Category: Tobacco

Articles on harmful effects and impact of Tobacco in our lifestyle. Remedies to Quit Tobacco easily and much more. Keep Reading.

5 Phases of Tobacco Use

Tobacco is fun, it’s cool. This is what a new tobacco user may say, thanks to the advertisement and glamour attached. Ask a person who has used it for some years and he will spill the truth.

These are the phases of tobacco use that start with experimentation and end with a painful death. 

EXPERIMENT phase – this always starts with peer pressure, generally by advertisement, or a senior or a friend pushing the person to have one. Two things can happen – instant hate, or causal acceptance. Most people hate it from day one and would never ever take it, it tastes horrible and feels pathetic. But some misguided or those who are going through a low phase would like to experiment more, the dopamine surge gives instant pleasure, and that’s the beginning. Now the companies are luring the youth by introducing fancy articles like e-cigarettes and sheesha, hookahs, etc. These are being marketed as a fashion symbol for the youths, which is the beginning of the end.

NEED – BRAIN CRAVING – The experiment which was a fun and instant pleasure, mediated by dopamine surge is now regularly needed by the brain. In this phase, there is a craving and a demand for the brain, and the person uses it to seek pleasure instantly. The person is still in control and can stop. Most would stop, some would become occasional users, and others would progress. Most who stop are aware of the future and they have better means of seeking pleasure, they are health-seeking individuals have support from home. They have to be counseled at the right time, if they go beyond this phase it is going to be difficult.

ADDICTION – WITHDRAWAL, DISEASE – Now the brain is getting adopted, the brain cannot work without the dose of nicotine. The person who was in control now is in control of nicotine. When he/she stops, he/she has withdrawal symptoms. His/her behavior is changed, he/she is no more normal, and he has become a slave of tobacco. Signs of diseases caused by tobacco are visible, but he/she overlooks them. His/her life is in turmoil, loss of respect in society. He/she would need intensive intervention to quit tobacco.

DISEASED and SUFFERING – Now the person is symptomatic, visibly with the diseases due to tobacco like – cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, or cancer and others. He is repenting the day he started tobacco, but the brain is not ready to leave him. The severe withdrawals make him take tobacco again and again. The journey ahead is treacherously laden with fear and pain. He is seeking help to quit tobacco. They are no more in denial but have accepted the fact that tobacco is harming them. They are easy to quit because now the brain is sending them signals that if you continue further, you will have trouble. With proper support, they quit. The quit has its beneficial effect, but the damage that is done will only progress!

The incurable disease will take its toll with suffering and pain!

DEATH – That’s what they start seeking because of the pain they are going through.  Death is inevitable. The journey ENDS. With the hope of a new beginning in the next life!

 

Tobacco is a disease; the best is never to start. Tobacco industries are now enticing the new generation with newer forms, packaging, and flavors. One has to be smart and do not start. For those who have started it is important they quit the earliest. Quitting needs hand-holding by a certified tobacco cessation specialist. Look for someone around you or call 011-43077695 or download the app- ICanCaRe at http://app.icancare.in

Every day 5500 youths are trapped and they start tobacco and every day 3700 are dying a painful death. We have to change this scenario. Every unit must have a TOBACCO MARSHAL. Join as a Tobacco MARSHAL to SAVE the youth! http://icancare.in/academy/marshal

 

(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 book – 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 under Gujarat University. He launched the #SAVEtheyouth campaign and Tobacco MARSHALs in the community)

The article has been critically reviewed by Mrs. Sonal Bhatia, Master Lakshay Srijay Gupta, and Shubh Bhatia

 

Women Power as a TOBACCO MARSHAL – Stree Shakti – INNER WHEEL District 310

ICanCaRe – INNER WHEEL District 310

The Responsibility of Being a TOBACCO MARSHAL

To win a battle we need skilled and armed Soldiers. Battle against the MAYAVI RAWAN TAMBAKU-ASUR has begun with Inner wheel District 310 taking the stride under the leadership of DC SONAL BHATIA.

