tapi tempat siksa tak tertahankan bagi orang yang tak merokok,

Di sawah petani merokok,
di pabrik pekerja merokok,
di kantor pegawai merokok,
di kabinet menteri merokok,
di reses parlemen anggota DPR merokok,
di Mahkamah Agung yang bergaun toga merokok,
hansip-bintara-
perwira nongkrong merokok,
di perkebunan pemetik buah kopi merokok,
di perahu nelayan penjaring ikan merokok,
di pabrik petasan pemilik modalnya merokok,
di pekuburan sebelum masuk kubur orang merokok,

Indonesia adalah semacam firdaus-jannatu-na’im
sangat ramah bagi perokok,
tapi tempat siksa kubur hidup-hidup bagi orang yang tak merokok,

Di balik pagar SMU murid-murid mencuri-curi merokok,
di ruang kepala sekolah ada guru merokok,
di kampus mahasiswa merokok,
di ruang kuliah dosen merokok,
di rapat POMG orang tua murid merokok,
di perpustakaan kecamatan ada siswa bertanya
apakah ada buku tuntunan cara merokok,

Di angkot Kijang penumpang merokok,
di bis kota sumpek yang berdiri yang duduk
orang bertanding merokok,
di loket penjualan karcis orang merokok,
di kereta api penuh sesak orang festival merokok,
di kapal penyeberangan antar pulau penumpang merokok,
di andong Yogya kusirnya merokok,
sampai kabarnya kuda andong minta diajari pula merokok,

Negeri kita ini sungguh nirwana
kayangan para dewa-dewa bagi perokok,
tapi tempat cobaan sangat berat
bagi orang yang tak merokok,

Rokok telah menjadi dewa, berhala, tuhan baru,
diam-diam menguasai kita,

Di pasar orang merokok,
di warung Tegal pengunjung merokok,
di restoran di toko buku orang merokok,
di kafe di diskotik para pengunjung merokok,

Bercakap-cakap kita jarak setengah meter
tak tertahankan asap rokok,
bayangkan isteri-isteri yang bertahun-tahun
menderita di kamar tidur
ketika melayani para suami yang bau mulut
dan hidungnya mirip asbak rokok,

Duduk kita di tepi tempat tidur ketika dua orang bergumul
saling menularkan HIV-AIDS sesamanya,
tapi kita tidak ketularan penyakitnya.
Duduk kita disebelah orang yang dengan cueknya
mengepulkan asap rokok di kantor atau di stopan bus,
kita ketularan penyakitnya.
Nikotin lebih jahat penularannya
ketimbang HIV-AIDS,

Indonesia adalah sorga kultur pengembangbiakan nikotin paling subur di dunia,
dan kita yang tak langsung menghirup sekali pun asap tembakau itu,
Bisa ketularan kena,

Di puskesmas pedesaan orang kampung merokok,
di apotik yang antri obat merokok,
di panti pijat tamu-tamu disilahkan merokok,
di ruang tunggu dokter pasien merokok,
dan ada juga dokter-dokter merokok,

Istirahat main tenis orang merokok,
di pinggir lapangan voli orang merokok,
menyandang raket badminton orang merokok,
pemain bola PSSI sembunyi-sembunyi merokok,
panitia pertandingan balap mobil,
pertandingan bulutangkis,
turnamen sepakbola
mengemis-ngemis mencium kaki sponsor perusahaan rokok,

Di kamar kecil 12 meter kubik,
sambil ‘ek-’ek orang goblok merokok,
di dalam lift gedung 15 tingkat
dengan tak acuh orang goblok merokok,
di ruang sidang ber-AC penuh,
dengan cueknya,
pakai dasi,
orang-orang goblok merokok,

Indonesia adalah semacam firdaus-jannatu-na’im
sangat ramah bagi orang perokok,
tapi tempat siksa kubur hidup-hidup
bagi orang yang tak merokok,

Rokok telah menjadi dewa, berhala, tuhan baru,
diam-diam menguasai kita,

Di sebuah ruang sidang ber-AC penuh,
duduk sejumlah ulama terhormat merujuk
kitab kuning dan mempersiapkan sejumlah fatwa.
Mereka ulama ahli hisap.
Haasaba, yuhaasibu, hisaaban.
Bukan ahli hisab ilmu falak,
tapi ahli hisap rokok.
Di antara jari telunjuk dan jari tengah mereka
terselip berhala-berhala kecil,
sembilan senti panjangnya,
putih warnanya,
ke mana-mana dibawa dengan setia,
satu kantong dengan kalung tasbih 99 butirnya,

Mengintip kita dari balik jendela ruang sidang,
tampak kebanyakan mereka
memegang rokok dengan tangan kanan,
cuma sedikit yang memegang dengan tangan kiri.
Inikah gerangan pertanda
yang terbanyak kelompok ashabul yamiin
dan yang sedikit golongan ashabus syimaal?

