Benefits Of Quitting Tobacco And Role Of Society In Tobacco Control

Benefits Of Quitting Tobacco And Role Of Society In Tobacco Control

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Benefits Of Quitting Tobacco Over Time

Twenty minutes after quitting: Blood pressure drops to a level close to that before the last cigarette. The temperature of hands and feet increases to normal.

Eight hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal.

Twenty four hours after quitting: Chance of a heart attack decreases.

Seven to Ten days later one will get free from most of the nicotine in the body.

Within Two weeks to three months after quitting: Circulation improves and lung function increase upto 30 %.

One to nine months after quitting: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath increases ciliary movement (cilia are tiny hair-like structures that move mucous out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucous, clean the lungs and reduce infection.

One year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smokers.

Five years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non smoker.

Ten years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smokers. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases.

Fifteen years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smokers.

Twenty years after quitting: The risk of lung cancer may normalize.

Persons who quit the habit before 35 years of age benefit the most but it is never too late to quit.

Most people want Govt. to eradicate the tobacco use. But what is Govt. in a democracy, it is a Govt of the people, by the people, for the people. What can we as the people, members of the civil society and health professionals do to help ourselves, our children and future generation.

Role Of Govt And Govt. Servants

Govt. on its part has enacted ant tobacco legislation in 2003, signed and ratified the Framework convention on tobacco control of the WHO in 2004. It has commenced enforcement showing the political and Government will. Every finance minister, while presenting the budget increases the levy on Tobacco citing health reasons and its harmful health effects.

But what are the Government Servants/ Politicians doing themselves?

From peon to the highest officer in the government building, you can spot people smoking in public areas, officers and you become the passive smoker. Charity begins at home, let the legislature, beanrocrats and rule makers become role models and not the people who break their own rules and laws. They have to lead from the front to help themselves, their children and future generation in addition to the people they are ruling. Why are they playing to the Tobacco lobby and destroying themselves and their own people. Government does nothing to stop cultivation or take steps to ensure or insist on enforcement of laws. For any law to be effective and implemented, civil society has a major role to play.

Role Of Healthcare Professionals

As individuals: We have to go beyond the strict clinical assessments of every patient. We can adopt the 5 As approach issued by US department of Health and Services
1.Ask about tobacco use.
2.Advise all users to quit.
3.Assess willingness to make a quit attempt.
4.Assist the patient to quit.
5.Arrange follow up contact.

At community level: We can promote the 5 Ps :
Public awareness of health dangers and Health Education Lectures.
Prevent people from taking up Tobacco particularly youth in the schools.
Promote cessation by running Tobacco Cessation Clinics.
Protect non smokers from exposure by ensuring banning in public places, work places and homes.
Politicians to be educated to regulate cultivation of tobacco crops in their constituencies and stop advertisements of tobacco products. Be proactive in guiding and reporting of offenders.

Role Of Tobacco Users

Tobacco use is no ones domain but everyones arena, therefore all stakeholders government, public, professionals and even industry have to work together to control the epidemic, which is acquiring menacing proportions and no words can describe it better than Dr. Gro Harlem Brudtland, DG Emeritus, WHO, who says Your actions are causing 50,00,000 (5 million) unnecessary deaths per year, 11,000 everyday. It is rare if not impossible to find examples in history that matches tobaccos programmed trail of death and destruction. A cigarette is the only consumer product which when used kills its consumer.

Human beings are the only species that inhale poisons into their lungs voluntarily that calls for their death. In spite of being natures most superior creation wake up friends and do your bit, leave the pack behind and create a smoke free environment.

Prof. (Dr.) Sneh Bhargava, Ex- Director AIIMS, Head of Dept- Radio- Imaging Service and Incharge of Tobacco Cessation Clinic at Dharamshila Hospital And Research Centre asks, can we control the epidemic? I would like to think YES, We can if we work hard collectively. We have achieved success in IT, Space, Atomic Energy, Why not in health. She also quotes the benefit of quitting tobacco as under:-



Overall Benefits Of Quitting Tobacco

Quitting tobacco has major and immediate health benefits for all ages.

Benefits apply to people with and without tobacco-related disease.

Former tobacco users live longer than continuing users.

Quitting tobacco decreases the risk of cancers, heart attack, stroke and lung disease.

Quitting by pregnant women reduces their risk of having a low-birth-weight baby.

The health benefits of quitting smoking far exceed any risks from the average 5 pound weight gain or any adverse psychological effects that may follow quitting.

About the Author:
Author on various topics for Cancer, Radiation Oncology ,Allied Services, Healthcare, Hospitals and Health Subjects.

For more information you can visit Best Cancer Hospital in India



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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