The Winning battle is started, and the recruitment is on. The might of tambaku-asur cannot be underestimated – the manufacturers, the vendors, the poor farmers, irresponsible media, greedy actors, and poorly informed politicians. They are responsible for the death of around 3700 people every day. A death that is prolonged, painful, and kills the person and ruins the family.

The shakti is born in the form of SONAL BHATIA -sincere, dedicated, and determined. JO SOCCHTE , WHO KAHTE HAIN aur KAR KE DIKATE HAIN. The stubbornness of SONAL BHATIA is the death knell for tambakuasur. She is recruiting the SHEROES as tobacco MARSHAL to take the tambaku-asur head-on. The mighty clever asur with its ever-increasing tentacles needs a well-planned, determined skilled army, and when the NARI SHAKTI with SONAL BHATIA at the helm rises the winning of the battle is inevitable.

Each Tobacco MARSHAL is a unit of power. Doing their bit in their surroundings starting from their home protecting family and influencing the workers – maids, drivers, malli, stepping out to involve and influence others. BOOND – BOOND SE GHADA BAHRTA HAIN. The determination is clear the goal is set and responsibility defined – reach 3 teach 3 make India Tobacco Free.

We bow to the power of Women Shakti! We are with you Sonal.

 

Doctors Recognize the Need of A Specialist To Quit Tobacco

When they started, they were unaware of the consequences. Now that they are trapped feel the heat and wish to be free. Doctors are the intellects of society. They have different positions in society. But a doctor who is a tobacco user is no more acceptable in society.

For a doctor who is a smoker or chewer the situation is:
– People look at him with disbelief
– The doctor tends to lose credibility and respect with the patients and in society
– Justification to continue to smoke or chew tobacco is not valid
– Family and children suffer because of your habit directly and indirectly.

Tobacco is no more socially acceptable behavior and least expected of a doctor.
Tobacco is the most addictive substance and when it comes to tobacco whosoever is immaterial, whether one is a doctor, one is on the knees begging, stealing, telling lies. You are a changed personality.
The journey of quitting for a doctor is difficult and unique because of the many self-created hurdles
– “I know all”
– “I can quit whenever I want”
– “I have a strong will power”
– “I take occasionally, it will not harm me”

Failures of quitting lead to frustration, justification, and accepting the consequences. This is the worst thing to happen.

It is possible to quit and stay quit, what the doctor needs are
– Recognize the fact that tobacco is a disease
– You are as much prone as anyone else – the degree does not grant you immunity from being affected
– Recognize the fact that you need help
– Please do not take help from quacks
– A specialist may be a highly recognized doctor but that is of his specialty but when it comes to tobacco intervention, he may be a quack until unless certified for the purpose in this.
– Tobacco Cessation intervention is a specialist job.

So “BE SMART DO NOT START” and for those who have started earlier, you quit the better. Do not hesitate to take the help of a Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialist. Quitting Tobacco is easy but staying quit is difficult! The specialist would give you support, medication, comorbidity management, follow up and continued motivation to prevent relapse during your journey.

Tobacco is a complex endemic disease. It is well recognized and now diagnostic methodology, specific medicines, and counseling processes are available to treat this disease. The book WIN OVER TOBACCO MADE EASY authored by Dr. Pawan Gupta is a comprehensive guide for those willing to quit and also for doctors. It is the moral responsibility of all doctors to take training to understand the intricacies of the disease and advice the patient in an evidence-based method for tobacco quit to be successful.

ICanCaRe Tobacco Wellness center is coming up at various Hospitals for helping tobacco patients in distress.

By Dr. Pawan Gupta M.Ch., FAIS, FSOG
Director HN, MAX Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali;
Chief Medical Advisor – ICanCaRe (www.icancare.in)
National Convenor – Certified Tobacco Cessation Courses
drpawan.oncosurgeon@gmail.com
9811290152

(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 book – 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 Certified Course in Tobacco Cessation under the Gujarat University)