Wɔn A Wɔtɔn Owu—So Wo Tɔ Bi?
“Wɔde asase so kɔkɔ nyinaa ama nea ɔnom sigaret no sɛ ebekum wo, na misusuw saa ara. Misusuw sɛ ebekum wo. Misusuw sɛ ɔkwasea biara a ɔtwe wusiw kɔ ne yam no behu amane. Mennom sigaret da wɔ m’asetra mu. Manya ahode afi mu. . . .Ɔkwan biako pɛ a yɛnam so kyekyee ɔman yi ne sɛ yɛtɔn tawa maa nkwaseafo a wɔaka wɔ wiase no mu no.”—James Sharp, tete tawa kuafo wɔ Kentucky wɔ “Merhants of Death—The American Tobacoo Industry” a Larry C. White kyerɛwee no mu.
NOKWASƐM yi kyerɛ nneɛma pii na ɛma nsɛmmisa pii a wonnya ho mmuae sɔre. Dɛn nti na wɔ wiase nyinaa no nnipa bɛboro ɔpepem biako nom sigaret? Dɛn na ɛkanyan wɔn ma wɔkɔ so wɔ suban a wonim sɛ ɛde owu ba mu no? Mpo koraa, tawa ho asɛm no te sɛ nnubɔne ho asɛm no ara pɛ—wogyina sɛnea wɔhwehwɛ so na wɔyɛ de ma. Sɛ mfaso amma ne tɔn mu a, ɛnde ne yɛ no begyae. Enti dɛn nti na nkurɔfo nom sigaret?
Asɛntitiriw no ne sɛ wontumi nyae nom. Sɛ nicotine ho akɔnnɔ gye ntini wɔ nipadua no mu a, ehia sɛ enya nicotine no bi daa. Nea ɛka tumi a wontumi nyae ho no ne suban. Tebea ahorow a obi suban ma ɔkɔ mu, tumi kanyan sigaretnom ho akɔnnɔ. Ebetumi ayɛ sɛ sɛ onipa no sɔre anɔpa pɛ a, anaasɛ anɔpa kɔfe kɔɔpo a edi kan no akyi, kɔfe a wɔnom wɔ awia adidi akyi, adwuma mu fekubɔ nkɛntɛnso anaasɛ nea wɔnom bere a wɔregye wɔn ani. Suban ahorow pii a wommu no hwee betumi ama obi “afi ase” anom sigaret.
Dɛn Nti Na Wofiii Ase Nom Sigaret?
Nyan! bisabisaa nnipa pii a kan no na wɔnom sigaret nsɛm de bɔɔ mmɔden sɛ ɛbɛte nea ɛhyɛ sigaretnom ho akɔnnɔ akyi no ase. Sɛ nhwɛso no, Ray a ɔwɔ ne mfe 50 mfe mu a anka ɔyɛ U.S. Po so Asraafo panyin no wɔ hɔ. Ɔkyerɛkyerɛɛ mu sɛ: “Bere a edi kan a mifii ase nom sigaret no na m’adi bɛyɛ mfirihyia 9, nanso me yɛɛ no kɛse bere a midii mfirihyia 12. Mekae sɛ wɔpam me fii Boy Scouts mu esiane sigaretnom nti.”
Nyan!: “Dɛn na ɛmaa w’ani gyee sigaretnom ho?”
Ray: “Na ɛno na wɔde di mmarimasɛm. Wunim, na ɛyɛ mmarimasɛm sɛ obi bɛnom sigaret. Mekae sɛ saa bere no mu no na sigaret tɔn ho dawurubɔ mu mfonini no yɛ polisifo ne wɔn a wodum ogya a wɔnom sigaret. Na afei akyiri yi wɔ Po so Asraafo adwuma no mu no, minyaa adwumaden wɔ po so akwantu mu, na misusuwii sɛ na sigaretnom na ɛboa me wɔ ɔbrɛ no mu.
“Na menom sigaret pakɛt biako ne fã da biara [sigaret mfuamfua 30], na me sigaret a menom no ne ade a edi kan a me yɛ daa. Nokwarem no, metwee wusiw no kɔɔ me mu. Sɛ wo nom sigaret na wantwe wusiw no ankɔ wo mu a, na mfaso nni so sɛ wobɛnom.”
