TEAM ICanCaRe wishes you a clean, green, healthy, and lively Ganesh Chaturthi!
As we joyously celebrate the divine festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, ICanCaRe urges you to make a sacred pledge – let us embrace this auspicious occasion as an opportunity to choose a path of health, wellness, and harmony by saying NO to tobacco.
Just as Lord Ganesha symbolizes wisdom, prosperity, and triumph over adversity, let us strive to overcome the challenge of tobacco addiction, a hurdle that obstructs our path to a fulfilling and healthy life.
Tobacco not only harms our physical health but also casts a shadow on our spiritual well-being. This Ganesh Chaturthi, let us honor the essence of the festival by committing to a life free from the clutches of tobacco.
Together, we can build a society where the air is pure, hearts are light, and souls are unburdened. Let us unite in this pledge for a tobacco-free tomorrow and honor Lord Ganesha with a promise to preserve the divine temple of our bodies.
Wishing you a blessed and tobacco-free Ganesh Chaturthi!
In unity for a clean green, healthy, and lively tomorrow, Join hands to #SAVETHEYOUTH be #TOBACCOMARSHAL! Urge people to #quittobacco #quitsmoking
As a father, it is my responsibility to protect my GOPAL, from the tobacco menace that is plaguing our society. With so much advertisement and easy availability, my little one is always at risk that he may get hooked on tobacco. E-cigarettes becoming a fashion statement in many high schools, so it becomes even more imperative that I educate my child against nicotine. Nicotine is highly addictive and even a single puff or chew may be enough to hook the young one. At the start, it may be a pleasure but soon it proves to be a painful death sentence. I cannot allow my GOPAL to become a scapegoat and a sacrificial goat. Tobacco is a harmful substance that can cause various diseases, such as cancer, heart problems, and lung damage. It can also affect the mental and emotional health of the user, as well as the people around them. Tobacco addiction is hard to overcome, and it can ruin lives and relationships.
That’s why I decided to educate my child about the dangers of tobacco from an early age. I wanted to instill in him a sense of responsibility and awareness and to help him make informed choices. I also wanted to be a good role model for him, by not smoking or using any tobacco products myself. I believe that parents have a crucial role in preventing their children from falling into the tobacco trap.
Here are some of the strategies that I used to protect my young one from tobacco:
– I talked to him openly and honestly about the effects of tobacco on the body and mind. I used facts and statistics to show him how tobacco can harm his health and well-being. I also explained to him how tobacco companies target young people with their marketing and advertising, and how they manipulate them into becoming addicted.
– I listened to his questions and concerns and answered them patiently and respectfully. I did not judge or criticize him for being curious or tempted by tobacco. I tried to understand his perspective and feelings and to empathize with him. I also encouraged him to express his opinions and thoughts, and to share his experiences and challenges with me.
– I supported him in developing his self-esteem and confidence. I praised him for his achievements and talents, and for his positive qualities and values. I also helped him cope with stress and difficulties, and to find healthy ways to relax and have fun. I showed him that he does not need tobacco to feel good or fit in with others.
– I involved him in activities that promote his physical and mental health. I encouraged him to exercise regularly, eat well, sleep well, and stay hydrated. I also introduced him to hobbies and interests that he enjoys, such as music, art, sports, and reading. I made sure that he had enough time and space to pursue his passions and goals.
– I monitored his exposure to tobacco in the media and in his social circle. I limited his access to movies, shows, games, or websites that glamorize or normalize tobacco use. I also talked to him about peer pressure and how to deal with it. I taught him how to say no to tobacco offers, and how to avoid or leave situations where tobacco is present.
By following these strategies, I was able to protect my young one from the tobacco menace. He is now a healthy, happy, and responsible teenager who does not smoke or use any tobacco products. He is also aware of the risks of tobacco, and he is determined to stay away from it. He is proud of himself for making smart choices, and so am I. He is a role model for his classmates. He is a proud TOBACCO MARSHAL! He has become a role model and is depicted as MASCOT ‘SRIJAY’ for ICanCaRe. He is now staying in a hostel away from me but I am confident he will not get into the trap of tobacco or vapes.
