Tobacco cessation: Expert Speak
Quitting tobacco is not an easy task. You will need to summon every ounce of willpower that you have to break the addiction. However, you are not alone in this journey. Our experts guide you on each step of the way.
“It has been found that the best motivation for a parent to QUIT smoking is when their children tell them - If you don't stop smoking... I will start smoking!”
Dr. Swati Bhave
Adolescent Health, Mumbai:
“Quitting tobacco is the single most important thing you can do for your health alone. Diabetes, hypertension and tobacco use are all equal risk factors for cardiovascular disease but when you top tobacco on each of the risk factors, the cumulative score unfortunately becomes much more than double”
Dr. Debasis Basu
Preventive Health,
Diabeto-Cardiologist, Kolkata
“As in any illness we sympathize and empathize with the patient and give all the due attention and care, we need to do the same to assist a tobacco user to quit tobacco. We need to recognize that using tobacco is an illness and a tobacco user is a patient. This will help to establish quitting tobacco as the norm. Quitting tobacco successfully requires a multi-factoral approach – using willpower alone is not sufficient, professional help and medication can greatly increase the chances of quitting.”
Dr. Rakesh Gupta
Oncologist, Jaipur:
“Tobacco usage is the main cause of many deaths. I have seen tobacco users in various stages. Those with symptoms, and also those without any symptoms who have met a painful end. Losing precious lives at a young age to tobacco usage is very tragic to the family as well as the country”
Dr. Vijai Kumar
Pulmonologist, Hyderabad:
“Lung cancer, the most common cancer among humans today, hardly existed before tobacco use became widespread.”
Dr. Prakash C Gupta,
Director, HEALIS, Mumbai
“There is only one way to quit – Quit completely! Don’t try reduction, it doesn’t work. Remember, the physical urges for your cigarette are only for 72 hours”
Dr. Sajeela Maini
Tobacco Cessation Specialist, Delhi