Prices of cigarettes that have been adjusted and have been increasing over the last few years have succeeded to a small extent in slowing down the momentum of smoking in the country.
Despite smoking bans in locations such as eateries, the majority of smokers persist in significantly adding to the ongoing pollution in our atmosphere.
Now that cigarette prices are almost reaching the 20 ringgit mark, many are unfazed.
Instead of quitting, they switch to cheaper brands, including illegally imported cigarettes that make their way into our shores or across our borders.
These cigarettes contain high levels of nicotine, unlike legally imported ones, which have their nicotine content monitored and controlled.
It is believed that due to the high nicotine content, inexpensive cigarettes like LA (green, blue, or red) can be addictive.
Someone very close to me developed a preference for LA, switching from Salem Light many years ago the price of the former increased from RM7 to RM8.60. The price went up further later to RM17.80.
Initially, LA cost RM2.50 per pack of 20, but now its price ranges between RM4.50 and RM5.50, depending on the location.
My 76-year-old brother Jon, who has been a smoker for fifty years, has this to say: “I will only quit smoking when one pack of twenty costs 20 ringgit.”
Since it hasn’t reached that point, I am certain he will remain loyal to the industry forever. When I met him in Kuching recently, he was smoking the inexpensive Parkway, whose price will likely never go above RM10 per pack in his lifetime. Quitting smoking, or at least reducing the habit, requires strong willpower.
Our parents, both smokers, tried their hand at growing tobacco in the late 60s on our land in Bukit Tinggi Upper Melupa in Saratok, not far from Nanga Assam Primary School.
Their enthusiasm didn’t last more than two years due to fluctuating success and issues with relatives and friends who failed to pay for the tobacco leaves they purchased on credit.
When my dad decided to enforce cash-on-delivery purchases only, many customers, including his two younger brothers and their spouses, stopped buying from him.
Looking back, I’m grateful I had the willpower to quit smoking decades ago.
During the final weeks of our Upper Sixth days at Methodist Secondary School in Sibu, some of us experimented with cigarettes to get a feel for them and to keep mosquitoes at bay while studying at night in the classrooms, as we were boarders without much supervision.
Back then, the prevailing cigarette choice among us, impoverished rural students enrolled in a prestigious urban school, was the State Express Three Fives (555), priced at one ringgit for a pack of seven sticks, making it a budget-friendly option for us.
Other brands at the time ranged from RM2 to RM4 per pack of twenty sticks, while cheaper brands sold for between RM1 and RM1.50 for twenty sticks.
My father smoked brands like Rough Rider (Chap Kuda), and Embassy, and when these were not within reach, he would tolerate the others. The more expensive brands included Consulate, Malboro, Rothman, Benson and Hedges, Capstan, Players’ Gold Leaf, Camel, Kent, and many more.
My persistent cough during our initial three months at the university prompted me to stop temporarily and eventually quit smoking cigarettes.
After some time without smoking — since smoking was not allowed inside the lecture halls at USM, Penang — I experimented with a pipe, starting with Erinmore Flake tobacco. Presently, I occasionally indulge in pipe smoking but have transitioned to Blend 11 tobacco.
Smoking a pipe offers me a profound sense of tranquillity, much like the late Governor Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, who also found solace in this timeless practice.
I now own two pipes, one bought for 52 ringgit in KL some years ago and another bought in Serikin for RM10.
This story reminds me of my mother’s final wish on Aug 31, 1988, just before midnight.
She said, “Please give me a cigarette, I need it.”
She was in Sarikei Hospital, bedridden. I asked my brother Jon for a cigarette, which she took but dropped after about two minutes. We were all silent witnessing this.
At four in the morning of Sept 1, she passed away, with the request for a cigarette being her last. She was 72.
On record, she had recently quit smoking before her hospitalization. This may highlight the profound nature of her smoking addiction, evidenced by her subconscious craving for cigarettes even in her unconscious state. May she rest in eternal peace.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the New Sarawak Tribune.