Bill, mfoniniyɛfo bi a ofi New York a ɔwɔ ne mfirihyia 50 mfe mu no ka asɛm a ɛte saa ara:
“Mifii ase no na meyɛ abofra a madi mfe 13. Na mepɛ sɛ meyɛ te sɛ mpanyimfo no. Bere a enyaa me so nkɛntɛnso no, mantumi annyae. Sɛ minya sigaret a, na ɛte sɛ m’anya adamfo. Nokwarem no, sɛ mekɔda na mihu sɛ minni sigaret wɔ fie a, mesan siesie me ho na sɛ wim tebea te dɛn koraa po a, mifi adi kɔtɔ pakɛt biako to hɔ ma da a edi hɔ no. Na me nom pakɛt biako kosi abien da biara. Migye tom sɛ na mintumi nnyae. Na menom nsa pii nso bere koro no ara mu. Na ɛte sɛ nea n’abien no na ɛnam, titiriw no wɔ asanombea ahorow a midii me mmere mu fã kɛse wɔ hɔ no.”
Amy, abofra bi a ɔpɛ nnamfofa, ofii ase nom sigaret bere a na wadi mfirihyia 12. “Bere a edi kan no na ɛyɛ atipɛnfo nkɛntɛnso. Afei, me papa wui bere a na madi mfirihyia 15, na ɛno ho haw maa me nyaa nkɔanim. Nanso merenyin no, aguade ho dawurubɔ ahorow no nyaa me so nkɛntɛnso, titiriw no nea ɛka sɛ: Awɛ wadu akyiri yiye, no. Na meyɛ abeawa a meresua ade abɛyɛ ɔyarehwɛfo a ɔboa oprehyɛnyɛ adwuma no. Ankyɛ biara, na me nom sigaret pakɛt abiɛsa da biara. Bere a na menom sigaret titiriw ne bere a madidi awie awia ne bere a mekasa wɔ telefon so, a na metaa yɛ no.” So ohuu nea enye a efii mu bae? “Mebɔɔ waw anɔpa na me ti paee me, na na minni apɔwmuden bio. Na atrapoe a meforo kɔ me dan mu kɛkɛ no ma mebrɛ. Nanso na m’adi mfirihyia 19 pɛ!”
Harley, kan no na ɔyɛ Po so sraani a ɔka wim hyɛn, mprempren ɔwɔ ne mfirihyia 60 mfe mu, ofii ase nom sigaret no na wadi mfirihyia 5 wɔ Ɔko mu Ahokyere bere no mu! Dɛn nti na ɔyɛɛ saa? “Na mmofra a wɔwɔ Aberdeen, Dakota Kesee fam, beae a mifi no nyinaa nom sigaret. Sɛ wonom sigaret a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ w’ani yɛ den.”
Harley mfa hwee nsie wɔ nea enti a ofii ase nom sigaret no ho. “Na ɛyɛ me anigye ankasa. Na metwe wusiw no kɔ m’ahrawa mu na me ma egyina hɔ. Afei na m’ani gye sɛ megyaa wusiw kɔntɔnkrɔn ahorow mu. Miduu baabi a na mintumi nkwati me sigaret ntra ase. Mede sigaret fi ɛda ase na mede wie. Wɔ Po so Asraafo adwuma no mu no, na menom sigaret pakɛt abien ne abiɛsa da biara, ne sigaret adaka biako ɔsram biara.”
Bill, Ray, Amy ne Harley gyaee sigaretnom. Saa ara nso na nnipa afoforo ɔpepem pii—nea ɛboro ɔpepem 43 wɔ United States nkutoo no agyae. Nanso tawa tɔnfo no mpaa abaw ɛ. Wɔde gua afoforo a wɔbɛhyehyɛ no ayɛ wɔn botae mmere nyinaa.
So Wɔde Wɔn Ani Asa Wo?
Esiane sɛ wɔ mfiridwuma aman mu no mmarima pii a wɔnom sigaret regyae, na owu ma wɔn a wɔtɔ no so tew nti, tawa ho adwumakuw no taa hwehwɛ mmeae afoforo a wɔbɛtɔn wɔn nneɛma no. Ɛtɔ da bi a wɔsakra akwan horow a wɔfa so bɔ ne tɔn ho dawuru no wɔ mmɔden a wɔbɔ sɛ wɔbɛtɔn pii no mu. Agoru ahorow a wɔma sika ma wodi, te sɛ tennis ne golf, yɛ ɔkwan a etu mpɔn a wɔfa so kyerɛ sɛ sigaretnom yɛ ade pa. Nhyehyɛe no mu nsakrae foforo ne gua afoforo hyehyɛ a wɔde yɛ wɔn botae no. So woyɛ wɔn a wobetumi ayɛ wɔn adetɔfo no mu biako?