Asap rokok mereka mengepul-ngepul di ruangan AC penuh itu.
Mamnu’ut tadkhiin, ya ustadz.
Laa tasyrabud dukhaan, ya ustadz.
Kyai, ini ruangan ber-AC penuh.
Haadzihi al ghurfati malii’atun bi mukayyafi al hawwa’i.
Kalau tak tahan,
Di luar itu sajalah merokok.
Laa taqtuluu anfusakum.

Min fadhlik, ya ustadz.
Rokok hukumnya haram!

Rokok hukumnya haram!

25 penyakit ada dalam khamr.
Khamr diharamkan.
15 penyakit ada dalam daging khinzir (babi).
Daging khinzir diharamkan.
4000 zat kimia beracun ada pada sebatang rokok.
Patutnya rokok diapakan?

Tak perlu dijawab sekarang, ya ustadz.
Wa yuharrimu ‘alayhimul khabaaith.
Mohon ini direnungkan tenang-tenang,
karena pada zaman Rasulullah dahulu,
sudah ada alkohol,
sudah ada babi,
tapi belum ada rokok.

Jadi ini PR untuk para ulama.
Tapi jangan karena ustadz ketagihan rokok,
Lantas hukumnya jadi dimakruh-makruhkan,
jangan,

Para ulama ahli hisap itu terkejut mendengar perbandingan ini.
Banyak yang diam-diam membunuh tuhan-tuhan kecil yang kepalanya berapi itu,
yaitu ujung rokok mereka.
Kini mereka berfikir.
Biarkan mereka berfikir.
Asap rokok di ruangan ber-AC itu makin pengap,
dan ada yang mulai terbatuk-batuk,

Pada saat sajak ini dibacakan malam hari ini,
sejak tadi pagi sudah 120 orang di Indonesia mati karena penyakit rokok.
Korban penyakit rokok
lebih dahsyat ketimbang korban kecelakaan lalu lintas,
lebih gawat ketimbang bencana banjir,
gempa bumi dan longsor,
cuma setingkat di bawah korban narkoba,

Pada saat sajak ini dibacakan,
berhala-berhala kecil itu sangat berkuasa di negara kita,
jutaan jumlahnya,
bersembunyi di dalam kantong baju dan celana,
dibungkus dalam kertas berwarni dan berwarna,
diiklankan dengan indah dan cerdasnya,

Tidak perlu wudhu atau tayammum menyucikan diri,
tidak perlu ruku’ dan sujud untuk taqarrub pada tuhan-tuhan ini,
karena orang akan khusyuk dan fana
dalam nikmat lewat upacara menyalakan api
dan sesajen asap tuhan-tuhan ini,

Rabbana,
beri kami kekuatan menghadapi berhala-berhala ini

(Taufiq Ismail)

I’ll record the demo soon. With my extra-limited bedroom-recording tools, so don’t expect good quality because it’s very average and noisy as well -LOL

Cheers

You must wonder why, why underwear and not something else ordinary (read : common). Well, everyone wears underwear, everyone definitely needs underwear everyday, old – young – rich – poor – educated or not. Underwear is the least simple thing ever pops up in your mind.

Underwear RULES!

-LOL-

It’ll be slightly viewed as if I were promoting my band. But the main point I want to tell you is that finally there is a (local) band who’ll be campaigning against tobacco/smoking. The band will be Lampukota. One of notable jangly-pop bands in Jogja indie-music scene.

During centuries of band existence in the universe, I haven’t noticed a band who promotes/supports for campaign against tobacco. Most of them even become the supporting artists in several cigarette product advertisements. I often see bands who support campaign against drugs. I may say, some musicians do drug but some don’t. But I cant say the same thing for smoking. I’d rather say, most of musicians do smoking and few don’t. And I have no idea why most of them, young and adults, like smoking even are addicted. I’ll do a survey for it.

Therefore, I’ve written a song about this filthy habit. In this song, I tried to deliver message that not only did smoking ruin ones’ health but also ruined ones’ faith. No religion in the universe allows mankind to harm their bodies and the worst, harm people around them too (except for the atheists) but still smokers smoke as if they worshiped cigarette (burn the dupes and pray –LOL). The other message was that I was quite annoyed, disturbed, and disgusted by cigarettes smoke.

I’ve made my band listened to it. And Buddy, the vocalist, gave an idea for playing it in a band. At first, I rejected it because during the making of the song I was greatly influenced by Buzzcocks and Ash rhythm and beat. I was afraid if my song would be heard similar as theirs and accused me for plagiarism. But I reconsidered and rethought that by rearranging it, it wouldn’t sound as theirs. Buddy said that it’s OK if our band had some topics to be spoken up along within the song.

