The document summarizes a forum discussion on preventing smoking addiction among youth. The chairperson introduces four panelists: a lung specialist, anti-drug organization head, school counselor, and psychologist. They discuss the health effects of smoking like COPD, reasons youth start smoking like family influence, and ways to reduce addiction such as counseling, awareness campaigns, and quitting support programs in schools. The panel emphasizes the importance of community efforts and positive parenting to curb smoking among the next generation.
Forum Script on Preventing Smoking Addiction Among Youth
1. Forum Script
Chairperson :Very good morning and assalamualaikum for all audience and
panelist. It was great day today to disscuss and debate about news. Nowaday,
many diseases and health problem happen around us. Besides, there are so
many opinion about how to prevent or protect our environment from this problem.
So, today panelist that can shared an information between us were invited.
Theres Dr. Mohd Aidil bin Othman from Hospital Pusrawi. He work as chronic
lung diseases. In left side him, there is Datuk Muhammad Faris Aiman bin Mohd
Zaki as socialist on Pertubuhan Anti Dadah Malaysia. Next, Miss Nor Sharnida
binti Daud from SMK Seri Suria. She works as senior school councellor for 10
years.Lastly, I also invited psychologist Universiti Malaya, Dr.Nor Hidayahne binti
Jamil to hit us to a better and happy lifestyle.
Smoking is the problem among youth and adult is not peculiar to our
country. Neither is it a new phenomenon. Smoking is the largest preventable
cause of premature death, illness and disability. There is voluminous research to
prove beyond and doubt that smoking is harmful to the health of smokers to
those around them. Besides, there are effecting a bad cause in human being.
Are there serious? For that, I would give the all questioning about the smoking
phenomenon that really worse to Dr. Aidil bin Othman.
1st panelist - Lung specialist: Respiratory disease is common disease in the
world. Smoking can damage our respiratory system. Respiratory Disease is the
term for diseases of the respiratory system. These include diseases of the lung,
pleural cavity, bronchial tubes, trachea, and upper respiratory tract and of the
nerves and muscles of breathing. Respiratory diseases range from mild and self-
limiting such as the common cold to life-threatening such as bacterial pneumonia
or pulmonary embolism.
2. The study of respiratory disease is known as pulmonology. A doctor who
specializes in respiratory disease is known as a pulmonologist, a chest medicine
specialist, a respiratory medicine specialist, a respirologist or a thoracic medicine
specialist.
Chairperson : How about the serious respiratory diseases that you can related
with it? Please explain to us.
Lung specialist: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the
most common lung diseases. It makes it difficult to breathe. There are two main
forms of COPD:
• Chronic bronchitis, defined by a long-term cough with mucus
• Emphysema, defined by destruction of the lungs over time
Most people with COPD have a combination of both conditions
The causes is form exposure to certain gases or fumes in the workplace,
exposure to heavy amounts of second-hand smoke and frequent use of cooking
gas without proper ventilation.
Cough with mucus, shortness of breath (dyspneadyspnea) that gets worse
with mild activity, fatigue, and frequent respiratory infections and wheezing. Since
the symptoms of COPD develop slowly, some people may be unaware that they
are sick.
The best test for COPD is a simple lung function test called spirometer.
This involves blowing out as hard as one can into a small machine that tests lung
capacity. The test can be interpreted immediately and does not involve
exercising, drawing blood, or exposure to radiation.Using a stethoscope to listen
to the lungs can also be helpful, although sometimes the lungs sound normal
even when COPD is present. Pictures of the lungs (such as X-rays and CT
scans) can be helpful but sometimes look normal even when a person has
COPD. Sometimes it is necessary to do a blood test (call a “blood gas”) to
measure the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.
3. Chairperson :That’s very helpful information from Dr. Aidil. We must keep it as a
small advice from a specialist in lung cancers. Nowaday, there are many
campaign and seminars for preventing the bad habit which is addiction on
smoking that focusing the next generation, teenagers and youngster. For the
moment, we also have a governments advises that shown in campaign.
However, NGO’s also have a serious commitment on this. So, I would like to
debate about this with our panelist, Datuk Faris Aiman to answer it.
2nd Panelist-socialist : Thank you for giving me an opportunity to shared the
information about today topic. I as a president of Anti-drug Organizations believe
that addicton among teenagers is the serious problem in Malaysia. Besides, we
on NGOs also trust what we going held to give all teenagers awareness about
bad habits which is smoking. I also believe if we can give support and
encouragement between community, we will success to reduces this bad habit
especially among youth. Futhermore, in fact, in recent survey by Ministry Youth
and Sport on negative behaviours among 5 860 adolescents 80% indicated that
they had ever experience in smoking. So, I believe the bad habit can be control
by community if we together bring a good manner around us.
