Interesting Facts About Guatemala

Smoking: A source of toxic metals in the environment

The cigarette is increasingly becoming a crutch for many in this pressure-laden world and they opt for this easy way out despite the hard facts of it being hazardous. It is not only them but also the people near them who sometimes pay dearly for this habit.

Studies after studies have confirmed that this is a dangerous habit, and yet another study confirms the harmful effects of cigarette.

The study revealed, cigarette smoke contains both organic and inorganic carcinogenic compounds. According to International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC) cigarette smoke contains 4,000 identified chemical compounds and is very harmful and toxic for human health. Of these toxic materials are heavy metals, particularly cadmium and lead, which go into our system through inhalation of smoking. Several heavy metals found in tobacco smoke such as cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel also accumulate in tissues and fluids through smoking. It has been suggested by the US Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) that cigarette smoking causes approximately 440,000 premature deaths per year and is the leading cause of preventable disease in the United States.

Until recently, the consumption of tobacco products and number of smokers has been increasing steadily all over the world. Saudi Arabia has one of the largest smoking prevalence rates in the world and with a population exceeding 25 million; it is one of the top 25 highest cigarette-consuming countries. According to recent surveys, 24 percent of the Saudi population are smokers, spending a total of $1.3 billion on cigarette annually. Being the 23rd largest consumer of cigarettes, Saudi Arabia has witnessed a major anti-smoking campaign in recent years. For instance, the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah do not allow smoking. Some years ago, the state filed a $2.7 billion suit against major tobacco companies, requesting they cover expenses of treating Saudis for smoking-related diseases.

The other form of smoking is through Shisha. This is a Middle-Eastern smoking tradition that began hundreds of years before the invasion of the big cigarette companies and is one of the most common and interesting sites of the Arab world. There are numerous cafes in the cities and suburbs where you can enjoy this Arab delight. Unlike Western markets, in which where smoking rates are on the decline as a result of the many concerted initiatives aimed at reducing smoking, Saudi Arabia’s smoking population is rising. Pipe tobacco remains the dominant subcategory, which is unsurprising in light of the shisha culture that is deeply embedded across the Middle East. In an earlier report it was revealed that the overall prevalence of smoking was 21.1 percent for males and 0.9 percent for females. Most smokers (78 percent) were young to middle-aged (21–50 years old). Smoking prevalence was higher among married people, uneducated people, and among those in certain occupations: manual workers, businessmen, army officers, and office workers.

Guatemala: random/interesting facts : )

*Coffee: Living in Guatemala should mean that you get to drink rich Guatemalan coffee, right? Wrong. All of the rich, delicious Guatemalan coffee that you hear about is exported to comparatively wealthy Americans and Europeans like you and I. Locals in Guatemala tend to drink weak/lower grade coffee with lots of sugar. Thus, as I’ve acclimated to the chilly weather I’ve stopped drinking coffee because yea, it’s not very good. *The Zetas: No not the sorority, the drug cartel in Guatemala. Guess what ma? Members of Zeta have been found in Xela! (minor panic attack for my mom) Luckily, they were found by police while hanging up one of their many signs declaring that they are not at war with the Guatemalan people, etc. The Zetas, whose origins actually lie in Mexico, have been the source of a lot of violence in the North of Guatemala recently and were responsible for the recent massacre in Petan. The Guatemalan government issued a siege allowing the military to move freely throughout the North in order to deal with the situation there. *Mano Duro: The IRON FIST. This is the campaign slogan for one of the many candidates for Guatemala’s presidential election, which is going to take place this September. Despite the fact that Guatemala is only the size of an average American state, it has 20 or more political parties! There are posters hung almost everywhere, but posters for el mano duro seem to be especially prevalent. Apparently, the man behind the mano duro was also the brain behind many of the military tactics used during the Guatemalan Civil War to raze and kill entire indigenous communities. How do the Guatemalan people feel about this? I’m honestly not positive, but think about it…how many Americans really take the time to do good background research on most of the candidates they vote for? *Spanish schools and volunteering: Xela is packed with Spanish language schools and volunteer opportunities. This volunteer hotspot basically exploded during the past ten years though because prior to the end of the civil war in 1996, no one came to Guatemala. I’ve talked to a bunch of foreigners taking classes here and it’s actually pretty amazing how much Spanish they learn in just a few weeks.

Frommer's Guatemala

The Advocate of peace

Kew bulletin

Board of Trade journal

Bulletin of the Pan American Union