Finally, we’ve decided that the song (the title is “Cigar is Yer God”) would be featured in our first mini album. I’m happy that my band support me, and that none of them is smoker (well, some of them once were but now they’ve quited), I’m just so proud of them.

Until now, the song is still in arranging phase. Once again, it’ll be featured in our upcoming mini album so when the album is released, just grab ‘em and spread the message!

Other reminder videos about smoking harm (created by MUSA UP -stands for Multimedia Utilising Scientists Against Unhealthy Promotion) can be found here

~cheers

It’s time to come clean. I have a dirty little secret that I’ve kept from many people for a long time. I have intentionally not written about it publicly, as I was afraid of all the condemning comments and accusatory reactions. I’m a med student/soon to be doctor, and I smoke.

Now let me explain. I started “experimenting” with smoking at a young age. I guess I was around 15 when I smoked my first cigarette. It wasn’t a big deal at the time. It was just one of those “it’s bad to do it, so I’m gonna do it” type of rebellious acts. I didn’t smoke very often at first, just every once in a while with my friends. Years later, I began smoking a little more frequently. I was never a “heavy” smoker, but since then, I’ve definitely inhaled far too many cigarettes than I should have.

I have tried to quit many times. In fact, I went a few years without a single cigarette. Ironically, it was during med school that I started up again more heavily. Now, I consider myself to be a “social smoker.” I rarely smoke alone, or during the day. My biggest trigger is alcohol. If I have a beer, glass of wine, or margarita, the urge just hits me like a nicotine monster. I can’t seem to resist the temptation to light up after I’ve had a few drinks.

So, how can I be a medical student, training to be a doctor, and continue to light up? Before I started med school, I knew the dangers of smoking. It’s pretty hard to avoid the anti-smoking ads (which have become even more prevalent recently), and if you somehow didn’t see those ads, you could simply read the warning on the outside of the package. But I did it anyway. Then I went to med school. I learned about what smoke does on a biochemical level. I studied the pathologies it causes. Now, more than ever, I know about the relationship of smoking to lung cancer, emphysema, bronchitis, and many other diseases. I am perfectly aware of the dangers of smoking. Yet I still haven’t been able to completely kick the habit.

What’s wrong with me then? Well, to it put simply, I am an addict. You can educate an addict on the dangers of doing their drug of choice until your lips turn blue, but that doesn’t mean they will quit. Ask any heroin addict if they think shooting up is good for them, and I guarantee they will tell you no. But invariably, they find it quite difficult to quit.

Am I alone on this one? Absolutely not. Millions of people are addicted to smoking. And here’s the kicker: there are quite a few people in the healthcare industry who smoke. Med students smoke. Doctors smoke. Nurses smoke. Smoking permeates the whole spectrum of workers in the “health” industry. But how can this be? Shouldn’t we know better?

The literature is ripe with articles on this very topic. Some people believe that the healthcare industry has a higher proportion of smokers than many other industries.

Still, it is utterly embarrassing for me to admit to the world that I smoke. I hide it from my fellow students, residents, attendings, and just about everyone else I meet. I don’t want people to think that I am “weak” and know that I would do something so destructive to my body.

Speaking of which, that’s the other huge dilemma that I have with smoking. I consider myself to be a relatively healthy person in general. I eat fairly well, I exercise regularly, I do yoga, I meditate. Save for this one nasty little habit, I consider myself to be a pretty healthy person. In fact, I’ve used that excuse to continue smoking at times. I say to myself, “I am so healthy otherwise, what is one little cigarette going to do to hurt me?”

I have a billion other excuses and defense mechanisms that I’ve constructed to allow myself to continue smoking. They have served me well for many years. But now I’m one year away from being a doctor. My job will be to provide healthcare to my patients. I’m supposed to educate them on the many ways to become healthier. I should be a role model of healthy habits. Yet, I have not yet been able to quit smoking. Perhaps this makes me better able to “get” my patients. As a smoker, I understand all too well the struggles involved with smoking cessation.

I encourage everyone to share their thoughts. Tell me how terrible I am for smoking. Tell me that you smoke too. Tell me what you think about doctors who smoke.

I’m attaching few comments below. Actually, there were 100 comments to the post but attaching all 100 comments is not a wise choice, I think

# 1

I am a nurse that smokes too. I am embarrassed about it and try to hide it from my coworkers and patients. I’ve tried quitting numerous times without success. I will try to quit again but it may take several more attempts. That’s the way it goes when trying to quit smoking.

