Ogulitsa Imfa—Kodi Ndinu Wogula?

“Mnyamata yemwe amasuta wawuzidwa machenjezo onse pa dziko lapansi akuti iko kudzamupha iye, ndipo ndikuganiza za chinthu chimodzimodzicho. Ndikuganiza kuti kudzakupha. Ndikuganiza kuti chitsiru chirichonse chomwe chimatenga utsi kutsikira m’mimba mwake chidzavutika. Sindinayambe ndasutapo ndudu m’moyo wanga. Ndapanga chuma pa icho. . . . Njira yokha imene timamangira dzikoli iri mwa kugulitsa zitsiru zonse m’dziko la fodya.”—James Sharp, wolima fodya kwa nthaŵi yaitali mu Kentucky, mu “Merchants of Death—The American Tobacco Industry,” lolembedwa ndi Larry C. White.

NDEMANGA yachindunji imeneyo imalankhula mofuulitsa koma imasiya mafunso ambiri osayankhidwa. Nchifukwa ninji anthu oposa biliyoni imodzi kuzungulira dziko amasuta? Nchiyani chomwe chimawasonkhezera iwo kupitirizabe ndi chizoloŵezi chomwe chiri chodziŵika kukhala chakupha? Ndiko nkomwe, nkhani ya fodya iri kwenikweni yofanana ndi nkhani ya anam’goneka—ogulitsa ndi okhumba. Ngati palibe msika wa phindu, chotero ogulitsa akanasoŵa chochita. Chotero nchifukwa ninji anthu amasuta?

Kumwerekera kuli liwu la mfungulo. Pamene chikonga chakhazikitsa maziko m’thupi, pali chifuno cha tsiku ndi tsiku kaamba ka zowonjezera zokhazikika za chikonga. Chophatikizidwa ndi kumwerekerako chiri chizoloŵezi. Mikhalidwe ina, yokhazikitsidwa ndi chizoloŵezi, imasonkhezera chikhumbo kaamba ka ndudu. Chingachitike mwamsanga pamene munthu awuka kapena ndi kapu yoyambirira ya kofi ya m’mawa, pamapeto pa chakumwa cha pa chakudya chamasana, kusinthanitsana kwa chididikizo ndi mayanjano pa ntchito, kapena m’zosangulutsa. Mwachiwonekere makumi aŵiri ochulukira a zizoloŵezi zosazindikirika angakhale chiwiya “choyatsira” kaamba ka kusuta.

Nchifukwa Ninji Iwo Anasuta?

Galamukani! inafunsa oŵerengeka omwe kale anali kusuta kuyesera kumvetsetsa chisonkhezero kumbuyo kwa kusuta. Mwachitsanzo, pali Ray, m’zaka zake za m’ma 50, yemwe kale anali nduna yopereka zovala ndi chakudya mu U.S. Navy. Iye analongosola kuti: “Ndinali chifupifupi zaka 9 zakubadwa pamene ndinayamba kusuta choyamba, koma ndinakhala wosamalitsa ponena za icho pamene ndinali pa msinkhu wa 12. Ndimakumbukira kuti ndinathamangitsidwa mu Boy Scouts chifukwa chosuta.”

Galamukani!: “Nchiyani chomwe chinakupangitsa kukhala wokondweretsedwa m’kusuta?”

Ray: “Chinali chinthu chonyadira choyenera kuchita. Mudziŵa, kusuta kunali kusonyeza umuna. Ndimakumbukira kuti kusatsa malonda masiku amenewo kunasonyeza amuna ozima moto ndi apolisi akusuta. Kenaka pambuyo pake mu Navy, ndinali ndi ntchito yodidikiza koposa m’kuyenda pamadzi, ndipo ndinadzimva kuti kusuta kunandithandiza ine kupyola chipsyinjocho.

“Ndinali kusuta chifupifupi paketi imodzi ndi theka pa tsiku [ndudu 30] ndipo sindikanatha kuyamba tsiku popanda ndudu yanga. Ndithudi, ndinakoka. Palibe nsonga m’kusuta ngati sukoka.”

