A Guide to Quit Smoking

2023 ‫ﻣﺎﻳﻮ‬
 Introduction

For A Healthier Life….Quit Smoking

Smoking is a harmful habit practiced by many people

around the world, despite its serious health risks.

Although, it is difficult to quit this habit, it is not

impossible and can be achieved using a set of effective

instructions.

This guide will help you quit smoking, as it includes a set

of information, facts, tips and instructions that make

your journey in this direction an easy and effective

journey that will have a positive impact on your health,

your family life and society in general.

 Facts:

The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health

threats the world has ever faced.
Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year. More
than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct
tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of
non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.
In 2020, 22.3% of the global population used tobacco,
36.7% of all men and 7.8% of the world’s women. (WHO)
All forms of tobacco are harmful, and there is no safe level
of exposure to tobacco.
For most smokers, smoking is ingrained as a daily
automatic habit involving most of their daily life activities
and social gathering
With strong cravings they face, quitting can be really tough
but it is achievable.
By adopting a right quitting plan, strong support and
strong willpower, any smoker can quit smoking.
 Forms of smoking
products:

Cigarette smoking: Is the most common form of tobacco

use. It has more than 7000 chemicals, more than 250 of
which are toxic and negatively affect almost all organs.
Cigar smoking: Cigars are made from cured and fermented
tobacco leaves and are typically larger than cigarettes. They
are wrapped in a tobacco leaf rather than paper. Many
people believe that smoking a cigar is safer than smoking a
cigarette. But, cigar smokers face many of the same
potential risks as cigarette smokers, including cancer.
Hookah smoking: Hookah, also known as shisha, involves
smoking a mixture of tobacco, water, and flavorings through
a water pipe. A typical 1-hour long water-pipe smoking
session involves inhaling 100-200 times the volume of
smoke inhaled with a single cigarette.
 Forms of smoking
products:

Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette-vapes) smoking:

E-cigarettes vaporize a liquid (e-juice) that often contains
nicotine, but without the smoke. Vaping delivers more
concentrated nicotine than cigarettes in a smokeless inhaled
mist (vapor). Health risks from vape products range from
asthma to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer.
Midwakh: Dokha (Arabic for ‘dizzy’) is the tobacco blend that
is smoked in a pipe called a ‘midwakh’. It is a combination of
tobacco leaves with a variety of barks, herbs, spices, dried
flowers or dried fruit, and is known for its high nicotine
content, containing up to five times as much as a normal
cigarette.
 What Makes Tobacco Use
Harmful?

Tobacco kills up to half of its users because tobacco products

are made of extremely toxic materials.
Tobacco smoke contains more than 7000 chemicals, of which
at least 250 are known to be harmful and at least 69 are
known to cause cancer.
Here are some of the chemicals contained in tobacco smoke:

Naphthy Lamine

Naphthalene Mithanol
Carbon Monoxide Pyrine
Hydrogen Cyanida
Benzepyrin
Toluidine
Venly Chloride
Acetone
DDT

Nicotine Phinol Tuluence Ammonia

Polonium
Cadmium Urithane
Butane Arsenic
 What Is Nicotine?

Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical compound present

in a tobacco plant.
All tobacco products contain nicotine and can lead to
nicotine addiction. This is because nicotine can change
the way the brain works, causing cravings for more of it.
Some tobacco products, are designed to deliver nicotine
to the brain within seconds, making it easier to become
dependent on nicotine and more difficult to quit.
Nicotine exposure during adolescence can disrupt normal
brain development.