I plead to all parents to SAVE the YOUTH our future generation from disaster of tobacco. Be a TOBACCO MARSHAL and learn the 8Rs of Tobacco and the way to communicate with the upcoming generation. we invite you to join as TOBACCO MARSHAL today. Together, we can create a tobacco-free generation and a healthier world for everyone.
(The Author – Dr. Pawan Gupta M.Ch. is Director of Surgical Oncology at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali, Patparganj, and Noida. He is the author of the books – Win Over Tobacco Made Easy, Be Smart Do Not Start and is highly recognized for his work on Oral Cancer and Tobacco Cessation. He is the convenor for the Certified Course in Tobacco Cessation at Gujarat University, and has trained more than 1000 doctors to be tobacco cessation specialists).
Book your appointment today to start a healthy tobacco/smoke-free life with the best in class tobacco/smoking cessation experts at www.icancare.in/quittobacco or call 011-430-77695 for help. Download the ICanCaRe e-cessation app for quitting smoking and tobacco at https://app.icancare.in.
Dilemma of a doctor – A 44 year old tobacco chewer with advance stage of cancer – should he be asked to quit tobacco???
Author – Dr. Monalee Prasad, BDS(2007), PGD in Aesthetic Dentistry (2009),TII -IDA(2020) ,OCTC (2021), CTCS (2021).
This is a case of a 44 year-old male patient suffering from Stage IV recurrent oral cancer with extensive neck and systemic metastasis. He was being treated somewhere in Uttarakhand. He attended OPD for treatment. He has been a chronic chewer and smoker for years and he continues to do so even after being diagnosed with advanced cancer with a short life expectancy. Besides the palliative treatment, the big question is about his tobacco – Should we ask him to quit? Or should we not ask him to quit?
How should we plan his treatment with regards to tobacco cessation?
The case was put for discussion during the tutorial for Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialists were – different difficult cases that we come across in Tobacco Cessation practice and their treatment are planned. It was a mixed opinion with more suggesting that the patient should be told to quit tobacco.
The same question was put in the group who are actively working for tobacco control and the majority said that the above patient needs to quit so that the treatment will be helpful and the organs will respond better to treatment.
Now opinion from group of oncologists was seeked, unanimously they said there is no need for him to quit tobacco.
The argument put forth by was that with Stage IV cancer there is no hope of his long survival and it will not be of much help at this juncture to force him to quit. Also the handling of withdrawal symptoms is more difficult in this case along with the Palliative care that has to be provided. It will not improve the quality of life of this already dying patient.
Hence, it wouldn’t matter whether we advise him to quit or not. It would be his wish.
Also, in case we are able to convince him to quit; there are two case scenarios which were discussed and how we can use it as a positive messaging for the next generation.
One scenario is where he is able to quit completely and then the message that can be conveyed through him that even though he suffered from taking tobacco and has reached the last stage of his life, he could quit his habit with the help of our esteemed doctors. And if he can do it, anyone at any stage can do it and the sooner one quits, the better it is for health.
Second case scenario is when he is unable to quit despite all the efforts by the doctors and himself and he continues to smoke till his last breath. The message that we can pass on in this situation is that Tobacco is a deadly disease and really addictive one. Message is clear for the youngsters and family members – never to start such a habit and quit as early as possible. BE SMART DO NOT START and if you have then please QUIT.
So, an important learning was shared via this case by Dr. Pawan as to how to choose the messaging we need to convey to the society at large and always choose the treatment keeping the patient’s overall benefit in mind.
Medical treatment is available to quit tobacco and treatment from the cessation specialists should be seeked.
Do share your thoughts on this in the comments below? What would be your choice of treatment?
