Write to the editor

I read GulfWeekly’s recent report on E-cigarettes and totally disagree with the stand taken by the Ministry of Health and those opposing the devices being allowed freely into the kingdom.

Firstly, let me start by saying vaping is not smoking. For decades, people smoked herbs for socialising, medicinal and sometimes recreational events. Tobacco, however, made its mark to become a universal herb that later became one of the most sold products of all time.

We learned that tobacco smoking resulted in disease and also premature death. Science claims that smoking is the biggest killer known to mankind, it is predicted that half of the smokers population dies every year globally.

Where I agree that smoking is a very bad habit, I and many of my friends were glad we had the opportunity to discover a less harmful alternative … ‘vaping’.

We need to understand that smoking kills not because of nicotine, which itself is as harmful as coffee, however, combustible cigarettes have more than 4,000 chemicals as a result from the cocktail of ingredients tobacco companies use in order to get people exclusively addicted to their products.

Mainly, the top contributor to cancer and lung disease is the smoke. Anything burning will suffocate people; smokers smoke for the nicotine and die because of the smoke. This is where e-cigarettes completely change everything.

E-cigs and/or vaping is intended for adult smokers that cannot stop smoking. Vaping utilises four main chemicals, Propylene Glycol or/and Vegetable Glycerin-based liquid, mixed with small amounts of nicotine (much less than combustible cigarettes) and food grade flavouring that then get vaporised by a heating element (not burning) in a small battery-powered atomiser, simulating the experience of smoking.

The vapour created is inhaled to deliver a small dose of nicotine and ex haled much like a cigarette smoke hence the term ‘vaping’ as opposed to ‘smoking’. However, it is important to note that vapour delivers nicotine much slower and also less than smoke, also, since the liquid does not burn, and there is no smoke involved in the process, there are no carcinogenic compounds.

Vapers often testify that when they quit smoking and start vaping they get their taste buds back, they get their sense of smell, no sore throat, breathe like a normal person, and smell good all the time. They can exercise better and they don’t cough and suffer like they used to when smoking. I can testify the same.

Vaping and e-cigarettes are legal in many countries that are regulating or in the process of regulating them. Why not Bahrain?

Gulf states decided that e-cigs should be banned, and some also claimed that they found them to cause cancer and appear to be more deadly than smoking. I would be interested to see any such supportive studies appear in a medical journal.

Bahrain chose to keep ordinary cigarettes on the market which are known to cause cancer, lung disease, heart disease and dominantly premature death.

Is it more a commercial concern than a health concern?

Active member of the Bahraini Vaping community,
@vape_lounge_bh

Morag

A New Year is almost upon us and, from what I hear, there is going to be a host of celebrations taking place here in Bahrain.

We truly are spoilt for choice on the island. We may find ourselves many miles from home but without any doubt we are embraced by all, here in Bahrain.

As we reflect on the year gone past, through the ups and the downs and look forward to the New Year rapidly approaching, I find myself thinking about our Scottish end of year traditions.

‘Hogmanay’ is New Year’s Eve and it’s steeped in many customs. During the day members of the household would be cleaning the house from top to bottom so that the New Year could be welcomed in to a clean and tidy house. I recall my granny saying it would be bad luck to welcome the New Year in a dirty, uncleaned house.

In days of old, fireplaces would be swept out and some folks would read the ashes of the very last fire of the year to see what the New Year would hold. This act of getting the house ready was called the ‘redding;’ getting the house ready for the New Year.

The old tradition of placing sprigs from a Rowan tree above the door was thought to bring luck, whilst mistletoe was to prevent illness (not for kissing like at Christmas).

Bunches of holly would be placed to banish naughty fairies, pieces of hazel and yew were thought to have magical powers to protect all members of the household.

Finally, juniper would be burnt throughout the house, and then all the doors of the home would be opened to bring in the fresh air. The house would now be ready to bring in the New Year.

Debts were all paid because it was thought of as bad luck to carry any debt into the New Year.

At midnight upon the first stroke of the bells the man of the house would open the back door to let the old year out and then open the front door to let in the New Year.

It was thought to bring luck if the first visitor to step over the threshold was tall, dark and handsome and carried a lump of coal! Women and red-haired first footers are considered unlucky.

People would cross arms; hold hands and sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ at the top of their voice. In harbours up and down the coast of Scotland, the ships sound their horns to ward of evil spirits.

After the bells, people would go visiting family and friends, or first footing as its called in Scotland. It’s a must to bring a bottle, traditionally whiskey, to offer people a New Year’s dram with a toast ‘Lang may yer lum reek!’ Which means, long may your chimney smoke, signifying you could afford coal to keep warm.

Resolutions are made and celebrations continue through to the wee hours! A Guid New Year is had by all.

All the best to you in 2016, wherever you may be.

The Whisperer

The Whisperer’s friend was taken by surprise when he tried to pay a visit to City Centre Bahrain mall on Christmas Day evening. Normally he avoids visiting malls on holidays and weekends. His plan was a short visit to get a City Centre gift card for his son to give to a friend. Since it was a wet weekend and a continuous drizzle on Friday he expected most of the people to be relaxing at home. Imagine his surprise when he tried to get into the parking lot and found long queues of cars! He gave up on the idea of getting into the mall as it would have consumed a lot of his time, so he went to another shop closer to his home to get the gift for his son’s friend.

Youth Talk By Joe

From ripped jeans to odd shoes, it is clear that today’s generation have been so adapted to the modern, good-quality merchandise that it is indeed trendy to step outside this mainstream to go for the opposite style.

Recent studies show that young adults and teenagers prefer to have their phones included in this trendy style. That’s right, people prefer their expensive gadgets broken.

Why on earth would people want to destroy their phones? I’m scared that every time I drop my phone and turn it over it will reveal a web-like pattern.

Due to very curious exploration into this odd trend I found out that, like unshaven faces and low riding jeans, it gives the owner a kind of street-cred.

The main reason for this is that they like the attention they get when someone asks ‘What happened to your phone?’ It makes you look like you’ve been through some exciting stuff in your life – it’s urban, rebellious and just plain cool.

I am a big fan of cracked wallpapers, not the real thing as physically cracked, as I would always love to trick my parents into thinking that I had destroyed my precious device. Also I feel the reason that so many people leave them cracked is because it often costs the same price as the phone to repair just the screen.

I think the moral of the story is that, they know they did it, can’t get a new phone, so they just say to themselves that they are going to be a renegade with a broken phone and a cool story to tell.