Bill, katswiri wa luso wa ku New York, nayenso m’zaka zake za m’ma 50, akusimba nkhani yofananayo:

“Ndinayamba monga wachichepere wa zaka 13. Ndinafuna kufanana ndi achikulire. Pamene ndinali pa chizoloŵezichi, ndinalephera kuleka. Kukhala ndi ndudu kunali monga kukhala ndi bwenzi. M’chenicheni, ngati ndinapita kukagona ndi kuzindikira kuti ndinalibe ndudu m’nyumba, ndinali kuvalanso ndipo, mosasamala kanthu za kunja, kupita panja ndi kugula paketi kaamba ka tsiku lotsatira. Ndinali kusuta kuyambira ku paketi imodzi kufika ku aŵiri patsiku. Ndikuvomereza kuti ndinali womwerekera. Ndipo pa nthaŵi imodzimodziyo ndinali wakumwa wopambanitsa. Zinthu ziŵirizo zinawoneka kuyendera limodzi, makamaka mumabawa mmene ndinathera yochulukira ya nthaŵi yanga.”

Amy, wachichepere ndi wokonda kuyendayenda, anayamba kusuta pamene iye anali wa zaka 12 zakubadwa. “Chinali chididikizo chobweretsedwa ndi amsinkhu wofanana poyambapo. Kenaka, atate wanga anamwalira pamene ndinali ndi zaka 15, ndipo chipsyinjo cha chimenecho chinandikankhira kutsogolo. Koma pamene ndinali kukula, kusatsa malonda kunandisonkhezera, makamaka kuja kwakuti, ‘Wabwera kuchokera pa ulendo wautali, bwanawe.’ Ndinali mtsikana wa ntchito, wophunzira kukhala namwino wotumbula. Mwamsanga ndinali kusuta mapaketi atatu pa tsiku. Nthaŵi yanga yokondeka yosuta inali pambuyo pa chakudya chamasana ndipo pamene ndinali pa lamya, chomwe chinali kuchitidwa kaŵirikaŵiri.” Kodi iye anazindikira ziyambukiro zoipa? “Ndinali ndi chifuwa cha m’mawa ndi kupweteka kwa mutu, ndipo sindinalinso waumoyo mwakuthupi. Kokha kukwera masitepi kufika ku chipinda changa kunandisiya wabefu. Ndipo ndinali kokha wa msinkhu wa 19!”

Harley, wowulutsa ndege ya Navy wakale, tsopano m’zaka zake za m’ma 60, anayamba kusuta mkati mwa Kupsyinjika pa msinkhu wa 5! Nchifukwa ninji iye anachita icho? “Achichepere onse anali kusuta mu Aberdeen, South Dakota, kumene ndimachokera. Ngati unasuta, unali kuwonedwa wokhuthala.”

Harley sakubisa mawu ponena za chifukwa chimene iye anasutira. “Chinali chosangalatsa kotheratu kwa ine. Ndinali kukoka utsiwo kufikira m’mapapo mwanga ndi kuwusunga iwo mmenemo. Kenaka ndinali kukonda kutulutsa utsi wozungulira. Ndinafikira pa nsonga yakuti sindikanakhala popanda ndudu yanga. Ndinayamba ndi kumaliza tsiku langa ndi ndudu. Mu Navy, ndinali kusuta mapaketi aŵiri kufika ku atatu pa tsiku ndipo bokosi la ndudu mwezi uliwonse.”

Bill, Ray, Amy, ndi Harley analeka kusuta. Ateronso mamiliyoni ena—oposa 43 miliyoni mu United States mokha. Koma ogulitsa fodya sanaleke. Iwo akulunjikitsa chandamale pa misika yatsopano nthaŵi iriyonse.

Kodi NDINU Chandamale?

Ndi osuta aamuna ochuluka chotero akuleka kusuta m’mitundu ya maindastri, kuwonjezerapo kutaika kwa ogula kupyolera mu imfa ya nthaŵi zonse ndi yoyambitsidwa ndi kusuta, makampani a fodya anayenera kuyang’ana kaamba ka misika yatsopano. M’nkhani zina iwo asintha maluso awo a kusatsira malonda kuyesera kupititsa patsogolo malonda awo. Kulipirira zochitika za maseŵera, monga ngati mipikisano ya tennis ndi golf, iri njira yokhutiritsa yoperekera chithunzi cholingaliridwa kukhala chaudongo ku kusuta. Njira ina yowongoleredwa iri misika yoyenera kukhala chandamale. Kodi inu muli mmodzi wa othekera kukhala ogula awo?

