How to quit smoking today: Update from WHO

Smoking remains one of the dangerous habits that remains a threat to healthy living. This week, WHO has shared a brief but useful set of tips on how to Quit smoking today.

According to the World Health Organization, you should quit smoking today,  your body will thank you! 🚭

Quitting smoking has so many health benefits, with some of the immediate benefits including:

CHECK THEM BELOW AS PROVIDED BY THE WHO
• in 20 minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure lower. 🫀

• in 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. 🩸

• in 2-12 weeks, your circulation improves, and your lung function increases. 🫁

The Quit Challenge will send you daily tips and motivation to stay tobacco-free. We’ll show you how to quit – one craving at a time.

WHO Quit Smoking Challenge: QUIT TOBACCO TODAY! 🚬

Tobacco is dangerous, expensive, and harms those around you. Today is a great day to quit.

Smokers are at higher risk of developing severe disease and death from COVID-19.

Tobacco use can increase your chances of getting COVID-19 because of the contact between your fingers and lips.

Smoking affects your lungs, putting you at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 outcomes.

Tobacco use is harmful.

There is clear evidence that tobacco use is harmful to your health. Tobacco products contain at least 250 harmful chemicals, including 69 cancer-causing chemicals.

• Tobacco kills up to half of its users.

• It causes diseases like cancer, heart disease and stroke.

• Tobacco use is very expensive for you and your family.

• Second-hand smoke harms those around you and can cause sudden infant death syndrome, respiratory illness, heart disease and cancer.

Quit tobacco and start seeing benefits immediately.

❤️ Your blood pressure and heart rate lower within 20 minutes.

🌬️ After 1 month, your breathing improves. You’ll cough less and won’t be so short of breath.

🩺 After 1 year, your risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker.

🧠 After 5 years, your risk of stroke is the same as a non-smoker.

🏥 Your risk of many different types of cancer decreases.

Stop tobacco use at 30 and gain almost 10 years of life expectancy!

As a smoker, am I likely to get more severe symptoms if infected? 😵

Smoking harms your lungs making it more difficult for your body to fight off the viruses. Smokers are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 outcomes and death.

As a vaper, am I more likely to be infected or to have more severe symptoms if infected? 🌬️
The COVID-19 virus affects the respiratory tract. The hand-to-mouth action of e-cigarette use may increase the risk of infection.

What about using smokeless tobacco, like chewing tobacco? 👄
The virus can be spread from hand to mouth, and also when the user spits out saliva produced when chewing.”

What should I do if I already use tobacco? 🚬
WHO recommends quitting tobacco. Quitting will reduce your risk of developing COVID-19 symptoms if you are infected with the virus. Quitting will help your lungs and heart to work better from the moment you stop.

What can I do to protect people from the risks associated with smoking, smokeless tobacco use and vaping?

• If you smoke, use e-cigarettes or use smokeless tobacco – now is a good time to quit completely!

• Do not share devices like waterpipes and e-cigarettes.

• Protect others from the harms of second-hand smoke.

• Spread the word about the risks of smoking, using e-cigarettes and using smokeless tobacco.

How to resist tobacco cravings

How to quit smoking demands that you deal with your cravings inside out.  To help you resist tobacco cravings, say out loud why you want to stop using tobacco.

Note that tobacco 

👄 Hurts your LOOKS
👶 Is a THREAT to the health of others
👥 Impacts your SOCIAL life
💸 Breaks the BANK
🧠 DAMAGES almost every organ
☠️ KILLS 8 million people every year
🌳 POLLUTES the environment

Tobacco cravings can be powerful but you are not at the mercy of these cravings!

The urge to use tobacco may be intense, but it will probably pass in 5 to 10 minutes.

And each time you resist a craving, you are one step closer to stopping tobacco use for good.

After each craving passes you’ll feel stronger for having overcome it!

The first week can be tough but remember that this is temporary. Dig your heels in and go the distance. It’s worth it in the long run.

What to do when craving hits, you can:

🛑 Distract yourself. Do something else.

