| Cleaning
the Air, cleaning your Lungs
By:
Ng Hui Cheng, Pharmacist, National Cancer Centre
Cigarette
smoking is the single most preventable cause of ill health and death
in Singapore and all over the world. Those who die from smoking
die, on average, 14 years early. It has been proven that smoking
causes lung cancer and is responsible for approximately 80-90% of
lung cancer deaths. Smoking is also responsible for most cancers
of the head and neck, bladder, kidney, pancreas, and cervix.
Smokers not only endanger their own lives,
they also endanger the lives of those who do not smoke. Exposure
to second-hand smoke significantly increases a non-smoker’s
risk of developing lung cancer. According to the American Centres
for Disease Control and Prevention, exposure to second-hand smoke
causes an alarming figure of 3,000 lung cancer deaths among non-smokers.
Cigarette smoke contains about 4,000 chemical
agents, including over 60 substances that are known to cause cancer
in humans. Nicotine is a drug that is naturally present in the tobacco
plant and is primarily responsible for a person’s addiction
to cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Smokers
who quit live longer than those who continue to smoke. Furthermore,
the earlier smokers quit, the greater the health benefit. Quitting
smoking reduces a person’s risk of dying from smoking-related
cancers and other diseases. Research has shown that people who quit
before age 35 reduce their risk by 90%. Even smokers who quit before
age 50 significantly reduce their risk of dying from a tobacco-related
disease.
Tips
to Quit Smoking For Good:
a. |
Prepare
yourself to quit
Think positively. Reason out why you must quit and repeat
these reasons to yourself every day. Condition yourself physically
for the challenge, such as, starting an exercise routine,
having plenty of rest, and avoiding tiring out. |
| b. |
Understand
what to expect
Withdrawal symptoms are temporary, usually lasting only 1-2
weeks. Most relapses occur in the first week after quitting.
|
| c. |
Involve
your family or friends
They can motivate and remind you every time you are on the
verge of giving up or whenever you face temptations. |
| d. |
Gradually
cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke |
| e. |
Nicotine
replacement medications
Nicotine gum and patch - available without prescription from
pharmacies
Nicotine inhaler and Bupropion SR – available only with
prescription |
| Drug |
Adverse
Effects |
Dosage |
Duration |
| Nicotine
patch |
Local
skin reaction, insomnia, headache, nausea |
21mg/24h
(Nicotinell-TTS 30)
14mg/24h (Nicotinell-TTS 20)
7mg/24h (Nicotinell-TTS 10)
15mg/16h (Nicorette)
10mg/16h
5mg/16h |
4-12
weeks
then 2-4 weeks
then 2-4 weeks
8-12 weeks
then 2 weeks
then 2 weeks |
| Nicotine
gum |
Local
skin reaction, insomnia, headache, nausea |
Nicorette
Gum
2mg or 4mg 8-12 pieces/24h Max: 24 pieces/day |
3
monthsthen gradually reduced |
| Nicotine
inhaler |
Local
mouth and throat irritation, headache, nausea, heartburn |
Nicorette
Inhaler
6-12 cartridges/day
3-6 cartridges/day
3 cartridges/day to 0 |
8
weeks2 weeks2 weeks |
| Bupropion
SR |
Insomnia,
dry mouth, seizures, nausea |
Zyban
150mg once daily then 150mg twice
dailybegin 1-2 weeks before quit date |
6
days12 weeks |
If
you are pregnant or trying to conceive nursing, below age 18, smoking
fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, or have a medical condition, please
talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking medications.
Some
important notes about Nicotine medications
|
Since
these medications provide nicotine, but not the quick nicotine
uptake of cigarettes, it is easier to give up these medications
later on than it is to give up cigarettes. |
|
You
must quit smoking completely before you use any nicotine medications. |
|
You
must not smoke while using these medications. |
When
you finally quit, beware of temptations. You have to constantly
remind yourself the reasons for quitting. When you face the urge
to have a puff, munch on some healthy snacks instead!
Now
that you know the importance of not smoking, pick a date and act
on it!
Below
are 2 reputable websites that you can refer to help you quit smoking:
http://dccps.nci.nih.gov/tcrb
by the National Cancer Institute, USA
http://www.hpb.gov.sg
by the Health Promotion Board
|