Chandamale choyambirira: Akazi. Ochepera a akazi asuta kwa zaka makumi angapo, othandizidwa ndi kunyengedwa ndi chitsanzo cha ochita zisudzo pa filimu monga ngati Gloria Swanson, yemwe kubwerera m’mbuyomo mu 1917 anali kusuta monga wa zaka 18 zakubadwa. M’chenicheni, iye anapeza imodzi ya mbali yake yoyambirira mu filimu chifukwa, monga mmene wotsogozayo analongosolera: “Tsitsi lako, nkhope yako, njira imene umakhalira, njira imene umasutira ndudu . . . Uli kwenikwenidi amene ndikufuna.”

M’ma 1940 Lauren Bacall, yemwe anawonetsa m’mafilimu ake ndi mwamuna wake, wosuta mopambanitsa Humphrey Bogart, nawonso anakhazikitsa chitsogozo chokulira m’kusuta. Koma mbali ya akazi ya msika wa ndudu nthaŵi zonse inali kutsalira kumbuyo kwa msika wa amuna. Ndipo zinalinso tero ziŵerengero za kansa kaamba ka akazi. Tsopano iwo akulingana nawo mofulumira—m’kusuta ndi kansa ya m’mapapo.

M’zaka za posachedwapa chikhoterero chatsopano m’kusatsa malonda chayambika, kumbali ina chifukwa cha mbali yopikisana mokulira ya akazi m’chitaganya limodzi ndi chisonkhezero chachinyengo cha kusatsa malonda cha fodya. Kodi ndi uthenga wotani womwe ukutumizidwa kwa akazi? Kampani ya Philip Morris, yomwe imapanga mitundu yosiyanasiyana ya ndudu, imatulutsa “Virginia Slims,” yolunjikitsidwa pa mkazi wamakono. Mawu awo ofala ali amene anakoka Amy: “Wabwera kuchokera pa ulendo wautali, bwanawe.” Kusatsa malondaku kumasonyeza mkazi wa mawonekedwe onyada, wamakono wokhala ndi ndudu pakati pa zala zake. Koma akazi ena ayenera kukhala akudzifunsa iwo eni tsopano kuti ndi ku utali wotani kumene iwo abwera. Zoposa zaka ziŵiri zapita, kansa ya m’mapapo yapambana kansa ya bere m’liŵiro la kufa kwa akazi.

Mtundu wina wa ndudu umapereka kwa akazi kunenerera kwakuti: “5 zaulere pa paketi imodzi!” “50 zaulere pa katoni imodzi!” Magazini ena a akazi amafikira ngakhale kuphatikizapo mapepala kaamba ka mapaketi aulere!

Kugonana kuli njira yosavuta ya kupangira ndudu kuwoneka zosangalatsa. Mtundu umodzi umaitana kuti: “Pezani Chisangalalo Chokulira.” Uthengawo umaphatikizapo kusatsa malonda kofunafuna, konena kuti: “AKUFUNIDWA—Wamtali, mlendo wakuda kaamba ka unansi wanyengo yaitali. Mawonekedwe abwino, zokhumba zabwino ziri zofunikiradi. Yosainidwa, Kufunafuna Mofunitsitsa Chikhutiritso cha Kusuta.” Ndudu yoperekedwayo imabwera “yaitali” ndipo mu pepala lakuda. Kugwirizana kwachinyengo?

Kugwirizana ndi fashoni kuli mbedza ina yogwiritsiridwa ntchito kaamba ka akazi. Mtundu wina ukutamandidwa kukhala “Kukondwerera kwa sitayelo ndi kusankha kochitidwa ndi YVES SAINT LAURENT.” Msampha wina ukugwiritsiridwa ntchito kaamba ka akazi odera nkhaŵa ndi kulemera. Kusatsa malondako kumasonyeza chithunzi cha chitsanzo chowonda, ndipo nduduzo zikulongosoledwa monga “Kuwunika kwa Ultra—Sitayelo yopepuka koposa.”