Otherwise, in my opinion, we should not only blamed the teenagers when
they are smoking but we should think wisely about the environtment of
surrounding.
Chairperson : Are there have a statistic or other fact that you can shared with
us?
4. Socialist : Yes, I have. For an examples, there is a statistic at Kelantan which
that shown the prevalence of male adolescent smoking in Malaysia reported as
30% by the National Health Mobidity survey conducted nationwide in 1996. It
shown that higher prevalence than national level. I also believe this may be
because of homogenity of study in participants. As conclusion, I think the fact
really help NGOs to give some information and awareness to prevent the more
serious negative influence among teenagers to join us in community activities
such as rafting, camping or seminar.
Although they have influence of friends, encouraging them to smoke, but
there is more strong, encouraging them to do this the smoking ads promising to
attract interest. In addition, fact shown that image such as Marlboro Man equate
smoking with a macho ruggedness that is appealing to men and boys. This
theme mirror the pressure many boys face tobe tough. Boys believe that smoking
will give them the aura coolness that they are searching for.
Chairperson : Thank you. Datuk Faris Aiman.Everyone knows that smoking is
bad for your health, and tobacco prevention efforts are everywhere. So why do
so many teens continue to do it? Tobacco advertising may impact that decision
more than we realize. We know that kids feel peer pressure from other kids in
their everyday lives. But the teens and adults in cigarette advertising may be one
of the most influential peer groups of all. Images such as the Marlboro Man
equate smoking with a macho ruggedness that is appealing to men and boys.
This theme mirrors the pressures many boys face to be “tough”. Boys may
believe that smoking will give them the aura of coolness they are searching for. I
think thats being a mitos is too much for the teenagers. Did you agreed with me
Miss Nor Sharnida? How can we give something inside from us to keep our
generation from suffered this bad habit?
5. 3rd panelist- school cauncellor : First and foremost, I would like to thanks
organizer for inviting me to deliver some benefit information on our forum today.
A very good morning also to Miss Chairman, panels and my beloved audience.
Today, right now..millions of children around the world and in our
neighborhood are on the verge of becoming hooked, not on phonics but on
cigarette! I am a teacher, counselor, social worker, member of society and also a
mother of two boys – which both are teenagers.
As a parent, I am concerned that my sons may be influenced to use
cigarette or be involved in behaviors and activities that will derail their future!
What about you? Are you a parent like me who is concerned about the
plague of cigarette that threatens your son or daughter? Or are you a person who
wants to make a difference in the lives of children?
Since I am a counselor, I’ve faced with so many problems related with
smoking and there are many persons who came to me and mentioned their
intention to quit smoking but they failed. I’ve done some researches and find out
a few ways that we can do to help our teenagers to stop smoking or at least
reduce addiction of cigarette among them.
Chairperson : Puan, how about to reduce smoking addiction? Please plessure
to explain it.
School cauncellor : The first step is if you are a smoker, put down your
cigarette. If you don’t smoke, keep it that way. This is because teenagers who
have parents that smoke, they are tend to follow their parents habit. Secondly,
roles play with your teenagers to give practice at saying no. If you walk through
this situation together, your teenagers will be better equipped to say no when
approached by a peer who smokes.
6. Other than that, remind your teenagers about the unattractive qualities of
smoking such as bad breath, yellow teeth, smelly clothes and chronic cough just
might be enough to turn your teenagers off to the idea of smoking. Apart from
that, parents can also talk to their teenagers about smoking. When you
understand where your teenagers might be looking to fit in, you can understand
the doors that might be open to the use of tobacco. You ought to encourage
good behavior with positive praise.
As a counselor, I tried my best to play a vital role to help my client or
school students to stop smoking and reduce addiction of cigarette. For example,
at first I will have a frank discussion session with the students and offer them
advices. At the same time, I will motivate and promote them till they have the
desire to quit smoking.
It’s not easy to stop smoking but never forget that where there’s a will,
there’s a way !!
Chairperson : It was great motivation about the reality today. As an adult, we
must keep mind to give a good manner to the youngster. So, for the moment, we
can see many research and experiment on smoking habits. Others, doctors and
psychologist found that disease not only cause a physical effects but also on
emotional caution. To the further information, I would invited Dr. Nor Hidayahne
Bt. Jamil to share with us about the addiction on smoking habits among
teenagers.
