Quitting Smoking Gradually Turns Out More Effective

Bumisuka.com – Quitting Smoking Gradually Turns Out More Effective. It’s not difficult to find smokers in Indonesia because they are everywhere. Based on research published by Hanadian Nurhayati-Wolff on the Statista website, as many as 28.96 percent of Indonesians aged 15 years and over are smokers. This is 2021 data.

Aware of the disadvantages of smoking, both in terms of economy and health, many smokers want to quit. However, it’s not that easy. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 70 percent of smokers in the United States (US) say they want to quit, but only 6 percent succeed in doing so.

Realizing this, Health Talk held a live stream on Instagram @idntimes with the theme “Sure You Can, Let’s Stop Smoking” on Thursday afternoon (15/12/2022). The speakers presented were dr. Wahyu Agung Purnomo, SpP, FAPSR (pulmonary specialist at Dr. Soebandi Patrang Jember Hospital), and Riza Wahyuni, S.Psi, M.Sc., Psychologist (clinical and forensic psychologist at LPP Geofira). Absorb the knowledge, come on!

1. There are many reasons why someone decides to smoke

From a psychological point of view, there are many reasons why someone decides to smoke. One of them when they were children, they observed adults around them smoking, then imitated it.

In addition, sometimes there is peer pressure from the surrounding environment. They have to smoke to be accepted by a circle of friends or certain communities. In fact, some are ridiculed ‘less manly’ for not smoking!

2. Nicotine stimulates the production of dopamine, which makes it difficult for smokers to quit

Nicotine is an addictive chemical compound found in tobacco-based products, such as conventional cigarettes, cigars, electric cigarettes (vape), and shisha. The nicotine content in cigarettes varies depending on the brand, on average around 10-12 milligrams of nicotine per stick, citing Healthline.

Like a double-edged sword, nicotine also has a negative impact. Such as increasing blood pressure, heart rate, and causing narrowing of the arteries and hardening of the artery walls, reported by the American Heart Association.

3. Besides nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide are no less dangerous

It’s not just nicotine to watch out for, but also tar and carbon monoxide. Tar is a sticky, brown substance that stains smokers’ teeth and fingers. According to the NHS Inform page, tar has carcinogenic properties (triggers the growth of cancer cells in the body).

The impact of tar on the lungs is also no joke. Tar can narrow the bronchioles (air passages 0.3–1 mm in diameter) and damage cilia (tiny hairs in the airways whose function is to protect the lungs from debris).

Meanwhile, carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that is colorless and odorless. Carbon monoxide is formed when tobacco-based products are burned. What makes carbon monoxide dangerous is its ability to bind to hemoglobin in the blood and disrupt the delivery of oxygen throughout the body.

4. E-cigarettes are not safer than conventional cigarettes

Many people think that electric cigarettes or vapes are safer than conventional cigarettes. Related to this, dr. Wahyu emphasized that e-cigarettes are no better because they contain several harmful substances.

5. Instead of stopping immediately, it’s better to reduce smoking gradually

Everything starts with intention. If someone wants to quit smoking, then there must be a strong awareness and commitment from within him. However, you can’t just stop right away. It takes a mature strategy in order to quit smoking permanently.

For example, someone spends one pack of cigarettes in a day. In the first week, leave one cigarette per day. Then, the following week, leave two cigarettes per day. The longer, the less smoked cigarettes. And so on until successfully not smoking at all.

In addition, the government must also implement strict rules, such as:

• Only adults aged 18 and over are allowed to buy cigarettes by attaching a personal identity.
• Requiring smokers to smoke in certain areas only.
• Increasing cigarette excise so that people will reconsider buying cigarettes.
• Give harsh penalties to people who smoke near children and pregnant or breastfeeding women.