AMMAN
— More than 8 out of 10 adult Jordanian men smoke cigarettes, according to a
2019 government study. But quitting the dangerous and inconvenient habit is
possible.
اضافة اعلان
According
to the Center of Disease Control (
CDC), smoking is responsible for cancer,
heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes. Most people know this — which is why
44.1 percent of Jordanian smokers have tried to quit.
Most
smokers will tell you that quitting is no easy task.
Jordan News sat down with
pharmacist Dania Abu Hdaib from the Drug Center Pharmacy to talk about how you
can quit smoking in Jordan.
Over the counter medication and aids
Currently
in Jordan, Nicorette Gum is the most common over-the-counter supplement to quit
smoking. Whenever you have a craving a cigarette, you simply pop in a piece of
gum, give it a few chews until it tastes a bit spicy, and then tuck the gum
into your gum line. Chewing every so often will reactivate the nicotine for a
lasting effect.
Roughly
two to three years ago, Jordan also had nicotine patches and additional
cigarette filters. But recently, it has become harder to find the patches in
pharmacies. The patches are an adhesive sticker that goes directly onto the
skin of the arm and provides longer lasting nicotine to the body, effectively
eliminating the cravings in the first place.
Alternatively,
the filter is an orange piece of plastic that would be placed on the butt of
the cigarette and would filter out many toxic substances including tar. The
filter was not the best method for quitting though, because it still involved
the act of smoking and was not able to remove a 100 percent of the toxins. Both
of the products still exist but are less widely available and may be difficult
to find.
Switching up your lifestyle
During
Jordan News’ interview with pharmacist Hdaib, she could not stress enough the
importance of lifestyle changes. Medication and aids can only go so far: Ultimately,
quitting comes down to willpower because smoking is a habit. Just like any
other habit, it will take about 21 days to break.
The
main goal is to find alternative and healthier habits. Pharmacist Hdaib
suggests activities such as running, sports, or even certain snacks like
chocolates. The reason for this is that these activities release natural drugs
in our body such as endorphins and dopamine. Endorphins help block the feeling
of pain in our body naturally and dopamine is nicknamed the feel-good drug
because it is the natural drug in our body that makes us feel euphoria.
Furthermore,
Pharmacist Hdaib stated that all temptations of smoking should be removed. To
many, these temptations come in the form of empty packs, lighters, or even
ashtrays. Some also find that changing their routine helps. For example, if typically,
you wake up to a cup of coffee and cigarette first thing in the morning, consider
switching to a glass of juice because the morning coffee is associated with
smoking.
Side effects of quitting
Those
that have tried quitting or even gone long periods without smoking, such as
during Ramadan, will tell you that quitting can exert physical and mental
effects on your body. The most common side effects of quitting are headaches,
hot flashes, fatigue, increased appetite causing weight gain, and general
irritability. These side effects are the result of nicotine withdrawal and are
the reason many find it difficult to quit.
Generally,
some of the symptoms can be managed with over-the-counter medication such as
Panadol and some have found success in using nicotine replacement therapy such
as Nicorette gum. Typically, the effects of nicotine withdrawal only last from between
two and four days.
Improving your health
Quitting
comes with numerous, proven health
benefits. The most immediate improvements
seen are to the lungs, of course. You will notice within a couple days how much
easier to is to breathe. Other more subtle things, such as smells and tastes,
will be enhanced. In the long term, the CDC claims that quitting reduces the
risk for many adverse health effects, including poor reproductive health,
cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cancer.
More importantly, quitting reduces the risk of premature death and can add as
much as 10 years to life expectancy.
Quitting
smoking is extremely difficult for many people, especially in Jordan, where
smoking is entangled into many work, home, and social settings. Those who have
tried to quit know how difficult the journey is. Find your reason to quit,
whether it be for a loved one, job or even your own personal goal, said Hdaib. Reach
out for help from friends and family but also your doctors and pharmacists.
These are all people who have your best interest in mind and would like nothing
more than to see you succeed.
CDC outline of health benefits to quitting
smoking. (Photo: CDC)
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