No Smoking Day: Quit smoking in a few simple steps

‘40% cancer cases can be prevented in Pakistan with a smoking ban’.

LAHORE:

Experts speaking at a seminar at the King Edward Medical University (KEMU) in connection with the World Smoking Day on Friday gave tips to smokers who wished to quit smoking.

“Giving up smoking is difficult but if you follow some simple steps it may become easy,” said Dr Rana Sohail.

“The first thing you have to do is select a date when you plan to quit… Don’t smoke after that date,” he said.

He said the smoker should let his friends and family members know about the plan.

“He should remove all smoking accessories including lighters, cigarette cases, match boxes and filters from his workplace and house,” Sohail said. “Thirdly…he shouldn’t get back to it, come what may.”

He said some smokers felt the need to smoke after meals and in washrooms. This, he said was because of the nicotine addiction. “Nicotine patches are available in the market which can be pasted on the body…the quantity of nicotine can then be gradually decreased,” he said.



Sohail said nicotine chewing gums could also be used. He said the family and friends of the person quitting should encourage him. Help could always be sought from a psychiatrist.

He said the smoker needed to know that ‘heavens would not fall’ if he quit. “This is a tried and tested exercise. It has helped many smokers quit,” Sohail added.

Dr Amir Bhutta said cigarettes were cheaper in Pakistan than India and Afghanistan. He said some 40 per cent cancer cases and heart complications in the country could be prevented with a ban on smoking.

Dr Tayyab from Allama Iqbal Medical College said tobacco smoking caused strokes, cancer, heart attacks as well as complications in several diseases.

He said chewing tobacco in the form of gutka was the most dangerous and could result in mouth cancer.

He said there was a dire need to spread awareness about these diseases. “Smokers shouldn’t be glorified in films or in TV plays,” he added.

Earlier, KEMU Vice Chancellor Professor Faisal Masud, Pro VC Professor Asad Aslam Khan and other faculty members participated in an awareness raising walk which started from Patiala Block and culminated at the GPO Chowk.

The doctors carried placards mentioning the hazards of smoking.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2013.