Like you said, I also consider myself quite healthy in all other aspects of my life. I am a decent weight, eat well, and try to exercise.

What irks me is when overweight people berate me for smoking. If I did the same to them about their weight, it would be considered inappropriate and mean. I’m tired of people lecturing me about smoking. I KNOW it’s bad for me!

Are we as health care workers expected to be perfect? We are human, after all. And like you said, maybe it helps me relate to my patients more. That is, to understand the struggle with addiction and trying to improve lifestyle habits.

Just my two cents

# 2

I’m a med student/ soon-to-be-PA, and I’ll say to you what I say to my patients: smoking literally re-wires the receptors in your brain. It’s no wonder quitting is difficult, and in fact most people who are able to quit for good only make it to that point after several failed or abandoned attempts. And the receptors don’t care about logic, they don’t care about guilt, they just care about nicotine. So don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s not an excuse, it’s a fact of your neurophysiologic life.

On the other hand, if you feel like you’ve had enough, and you really truly want to quit, you should talk to your primary clinician. You don’t have to keep doing something you don’t really want to, just because your brain says you have to. We understand a lot more about addiction to nicotine than we used to, and there are tools available to help you get over it that didn’t exist just a few years ago.

So it’s not about making you feed bad for smoking — if you already feel bad about it, the question is, how bad? It’s not about telling you about the health benefits of quitting now — the question is, do you feel like those benefits will be worth the effort of quitting?

# 3

I tried several times to quit, of course, with utter failure. I can relate to the alcohol trigger because as soon as I quit drinking, giving up smoking was a walk in the park. Didn’t even notice I had quit!

Giving up drinking seemed so much easier.

# 4

I’m also a 3rd yr student, and I also smoke similarly to you. I’m not entirely addicted to nicotine, I can go weeks without smoking, but with alcohol, it can be hard to resist. I feel like such a hypocrite, and I when I smell a patient that just lit up I know everyone in the hospital is judging them…. For me smoking is definitely related to my mental health. When I am depressed or stressed, which is unfortunately kind of often, I smoke more. When things are going well, I smoke less. Maybe you feel the same way? I’ve found that when you are out drinking, when that urge to smoke hits chewing nicotine gum can effectively satisfy that craving, but I also love the social aspect of smoking, the oral fixation, the getting outside the bar and just chatting it up with random people… but in the end its the addiction to nicotine. Try the gum. Try an ecigarette. Try something. We both should quit.

# 5

I’m an Osteopathic medical student and used to smoke as well.

I was a US Marine for 9 years and I smoked while active duty. When I got out I stopped but one of the things that helped me was actually two habits;

1) Substitute the “timed” smoking habit of going outside of the hospital or clinic can be substituted by using that time to have a planned activity, (i.e. take off your lab coat and do 20 push-ups or go to gym (or respiratory lab) and do 10 minutes on the stair stepper.

2) Visualize while exercising the release of hormones etc. Imagine how smoking kills the bronchial cilia and how much more vigorous your lungs feel exercising instead.

It may sound simplistic but in my personal experience, all the chemical smoking cessation products alone are not as effective habit substitution and exercise.

simply rub the gel on your hand then cigarette satisfaction sipped

Yup, the product was offered on flight shopping chart.

This product is designed to let people find cigarette satisfaction where smoking is not permitted such as in public areas. Just simply rub your hands with the gel and satisfaction comes up.

It might be useful to reduce the SHS (secondhand smoke) harms. Such product should be available in every drugstore in Indonesia, so that smokers can find and use it easily. But, the problem is, it’s expensive. One pack of Nicogel, they can buy 10 packs of cigarettes with similar price. And since most of smokers in Indonesia come from low social economy level, they will never think twice not to buy the gel.

Moreover, I think that the gel is not really a way to promote health behavior. People are still addicted to nicotine since it provides similar satisfaction. It’s just a replacement that might not help ones giving up smoking. But at least, such product will harm the user only (if it’s still harmful). It produces no smoke, safer for every one around.

Local pharmaceutical company should try to create something like this, then it’ll be less costly

Airport is a main point where exchanging takes place, that is why we call it cross border, even for an advertisement. And such view (view of cigarette advertisements) somehow becomes unpleasant in my eyes, nothing like craps which decorate the wall (yes yes, I mean it!)

I think that Department of Health in Indonesia should put this matter as one of priorities. Though, we periodically face cases like AI and DHF, but this smoking matters are chronically spreading and killing people slowly but surely! And so, the related NGOs are supposed to work hand in hand, make efforts, to reach the goals. I know it might take quite long time but at least we do it progressively.

Below is pictures I spotted in 2 main airports in Indonesia. Soekarno-Hatta International Airport Jakarta and Adisutjipto Airport Yogyakarta