They quit smoking, thanks to Covid!

Don’t let pressure, distress make you smoke, say experts

Even as the Covid-19 pandemic is continuing its dance of death unabated, for smokers, it came handy as it helped many of them to quit cigarettes. Fear of lung infection and staying at home due to the lockdown forced many of them to quit the vice.

It has been tough for them, but at home with common bathrooms and families together, it has been possible for some to give up the habit. But whether they will be able to sustain this once they are back to normal with official, peer and social pressures, only time will tell.

On World No Tobacco Day to be observed on May 31, the need to quit smoking is stressed by experts.

Awareness about the problems caused by tobacco are known to the society and with the Covid-19 spreading fast, health consciousness has seen a steep rise.

It has been noted that people confined to their homes due to lockdown were forced to give up the habit as their parents, spouses and family members were not aware that they smoked.

V.S. Ramesh (name changed), an event manager working in Hyderabad says, “I had to move to Warangal during the lockdown in March 2020. I could not smoke during the four months of lockdown at my home. It was not possible as I belong to a small village and if anyone would notice, the news would spread like wildfire. I quit those four months but once back, it was difficult not to smoke in the company that I have.”

There are others who have been able to give up the habit for good although they required support from their family.

Anand Kumar, 47 years (name changed) says, “I had severe cravings for smoking at home during my stay at home last year. I would always be angry and fight with my wife. My father realised that it was due to my habit of smoking and he helped me quit. I am not going to start again now. It was difficult but I am glad that I have been able to control myself."

Experts say that people who decide that they want to give up are able to achieve it and continue to be non-smokers even if there is an opportunity provided.

Dr Vinitha Reddy, senior consultant, radiation oncology, at American Oncology Institute says, "Quitting requires social and medical support. They need help from their family which if it co-operates helps them quit and stay on their promise. It is not only those who smoke but the well-being of the family economically and socially is impacted."

India is the second largest tobacco consuming population with 100 million smokers and 199 million smokeless tobacco users. There are 28.6 percent of adult tobacco users in the country. Dr P. Vijay Karan Reddy, consultant radiation oncologist at Apollo Cancer Institute says, "The best way to stop smoking is to garner the support system from friends, family and co-workers. This is found to help in controlling the urge and cravings that the body undergoes during the quitting stage. There is pharmacotherapy also recommended like nicotine patches and gums but those are effective only when prescribed by doctors depending on the dependence.”

Experts state that those who are not smoking must not start doing so due to peer pressure, social and economic distress. Tobacco kills and causes a range of chronic and severe ailments which must be avoided.

● TO QUIT smoking, it requires strategy and if well implemented, it can be achieved.