Botae a edi kan: Mmea. Mmea kakraa bi na wɔanom sigaret mfe du du pii a nea ɛboa na egyinaa wɔn akyi ne sini mu mmea te sɛ Gloria Swanson, a wɔ 1917 mu no, ɔyɛ obi a wadi mfirihyia 18 a na ɔnom sigaret nhwɛso no. Nokwarem no, wɔde no kaa sini a edi kan a onyaa mu kyɛfa no ho esiane sɛ, te sɛ nea sini no ho ɔkwankyerɛfo no kyerɛkyerɛɛ mu no: “Wo ti nhwi, w’anim, ɔkwan a wofa so tra ase, ɔkwan a wofa so nom sigaret . . . Wo ne nea me hwehwɛ ankasa.”
Wɔ 1940 mfe no mu no, na Lauren Bacall a ɔne ne kunu, Humphrey Bogart a ɔnom sigaret pii nyaa dwumadi wɔ sini ahorow mu no nso yɛ sigaretnomfo kɛse. Nanso na mmea a wɔnom sigaret no sua koraa sen mmarima no. Na saa ara nso na na ɛte wɔ mmea a na wɔwɔ honam mu akisikuru no fãm. Mprempren yi wɔreyɛ pii te sɛ mmarima no—wɔ sigaretnom ne ahrawa mu akisikuru fãm.
Wɔ nnansa yi mfe no mu no, wɔanya akwan afoforo a wɔfa so bɔ ho dawuru a ne fã bi fi mmea akansi afã wɔ wiase no ne anifere kwan a wɔnam so bɔ tawa ho dawurubɔ no. Nkrasɛm bɛn na wɔde rema mmea no? Philip Morris adwumakuw a ɛyɛ sigaret ahorow no na ɛyɛ “Virginia Slims,” a na ne botae ne nnɛ bere yi mu ɔbea no. Wɔn fene no na ɛtwetwee Amy adwene: “Awɛ, wadu akyiri yiye.” Ɛho dawurubɔ mu mfonini no da nnɛ bere yi mu ɔbea a n’ani abue a sigaret hyɛ ne nsateaa abien ntam adi. Nanso mprempren yi ɛsɛ sɛ mmea pii bisa wɔn ho beae a wɔadu. Wɔ mfe abien a atwam no mu no, ahrawa mu akisikuru akunkum mmea pii asen nufu mu akisikuru.
Sigaret foforo de hokwan bi ma mmea: “Sɛ wotɔ pakɛt biako a wɔbɛkyɛ wo 5!” “Sɛ wotɔ adaka biako a wɔbɛkyɛ wo 50!” Wɔde nkratasin a wɔde bebisa ma wɔabɛkyɛ wɔn bi hyehyɛ mmea nsɛmma nhoma ahorow bi mu mpo!
Ɔbea ne ɔbarima nna nso yɛ ɔkwan a ɛyɛ mmerɛw foforo a wɔnam so ma sigaretnom twetwe adwene. Sigaret biako ho dawurubɔ to nsa frɛ sɛ: “Nya Anigye Pii.” Nea ɛka nkrasɛm no ho ne nsɛm a wɔde hwehwɛ obi, ɛka sɛ: “WƆHWEHWƐ—Ɔhɔho tenten tuntum na wɔne no anya abusuabɔ a ɛbɛtra hɔ daa. Ɛsɛ sɛ ne ho yɛ fɛ, ɔpɛ mmerantesɛm. Wɔde Nsa Ahyɛ Ase, Wɔde Ahopere Hwehwɛ Ne Nom Mu Akomatɔyam.” Sigaret a wɔka ho asɛm no “ware” na ɛwɔ krataa tuntum mu. So ɛyɛ nea wɔnam anifere kwan so atwe adwene asi so?
Wɔde nea wɔka fa nea aba so foforo ho no nso nya mmea. Wɔbɔ sigaret bi ho dawuru sɛ “YVES SAINT LAURENT ade pa ho afahyɛ bi.” Nnaadaa foforo nso yɛ mmea a wɔn kɛse ho asɛm haw wɔn no de. Mmea a wɔyɛ nteanteaa na wɔwɔ mfonini no mu, na wɔkyerɛ sɛ sigaret no yɛ “Hatahata—Nea Ɛyɛ Hare Sen Biara.”