⏱️ Put it off – make yourself wait and do something else so long.

🏃 Get some exercise. Go for a run, swim or ride, play sport or jump up and down.

🚭 Go to a place where tobacco isn’t allowed – a library, cafe or cinema.

💦 Drink a glass of water.

😌 Try not to panic! Take 10 deep breaths.

📱 Text or talk with a friend or family member.

☎️ Call a tobacco quitline to talk to a counselor or get online support.

🤗 Call a friend or quit buddy.

🥕 Eat a mint, sugar-free candy or crunchy vegetables.

📖 Do some housework or paperwork or read.

💃🏼 Pick out your favourite music, sing and dance.

💊 Use nicotine replacement therapies (NRT).

✋ Keep your hands busy by drawing, playing with a stress ball or texting friends.

🎶 Fill your head with happy, uplifting music to drown out the negative thoughts and emotions that you are experiencing.

☕️ Shake up other habits and routines, like your route to work or where you have breakfast.

🫀 Remind yourself why you are doing this! (your health, looks, finances, family)

Be careful! Don’t try to satisfy a craving by “just having one”. One just leads to another and another — and you may end up using tobacco again.

READ: Health Education Topics: 9 Ideas That Will Keep Your Students Engaged

World Health Organization on TOBACCO TRIGGERS

Triggers are the things that make you want to smoke. Everyone who uses tobacco has triggers. If you know your triggers, you can figure out how to deal with them and stay in control. 💪

Different people are triggered by different things. Reply TYPES to learn more about different triggers.

Tips to deal with triggers

🍷 The urge to use tobacco is often strong in the situations where you used tobacco most often before, such as at parties or bars, or while feeling stressed or sipping coffee. Identify your trigger situations and plan how to avoid or get through them.

📱 Don’t set yourself up for a relapse. Have an alternative to keep you busy at times when you often used tobacco before, like doodling in a notebook while you talk on the phone instead of smoking.

🏢 Make a list of high-risk places to avoid. Think of other places where smoking isn’t allowed (shops, museums, cinemas).

🚭 If friends or family use tobacco, ask them not to, and ask them not to leave tobacco products near you.

😡 Stress and anger are smoking triggers. If you’re feeling stressed or upset, get extra support! Call or text someone or phone a quit line.

🚫 Stay away from people or places you associate with using tobacco.

😐 Don’t smoke when you’re bored. Do something you’ve been putting off instead.

🥳 Tobacco does not make a party better. Stay strong and say no. You will thank yourself later!

😞 Loneliness can make it difficult, but quitting is the way to go. Let a friend know how they can support you.

World Health Organization on TOBACCO TRIGGER TYPES

Emotional Triggers 😩

Many people use tobacco when they have intense emotions and emotional triggers remind you of those times.

Are you more likely to use tobacco when you are… ?
– Stressed
– Anxious
– Excited
– Bored
– Sad
– Happy
– Lonely
– Satisfied
– After a fight

Pattern Triggers

A pattern trigger is an activity that you connect with tobacco use.

Are you more likely to use tobacco when you …?
– Wake up
– Talk on the phone
– Drink alcohol
– Watch TV
– Drive
– Finish a meal
– Drink coffee or tea
– Take a work break
– Before you go to bed
– When you study

Social Triggers

Social triggers are usually times when other people are using tobacco.

Here are some examples:
– At a bar
– At a party or other social event
– At a concert
– Seeing someone smoking
– Being with friends who use tobacco
– At a celebration

Withdrawal Triggers

If you’ve been a long-time tobacco user, your body is used to getting a regular dose of nicotine.

When you quit, withdrawal symptoms will produce cravings for nicotine. Withdrawal triggers include when you:
– Crave the taste of tobacco
– Smell tobacco
– Handle tobacco products
– Need to do something with your hands or mouth

READ: 23,495 test positive for HIV in 6 months: 130 cases per day

We hope this post on How to quit smoking today will empower you with the needed tips, hope, and a positive change of mind. Q