Nchifukwa ninji opanga ndudu akulunjikitsa chandamale pa akazi a dziko? World Health Organization ikupereka mfungulo yodziŵikiratu ndi chiŵerengero chake choyerekeza chakuti “yoposa 50 peresenti ya amuna koma kokha maperesenti asanu a akazi amasuta m’maiko otukuka kumene kuyerekezedwa ndi 30 peresenti ya ponse paŵiri amuna ndi akazi m’maiko okhala ndi maindastri.” Pali msika waukulu wosakhudzidwa kunja kumeneko kaamba ka mapindu a fodya, mosasamala kanthu za mtengo wotheratu mu umoyo umene ungayenere kulipiridwa. Ndipo ogulitsa fodya akukhala ndi chipambano. Mogwirizana ndi The New York Times, ripoti la dokotala wotumbula wamkulu wa ku U.S., lotulutsidwa mu January 1989, linanena kuti ‘ana, makamaka atsikana, akusuta pa msinkhu wachichepere kwenikweni’ ndipo chimenecho chimaphatikizapo ana opita ku sukulu yoyambirira. Magwero ena akunena kuti m’zaka zaposachedwapa chiŵerengero cha a zaka za pakati pa 13 ndi 19 a akazi osuta mu United States chawonjezeka ndi 40 peresenti. Koma akazi sali chandamale chokha kaamba ka ogulitsa imfa ndi matenda.

Chandamale cha Ufuko

M’bukhu lake lakuti Merchants of Death—The American Tobacco Industry, Larry C. White akulongosola kuti: “Anthu akuda ali msika wabwino kaamba ka opanga ndudu. National Center for Health Statistics inasonyeza kuti pofika 1986, peresenti yokulira ya anthu akuda anasuta kuposa anthu oyera [mu United States] . . . Nchosadabwitsa kuti anthu akuda amasuta mu unyinji wokulira kuposa anthu oyera, chifukwa iwo ali chandamale chapadera cha kupititsa patsogolo ndudu.” Nchifukwa ninji iwo ali chandamale chapadera? Mogwirizana ndi The Wall Street Journal, iwo ali “gulu lomwe limatsalira kumbuyo pa chiŵerengero cha anthu chachisawawa m’kuchotsa chizoloŵezicho.” Chotero, wogula wakuda kaŵirikaŵiri amakhala wogula “wokhulupirika”, ‘kufikira imfa itilekanitsa.’

Ndimotani mmene makampani a fodya amasumikira pa chiŵerengero cha anthu akuda? Mkonzi White akulongosola kuti: “Ndudu zimasatsidwa malonda mokulira m’magazini okhala ndi chisonkhezero pa anthu akuda onga ngati Ebony, Jet, ndi Essence. Mu 1985 makampani a ndudu anawononga $3.3 miliyoni pa kusatsa malonda mu Ebony yokha.” Kampani ina ya fodya nayonso imapititsa patsogolo chiwonetsero cha chaka ndi chaka cha fashoni cholunjikitidwa ku msika wa akazi akuda. Ndudu zaulere zimaperekedwa. Kampani ina pa nthaŵi ina mokhazikika inalipirira phwando la jazz ndi kupitirizabe kuchirikiza mapwando a nyimbo otchuka ndi anthu akuda. Kodi chiŵerengero cha anthu akuda chiri chandamale chapadera motani? Mlankhuli kaamba ka Philip Morris analongosola kuti: “Msika wakuda uli wofunika koposa. Uli wamphamvu koposa.”

Koma pali msika wofunika moposerapo kaamba ka zimphona za fodya—osati kokha mafuko ndi magulu koma mitundu yonse!

