If you are a tobacco user, chances are that you've thought frequently about kicking the habit. However, quitting tobacco is easier said than done. While the government is making all possible attempts to make people quit tobacco/smoking, health experts say smokers are in fix as they don't know whom to approach and how to go about kicking the habit.
If you are a tobacco user, chances are that you've thought frequently about kicking the habit. However, quitting tobacco is easier said than done. While the government is making all possible attempts to make people quit tobacco/smoking, health experts say smokers are in fix as they don't know whom to approach and how to go about kicking the habit.
The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2010 says 31.3% current smokers and 29.7% users of smokeless tobacco plan to quit or have thought about quitting.
Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, oral cancer surgeon at Tata Hospital, said the number of users would now have to start thinking of quitting. “Doctors can pitch in by having a two-minute talk with their patients. Studies have shown that when a doctor counsels the patient coming to him/her for some problem, the two-minute counselling does help the person in giving up the habit. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen in our country,” added Chaturvedi.
Agreeing with Chaturvedi, Dr PC Gupta, noted tobacco and health researcher (director, Healis-Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, Mumbai), said, “Cessation centres are available in public hospitals and dental colleges. If a person is planning to quit smoking, s/he should approach his/her family physician. A lot of information is also available online.”
Gupta also said not all people need to go to cessation centres or need counselling. “A talk with the doctor helps in quitting. Take help of your physician or dentist. Do enough research online too,” he added.
Apart from government initiatives to have tobacco cessation centres in hospitals, Indian Dental Association, through its Tobacco Intervention Initiatives, has trained dentists with tobacco cessation. Also, the centres are operational throughout the country, users just need to avail the recommended therapy for quitting. Similarly, many NGOs, such as the Salaam Bombay Foundation, have started special counselling services for tobacco users to quit the habit.
A recent survey by the WHO and the Centre for Disease Control, Atlanta (US), has shown that cigarette and beedi smokers have been slightly more successful in quitting than those who chew tobacco. As many as, 12.6% smokers have managed to quit successfully. However only 4.8% of those chewing tobacco have been able to do the same.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}