Seeking professional support is a must for smoking cessation, say MMHRC doctors

Nearly 80% of participants of formal programmes that involve counselling, medication and support groups, succeeded in quitting smoking. In contrast, only about 20% who attempt to overcome nicotine addiction on their own are successful, said experts at Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre here on Wednesday.

Marking the commemoration of World No-Tobacco Day, which falls on May 31, Velkumar, senior consultant and HOD of Pulmonology, said that nicotine addiction is considered one of the hardest addictions to overcome, even compared to addictions to ganja (marijuana) or cocaine. It requires the right combination of psychological, medical and social interventions over an extended period to help smokers quit successfully.

Speaking to reporters, he said, “A multidisciplinary medical team can help smokers with counselling and nicotine replacement therapy. In our own experience, we find that over 80% of participants in smoking cessation programmes have successfully overcome this deadly habit.

“In counselling, we help smokers understand that the 2.5-inch cigarette they smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, with about 50% of them being cancer-causing. The content includes ammonia, found in household cleaners and rat poisons; carbon monoxide, present in vehicle exhaust; asphalt or bitumen, a petroleum product used to pave roads; and, of course, nicotine.

The therapy focuses on gradually reducing nicotine intake, helping patients quit without experiencing significant withdrawal symptoms and cravings,” he explained.

Dr. Velkumar further added that smoking cessation often requires professional support to be effective for most people. “Today, nicotine chewing gums are available over-the-counter, but it’s not merely a matter of self-medication. It involves following a treatment protocol and importantly, gaining psychological insights to help smokers cope with triggers and withdrawal symptoms. Importantly, they need to be a part of the support groups as well.”

Radiation Oncology Department senior consultant K. S. Kirushna Kumar said that advances in medical science have increased the success rate of the treatments of smoking-related illnesses when they are detected early. For instance, cancer is curable when it is diagnosed early. Annual cancer screening is important for smokers. Usually, a low-dose CT scan is recommended for this purpose.

Out of the 1.3 billion smokers in the world about 12% of them – nearly 150 million are in India. But as per a recent WHO report, the number would rise to about 267 million, when we also include people who consume smokeless tobacco such as gutkha, and pan masala. Globally, tobacco use is one of the biggest public health threats. Approximately eight million people died every year worldwide due to smoking-related illnesses. In India, smoking kills over one million people annually. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer and heart diseases, which account for over 50% of all deaths in the country, he added.

Department of Medical Oncology Head Krishnakumar Rathnam said that over the past two decades, there has been a worldwide decline in tobacco use, with approximately one in five adults consuming it. The authorities should enforce laws that persons below 21 years do not have access to tobacco. While there is a blanket ban on smoking in public places, advertising cigarettes or other tobacco products should be made illegal.

The media had a major role to play and should create awareness through films or television shows with message on anti-tobacco, he added.