4th panelist- Psychologist : Firstly, a very good morning and thank you Miss
Chairman for inviting me to talk about this topic. We always heard people talk
about smoking especially among the teenagers so this is a very common issue
that most people talk about. I’m as the psychologist will answer the question
given by Miss Chairman.
7. There are many reasons why smokers among teenagers start to smoke.
The major cause is their family especially their parents. Children whose parents
smoke are twice as likely to start compared to those with non-smoking parents.
There are a phrase “like father, like son“ that I think most suitable to be related
with this situation.
As we know, teenagers having the nature of curiosity. When they see their
family smoke especially their father or brothers for the whole day, teenagers are
wondering what is so interesting with smoking. And the last solution for that
question, the teenagers will try to smoke themselves to find what is so special
with cigarette.
When the teenagers start to smoke, they will influence their peers
especially at the school. During recess time, they will offer cigarettes to their
friends and I think the usual and most safe place to smoke is in the toilet. Their
friends who do not want to follow, they will taunt and challenge them until those
teenagers follow.
Chairperson : What does if the teenagers feel when they are smoking,doctor?
Psychologist : Teenagers especially boys think smoke can make them matured.
This is one of the misconceptions of their minds. At this level, they still cannot
differentiate which one is good and bad for them. The teenagers assume that
smoking will make they look smarter, cooler and interesting. That is not true at all
because smoking is only harmful to the teenagers.
Actually, those emotions of teenagers are normal because they have a
curious nature, influence of friends and try to change the appearance. To solve
this problem, parents, teachers and adults are responsible because they must
take serious action to curb the addiction of smoking among the teens.
In conclusion, the problems can be solved in so many ways. Emotionally,
we need to increase awareness among teenagers and youth to avoid them from
8. bad influence. Before everything becomes bad to worst, the society should be
alert with their environment because the teenagers today are always changed
and easy to be influenced by peers, media and all bad influences around them.
We still have time to save our generation and have you ever heard ”better late
than never”.
Chairperson : we will break a few minutes for give a chance to audience give a
question to our panelist today.
Second round
Chairperson : Puan Nor Sharnida, I have a curiousity about the teenagers in
school environment. For that, I have one question to you, what are
recommendation programs to prevent the tobacco addict?
School cauncellor : In my opinion, there a few recommendations that we can
apply to solve the smoking problem or reduce smoking addiction among
students. Firstly, I will motivate the student who smoke and have a frank
discussion session with them personally. I will also provide a complete
information about smoking whether the reasons, risks and any other
disadvantages. Therefore, they will start to have a desire for quitting smoking.
Apart from that, parents should also give a fully support to their smoking children
and let they think that quitting smoking is the best thing that they have done in
their life. Don’t ever force them to do it because teenagers will not change
without their own desire.
Audience : My name is Moni. I from Melaka.I would ask to Dr. Aidil. What is a
medication use to treat COPD diseases?
Lung cancer specialist : There is no cure for COPD. However, there are many
things you can do to relieve symptoms and keep the disease from getting worse.
9. Persons with COPD must stop smoking. This is the best way to slow down the
lung damage. Medications used to treat COPD include:
• Inhalers (bronchodilators) to open the airways, such as ipratropium
(Atrovent), tiotropium (Spiriva), salmeterol (Serevent), or formoterol
(Foradil)
• Inhaled steroids to reduce lung inflammation
Chaiperson : That it’s a good answer for us. Thank you to our panellist today.
As concequence, I conclude that smoking give us a bad lifestyle. Perhaps social
life can be more unhappy because the bad habits. But despite such as strong
evidence linking to smoking to health problem and mortality rates, people still
choose to subject their bodies to the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.
Aspecially among teenagers. That unfortunely, will never happen as the tobacco
industry is too big a money-maker to forsaken.
So, it is better to quitting smoke to prevent our next generation from bad habit
lifestyle. Theres is the most effective way to do that. As a tips, there are some I
would like to share. First, quitting smoking can reduced health risk. Secondly, it is
substantially reduces the risk of developing and dying from cancer.
Thirdly, nicotine replacement products can help quitting smoking. The last but no
least, alternative approaches such as hypnosis,acupuncture,acupressure or laser
therapy can be use to quit smoking.
That’s all for the forum today. Thank you.