

Here's a documentary about the lunacy of nicotine addiction from Jaci Hardgrove.

They Say Smoking is Sexy

Yes siree.. are you getting turned on yet?

Pharmacies Ban Tobacco Sales

It seems almost hypocritical that your neighborhood pharmacies are an integral part of the tobacco abuse supply line, but it's true. In an ironic sort of way, at your local pharmacy you can not only fill the prescriptions designed to improve your health and treat addictions, but also pick up some cigarettes to go along with your Chantix, Zyban, and nicotine patches. Nothing like one-stop shopping, huh?

Of course, many pharmacists are upset with this inherent conflict of interest to dispense the medications that treat heart disease, lung disease, and cancer -- and then also sell tobacco to their patients. But, since pharmacists aren't fully in control of their professional destiny anymore, they don't have much sway over their profit-driven corporate employers' decisions.

It's unfortunate because, according to Tobacco Free Pharmacies, a California survey reveals that over 80% of practicing pharmacists were either against or strongly against sales of tobacco in pharmacies. However, all is not lost.

Little by little, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals are taking their concerns to local lawmakers, who are successfully instituting legislative bans on the sale of tobacco in pharmacies where they have jurisdiction.

According to a recent report in Drug Topics magazine, pharmacies in San Francisco can no longer carry cigarettes, expanding the ban to apply to both grocery stores and "big box" stores that operate pharmacies. Other cities with tobacco-free ordinances for pharmacies include Boston, Needham, Newton, and Westford, Massachusetts.



Kudos to these pharmacists for their efforts to put your healthcare interests before profits.

Welcome to Marlboro Country

Isn't this enough to get you to kick the habit?

Image Source: NoTobacco.org

How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease

Exposure to tobacco smoke – even occasional smoking or secondhand smoke – causes immediate damage to your body that can lead to serious illness or death, according to a report released December 9, 2010 by U.S. Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin.

The comprehensive scientific report - Benjamin’s first Surgeon General’s report and the 30th tobacco-related Surgeon General’s report issued since 1964 - describes specific pathways by which tobacco smoke damages the human body and leads to disease and death.

The report, How Tobacco Smoke Causes Disease: The Biology and Behavioral Basis for Smoking-Attributable Disease (pdf), finds that cellular damage and tissue inflammation from tobacco smoke are immediate, and that repeated exposure weakens the body’s ability to heal the damage.

“The chemicals in tobacco smoke reach your lungs quickly every time you inhale causing damage immediately,” Benjamin said in releasing the report. “Inhaling even the smallest amount of tobacco smoke can also damage your DNA, which can lead to cancer.”

Smoking Kills

If you don't care about yourself, at least stop smoking before you hurt someone else.


A short film by: Olivier Ayache-Vidal

Smokers Live in Denial

While I believe that most smokers don't care how their addiction affects others or purposely live in denial about their behavior, I guess in all fairness that some smokers just don't realize the daily consequences of their addiction. Here's a video describing what I mean.



If you're a smoker, take this advice to heart and quit today.

It's National Non-Smoking Week, eh?

This week is National Non-Smoking Week (NNSW) for Canadians.

But what the hell, since I hate smoking I'm going to celebrate it here in the United States too. Why not? One of NNSW's goals is to promote the right of individuals to breathe air unpolluted by tobacco smoke. So why shouldn't I celebrate this week? My air is always being polluted by sorry-ass nicotine addicts.

So, to celebrate National Non-Smoking Week, I'm posting a video of what could be your near future if you continue to smoke. This is the kind of legacy you could be left with when you chase away all of your friends and family with your secondhand cigarette smoke.

Is this what you really want?

What's in a Cigarette?

Here's video describing the processes involved in making a cigarette, with descriptions from former Big Tobacco insider and famous whistleblower, Jeffrey Wigand.

Smokers Affect Everything Around Them

I'm sure you've read the recent news reports of mysterious mass blackbird deaths occurring throughout the world. When things like this happen, speculation runs rampant. Some have said that it's a sign of an impending apocalypse, while others have blamed the mass deaths on power lines, fireworks, overeating, and even alcohol.

But, the real reason is right in front of our faces.

Upon closer examination, you'll find that many of the bird deaths could probably be attributed to inconsiderate smokers being irresponsible with their disgusting addiction around others.

Image Source: Mail Online

The Face of Smoking

Don't smoke, but your friends do? No problem. You can blend in with the smoking crowd without your pesky healthy complexion making you stand out. Try NicoClean!


For a Life Without Tobacco

Stop the Insanity

The main problem with cigarette smokers is not only secondhand smoke. Smokers pass their addictions onto their children, perpetuating a vicious familial cycle of foolish choices, nicotine addiction, poor health, and early death. It's insane.

Let's stop this insanity now! Support mandatory birth control for anyone who smokes.

Image Source: UberPix

Our Smoking Veterans

Did you know thirty-three percent of American veterans currently smoke? It's understandable. I remember when I was in the military the government provided soldiers with free cigarettes included with their C-ration meals. Back then, they seemed to encourage smoking.