[Mawu Otsindika patsamba 7]

“Kukhala ndi ndudu kunali monga kukhala ndi bwenzi”

[Bokosi patsamba 9]

KUSUTA ndi Nthenda ya Buerger

Mlandu waposachedwapa mu Canada, wosimbidwa ndi Maclean’s, ukuwunikiranso nthenda ina yogwirizanitsidwa ndi kusuta. Roger Perron anayamba kusuta pa msinkhu wa 13. Podzafika msinkhu wa 27, iye anali kudwala nthenda ya Buerger ndipo anafunikira kudulidwa mwendo umodzi cha m’munsi mwa bondo. Iye anachenjezedwa kuti ngati akapitiriza kusuta, nthendayo ikaukiranso. Maclean’s ikusimba kuti: “Koma Perron ananyalanyaza chenjezolo, ndipo mu 1983 adokotala anafunikira kudula mwendo wake wina. Pambuyo pa chimenecho, Perron . . . pomalizira analeka kusuta.” Tsopano akupereka kampani ya fodya ku bwalo lamilandu kaamba ka kuvulala.

Kodi nthenda ya Buerger nchiyani? Iyo “imapezeka kaŵirikaŵiri mwa amuna amene amasuta. Nthendayo imazindikiridwa ndi kutulukapo kotupa m’mitsempha yotulutsa, ndi yobweza mwazi ku mtima, ndi minyewa, kumene kumatsogolera ku kuchindikala kwa zipupa za mitsempha ya mwazi kochititsidwa ndi kulowelera kwa maselo oyera. Zizindikiro zoyambirira kaŵirikaŵiri zimakhala bala lobiriŵira ku chala cha kuphazi kapena cha kudzanja ndi kumva kuzizira mu chiŵalo choyambukiridwacho. Popeza kuti minyewa nayonso imakhala yotupa, pangakhale kupweteka kwakukulu ndi kukwinyika kwa mitsempha ya mwazi yaing’ono yolamuliridwa ndi iyo. Minyewa yogwira ntchito mopambanitsa m’kuthandizira mkhalidwewo nayonso ingachititse mapazi kutulutsa thukuta mopambanitsa, ngakhale kuti angamveke ozizira. . . . Zironda za m’mitsempha ya mwazi ndi kufa kwa minofu yofewa kuli mavuto ofala a nthenda ya Buerger yopitiriza.

“Chochititsa nthenda ya Buerger sichikudziŵika, koma popeza kuti iyo imapezedwa kaŵirikaŵiri mwa amuna achichepere omwe amasuta, ikulingaliridwa kukhala chiyambukiro cha chinachake chokhala mu ndudu. Kuchiritsa kofunika koposa kuli kuleka kusuta.” (Kanyenye ngwathu.)—The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide.

[Bokosi patsamba 9]

KUSUTA ndi Nthenda za Mtima

“Ngakhale kuti anthu ochulukira ali odziŵa bwino lomwe za kugwirizana pakati pa kusuta ndudu ndi kansa ya mapapo ndi nthenda zina zamapapo, ambiri chikhalirechobe sakuzindikira kuti kusuta kulinso chodzetsa ngozi chachikulu m’nthenda za mtima. M’chenicheni, . . . ripoti la Dokotala Wotumbula Wamkulu pa Kusuta ndi Umoyo limayerekezera kuti 225,000 za imfa za anthu a ku America [U.S.] zochokera ku nthenda ya mtima ndi mitsempha yake ya mwazi chaka chirichonse zimagwirizanitsidwa mwachindunji ndi kusuta—kuwonje- zereka kwambiri kuposa chiwonkhetso chonse cha imfa zochititsidwa ndi nthenda ya kansa ndi yamapapo zogwirizanitsidwa ndi kusuta.

“Osuta kaŵirikaŵiri amafunsa kaya ndudu zokhala ndi phula lochepera, chikonga chochepera zimachepetsa ngozi ya mtima ndi mitsempha yake yamwazi. Yankho likuwoneka kukhala ‘ayi.’ M’chenicheni, ndudu zina zochepetsedwa ululu zimawonjezera unyinji wa carbon monoxide yomwe imapumiridwa mkati, kuzipangitsa izo kukhala ngakhale zoipitsitsa kaamba ka mtima kuposa ndi zogulitsidwa zina zosachepetsedwa ululu.” (Kanyenye ngwathu.)—The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons Complete Home Medical Guide.

[Chithunzi patsamba 8]

Kusatsa malonda kwa fodya kukulunjikitsidwa pa akazi ndipo kukupambana