CHAPTER I
Introduction
Cigarette smoking is tremendously widespread and is the most crucial problem that many countries are facing up to now. Despite all laws that restrict smoking and the emphasis of media that smoking kills, it still remains as the most addictive vice that begins early in childhood and adolescence which results to a lifetime habit.
Tobacco use is one of the preventable causes of death, yet, will be the leading cause of preventable and premature deaths globally in next few years (Salazar, 2004). As years come, the average age of smokers is declining. The youth is greatly and easily influenced by smoking especially if proper guidance for them to avoid it was not established.
Indisputably, smoking creates a big impact on people, and year by year, the population of smokers increase thus tobacco-related illnesses that may lead to death also increase. Even the expression that “Warning: Smoking is bad for your health.” is not enough to encourage people especially the young to pick up the habit. It is seriously evident that the several programs or regulations formed to avoid and quit smoking needs more “press on” to switch down its impression to the people
Background of the Study
There are 1.25 billion smokers around the globe and consequently, one-third to one-half of it, which is almost 6 million people, will be killed in the year 2010 from the disruptive effects of smoking. According to the nonprofit research and advocacy organizations, smoking rates have declined over the past few years in developed countries such as United States, Britain and Japan while increasing in much of the developing countries (Fox, 2009: 11).
According to the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) account for 10 percent of world’s 1.25 billion smokers which is a total of 125.8 million where the