I would guess because the government was a former smoking enabler to their service men and women, that encouraging smoking cessation continues to be a top priority for the Veteran's Administration (VA).

As part of their commitment to service the people who served our country, the VA will provide smoking cessation services free of charge to all veterans. All it takes is a little effort and your willing desire to finally quit sucking on those coffin nails. So what are you waiting for? Get down there today.

The VA also conducts clinical studies on a variety of treatments purported to help smokers quit their addictive habit. Currently, they're conducting a study to evaluate whether or not auriculotherapy may be used as an effective alternative to the usual pharmacological interventions currently being offered. If you're a smoking veteran, and would like to see if you qualify for participation in a study to help yourself and other addicted veterans quit smoking, please email the contacts located in the study link that I've provided. Good luck to you!

Image Source: Arizona Rain Man

Non-Smoking Ninja

If you haven't figured it out yet, smokers are foolish addicts, just like drug addicts and alcohol addicts. Nothing you can possibly say will ever convince them to stop their addiction.

Like every addict, feeding their addiction is more important than anything else in their lives, and I mean EVERYTHING. No meaningful and polite nudging will convince them to kick their habit. They'll have to finally make that decision themselves, and usually after they've suffered some type of adverse consequence from their addictive behavior.

Being fools to ever get started, the only intervention that "may" work to convince smokers to quit is direct, in-your-face, confrontational intervention - something like ninja therapy.

Still Wanna Smoke?

Well then, as Tony Montana would say - "Say hello to my little friend".

Image Source: Respiratory Therapy Cave

Enjoy your Mechanical Ventilation.

A Picture is Worth 1000 Words

Can you believe that pregnant women are still smoking? I thought everyone knew about the adverse effects smoking has on your unborn child.

Source: Fail Blog

Michael Douglas Beats Cancer?

Good news on the Hollywood front, Michael Douglas claims that he's cancer free.

There wasn't much mentioned in the media that long-term cigarette smoking led to his throat cancer, and Michael hasn't specifically blamed cigarette smoking, but it doesn't take a genius to put two and two together.

Personally, I've always liked Michael's acting abilities ever since first watching him on television in The Streets of San Francisco. I hope that he's given up smoking for good, and also hope that he's convinced his beautiful wife to do the same.

Image Source: Famous People Smoking Cigarettes

Get Off Big Tobacco's Back

Forget the facts about cigarettes, just focus on the positive, right?

Doing The Right Thing

In 2010, FDA's Center for Tobacco Products launched a six month text messaging program entitled Break the Chain of Addiction, in its ongoing efforts to educate our stakeholders about federal regulations to protect kids from tobacco. Subscribers had the opportunity to take quizzes for a chance to be recognized as a Mobile Contest Winner on FDA.gov.

Well, believe it or not, one of the contest winners was an employee of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. As history has shown us, the tobacco industry cares immensely about it's customers and seems do what it can to promote responsible nicotine addiction. So I'm not sure why I'm so surprised that the FDA sponsored this video.

But, don't take my word for it, see what Marc has to say about "doing the right thing".

Thank you for the Job Security

My appreciation to all of you smokers for helping keeping me employed. Until you quit smoking and put me out of work, I'll be seeing you soon at the hospital.

This Butt's for You Kids

Yes, you can look cool and smell good too!



The majority of tobacco smokers start smoking before they graduate high school. Where do you think they picked up this habit, Mom and Dad? Is that the legacy you want to leave?

Our Smoking Leaders

It's been recently reported that Speaker of the House, John Boehner is a proud long time cigarette smoker. Now THAT'S something to cry about.

On a positive note, it seems as though he and the POTUS now have some common ground in coming together to regulate the tobacco industry and reduce healthcare costs.


Image Source: Opposing Views

Fumer Tue - French for Smoking Kills

But first, smoking kills your oui oui. Say goodbye to those pesky erections.

Future Blue Bloaters and Pink Puffers

Being in the medical field, I am always amazed at the sheer idiocy of cigarette smokers.

It's been a documented fact since the 1960s that smoking is hazardous to our health, but yet new nicotine addicts start smoking everyday, regardless of the well-known negative health and financial consequences. This reason alone is why I think smokers are serious morons.

Cigarette smoking contributed to the early deaths of both of my parents, my older sister, and more than a handful of other relatives. Their secondhand cigarette smoke was in my face my entire childhood, and other smokers second-hand smoke has been a thorn in my side throughout my entire life. No matter where I go, I can't escape these inconsiderate addicts from affecting my life and stinking up my personal space with their disgusting habit.

You know what? I'm sick and tired of people blowing smoke in my face.

So, I'm venting my frustrations by pointing out the follies of these fools for everyone to see, and to hopefully convince a few of the younger people never to start smoking cigarettes.

Smokers, here's a peek into your future. What are Blue Bloaters and Pink Puffers?