Dɛn nti na wɔn a wɔyɛ sigaret no de wiase no mu mmea ayɛ botae? Wiase Akwahosan Ahyehyɛde no nam wɔn akontaabu so de nnyinasode ma “sɛ bɛboro mmarima ɔha mu nkyem 50 ne mmea ɔha mu nkyem 5 na wɔnom sigaret wɔ aman a wonyaa nkɔanim no mu sɛ wɔde toto aman a wɔanya nkɔanim wɔ mfiridwuma no mmarima ne mmea nyinaa mu ɔha mu nkyem 30 no ho a.” Wɔ nea sigaret ma ɛba nkurɔfo akwahosan so nyinaa akyi no, mmeae ahorow wɔ hɔ a wobetumi atɔn tawa wɔ hɔ anya mfaso pii a ne tɔn nnya nnuu hɔ ɛ. Na tawa tɔnfo no redi yiye. Sɛnea New York Times kyerɛ no, U.S. oduruyɛfo panyin no amanneɛbɔ a wɔdaa no adi wɔ January 1989 mu no, kae sɛ ‘mmofra, titiriw mmeawa, renom sigaret bere a wonnyinii pii’ na wɔn a wɔka ho ne mfitiase sukuufo mmofra Amanneɛbɔ foforo nso ka sɛ wɔ nnansa yi mfe no mu no, mmeawa a wonnii mfe aduonu a wɔnom sigaret wɔ United States no dodow anya nkɔanim ɔha mu nkyem 40. Nanso ɛnyɛ mmea nkutoo ne wɔn a wɔtɔn owu ne ɔyare no botae.
Bɔbeasu Botae No
Larry C. White ka wɔ ne nhoma Merchants of Death—The American Tobacco Industry no mu sɛ: “Abibifo na wɔne wɔn di sigaret ho gua a ɛyɛ dɛ. Ɔman Akwahosan ho Akontaabu Adwumayɛbea no kyerɛ sɛ efi 1986 mu no, abibifo a wɔnom sigaret no dɔɔso sen aborɔfo [wɔ United States] . . . Ɛnyɛ nwonwa sɛ abibifo pii nom sigaret sen aborɔfo, efisɛ wɔyɛ sigaret ho dawurubɔ no botae titiriw.” Dɛn nti na wɔyɛ botae titiriw? Sɛnea Wall Street Journal kyerɛ no, wɔyɛ “kuw bi a wɔ nnipa nyinaa mu no, wɔka akyi wɔ ne nom a wobegyae no mu.” Enti, ɛtaa ba sɛ obibini a ɔnom sigaret no yɛ yɛn “daa” ɔdetɔfo ‘kosi sɛ owu bɛtetew yɛn ntam.’
Ɔkwan bɛn so na tawa adwumakuw ahorow de adwene si abibifo so? Ɔkyerɛwfo White ka sɛ: “Wɔbɔ sigaret ho dawuru pii wɔ abibifo nsɛmma nhoma ahorow te sɛ Ebony, Jet ne Essence mu. Wɔ 1985 mu no sigaret ho adwumakuw ahorow no sɛee dɔla ɔpepem 3.3 wɔ Ebony nkutoo mu sigaret ho dawurubɔ ho.” Tawa ho adwumakuw biako nso yɛ nneɛma a abaso foforo ho ɔyɛkyerɛ ho nhyehyɛe ma abibifo mmea a wɔnom sigaret afe biara. Wɔde sigaret kyekyɛ kwa. Bere bi no na adwumakuw foforo nso taa yɛ jazz agodi afahyɛ ho nhyehyɛe na ɛda so ara boa abibifo nnwonto afahyɛ ahorow. Ɔkwan bɛn so na abibifo yɛ botae titiriw? Philip Morris kasamafo bi kae sɛ: “Abibifo mu aguadi no ho hia yiye. Emu yɛ den ankasa.”
Nanso adetɔnbea foforo a ɛho hia ma tawa tɔnfo mpanyimfo wɔ hɔ—ɛnyɛ bɔbeasu anaasɛ kuw ahorow ara kwa na mmom aman mũ nyinaa!
[Asɛm a wɔafa aka wɔ kratafa 7]
“Sɛ minya sigaret a na ɛte sɛ m’anya adamfo”
[Kratafa 9 adaka]
Sigaretnom ne Buerger Yare
Asɛm bi a esii wɔ Canada nnansa yi a Maclean’s bɔɔ ho amanneɛ no kyerɛ sɛ wonya ɔyare foforo nso fi sigaretnom mu. Roger Perron fii ase nom sigaret no na wadi mfirihyia 13. Odii mfirihyia 27 na wonyaa Buerger yare ma enti na ɛsɛ sɛ wotwa ne nan biako wɔ ne kotodwe ase. Wɔbɔɔ no kɔkɔ sɛ, sɛ ɔkɔ so nom sigaret a, ɔyare no betumi aba bio. Maclean’s bɔ amanneɛ sɛ: “Nanso Perron buu n’ani guu kɔkɔbɔ no so, na wɔ 1983 mu no, na ɛsɛ sɛ nnuruyɛfo san twa ne nan a aka no. Ɛno akyi no, awiei koraa no . . . Perron gyaee sigaretnom.” Mprempren yi wasamana tawa ho adwumakuw bi wɔ ne yare no ho.
Buerger yare no yɛ dɛn? Ɛtaa “ka mmarima a wɔnom sigaret. Ɔyare no ma ntini a mogya a efi koma no mu fa mu kɔ nipadua no mu, ne ɛho ntini nketenkente no hõnhõn, na ɛma mogya kwan no fasu no yɛ titirii a mmoawa pepeankamma fitaa no a wɔkɔ mu no na wɔma ɛba saa. Ɛho sɛnkyerɛnne a edi kan ne sɛ ade tuntum bi bɛba onii no nansoaa anaa ne nsateaa mu biako ho na nan anaasɛ nsa a ade no wɔ ho no ho bɛyɛ no wiriduduudu. Esiane sɛ ntini ahorow a efi nipadua no mu kã adwene no nso bɛhonhon nti, ɔbɛte yaw nka kɛse na ɛho ntini nketenkete ahorow a mogya fa mu no mu besiwsiw. Ebia ntini a ɛyɛ mmerɛw a ɛyɛ adwuma mmoroso no bɛma ɛnan no ho afi fifiri pii ɛwom mpo sɛ ɛho ayɛ wiriduduudu de. . . . Nipadua no ho akuru bi a enwu ne gangrene yɛ Bueger yare a ɛreterɛw a ne sa yɛ den.
“Wonnim nea ɛde Buerger yare ba de, nanso asiane sɛ ɛtaa ka mmerante a wɔnom sigaret nti, wosusuw sɛ ɛyɛ ade a biribi a ɛwɔ sigaret mu de ba. Ano aduru a ɛho hia titiriw ne sɛ wobegyae sigaretnom.” (Yɛn na yɛde nkyerɛwde soronko akyerɛw afã bi no.)—Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide.
[Kratafa 9 adaka]
SIGARETNOM ne Komayare
“Ɛwom sɛ nnipa pii nim abusuabɔ a ɔda sigaretnom ne ahrawa mu akisikuru ne ahrawa mu nyarewa ahorow no ntam de, nanso pii nhu sɛ sigaretnom titiriw nso ma komayare. Nokwarem no, . . . Oduruyɛfo Panyin no amanneɛbɔ a ɛfa Sigaretnom ne Akwahosan ho no kyerɛ sɛ [U.S.] Amerikafo 225,000 a komayare kunkum wɔn afe biara no fi sigaretnom tee—nnipa pii a wɔdɔɔso kyɛn wɔn a akisikuru ne ahrawa mu nyarewa kunkum wɔn no fi sigaretnom.
“Sigaretnomfo taa bisa sɛ sigaret a ano nyɛ den pii no tew komayare asiane no so anaa. Ɛda adi sɛ mmuae no yɛ ‘dabi.’ Nokwarem no, sigaret a ade a ɛsɔn wusiw so hyɛ to no bi ma carbon monoxide a wɔtwe kɔ wɔn mu no yɛ pii, na ɛma ɛyɛ nea enye koraa ma koma no sen sigaret a nea ɛsɔn wisiw so nhyɛ to no.” (Yɛn na yɛde nkyerɛwde soronko no akyerɛw afã bi no.)—Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide.
[Kratafa 8 mfoni]
Mmea yɛ tawa ahorow ho dawurubɔ no botae na ɛrenya wɔn