Non Smoker Lungs Smoker Lungs

 THE IMPACT OF TOBACCO
What Is Nicotine?
SMOKING ON YOU

Female smokers are at an extra risk of:

Cancer of the cervix (womb)
Menstrual problems
Fertility problems
Abortion (miscarriage)
Stillbirths. / Low birth weight
Birth defects, such as cleft palate
 Second-hand smoke and its
health effects:

Second hand smoking: Is the inhalation of smoke from

burned tobacco products by non-smokers around the person.
Exposure to secondhand smoke causes disease and
premature death among people who do not smoke.
There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke; even
brief exposure can cause immediate harm.
Most people are exposed to secondhand smoke in their
homes or work. People may also be exposed to secondhand
smoke in public places like parks, restaurants.
Non-smokers who breathe second-hand smoke suffer many
of the same diseases as smokers.
Heart disease deaths as well as lung and nasal sinus and
cancers have been usually associated with second-hand
smoke exposure.
Children’s lungs are smaller and their immune systems are
less developed - which makes them more likely to develop a
wide variety of adverse health effects including bronchitis
and pneumonia, development and exacerbation of asthma,
ear infections etc
Exposure of women to second-hand smoke during pregnancy
reduces fetal growth, and postnatal exposure of infants to
secondhand smoke greatly increases the risk of sudden infant
death syndrome.
 Debunking misconceptions
about health risks of smoking:

Low Tar cigarettes are safe to smoke:

There is no such thing as a safe cigarette. A low-tar cigarette
is just as harmful as other cigarettes.

Rollies are safe to smoke:

Roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco, or rollies contain many of the
same chemicals as manufactured cigarettes. Research suggests
that RYO tobacco is at least as harmful, or possibly more
harmful, than smoking factory-made cigarettes.

Cutting down the number of cigarettes can reduce health

risks:
There is no safe level of cigarette consumption. Some people
try to make their smoking habit safer by smoking fewer
cigarettes, but most find this hard to do and quickly return to
their old pattern, quitting is the only way for long-term health
benefits.

Only old people get ill from smoking:

Anyone who smokes tobacco increases their risk of ill health.
All age groups suffer short-term consequences of smoking that
include decreased lung function, shortness of breath, cough,
and rapid tiring during exercise. Smoking also diminished the
ability to smell and taste and causes premature aging of the
skin. Because these diseases do develop over the course of a
lifetime, it gives the appearance of only effecting elderly
people. However, people in their 20s and 30s have died from
strokes caused by smoking.
 Rewards of Quitting

The good news is that there are great gains from quitting
tobacco , with both immediate and long-term health benefits.
Quitting will help you minimize the negative effects, both
health and non-health related.
Quitting now, or making efforts to quit, will greatly decrease
your chances of long-term health risks.
Quitting also has very clear and tangible financial benefits.
Social benefits: You will feel less isolated. You will be more
productive. You will be able to expand your social
interactions. Your children will become less likely to start
smoking.
 Health benefits of smoking
cessation
1 . There are immediate and long-term health benefits of quitting for all smokers:

Time since quitting Beneficial health changes that take place

Within 20 minutes Your heart rate and blood pressure drop

12 hours The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal

2 - 12 weeks Your circulation improves and your lung function increases

1 - 9 months Coughing and shortness of breath decrease

1 year Your risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a smoker

You stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker 5 to 15 years

5 years
after quitting

You risk of lunge cancer falls to about half that of a smoker and your
10 years
risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder and cervix

15 years The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker

2. Benefits for all ages and people who have already developed smoking-related
health problems. They can still benefit from quitting.

Time of quitting smoking Benefits in comparison with those who continued

At about
‫اﻟﻤﺘﻮﻗﻊ‬ ‫ اﻟﻌﻤﺮ‬30 Gain
‫ ﺳﻨﻮات ﻣﻦ ﻣﺘﻮﺳﻂ‬10 ‫ﻳﻘﺎرب ﻣﻦ‬ almost‫ا‬10 years of life ‫اﻟﻌﻤﺮ‬
‫ﻛﺘﺴﺎب ﻣﺎ‬ expectancy
‫ﻲﻓ اﻟﺜﻼﺛﻴﻨﻴﺎت ﻣﻦ‬

At about 40 Gain 9 years of life expectancy

At about 50 Gain 6 years of life expectancy

At about 60 Gain 3 years of life expectancy

After the onest of life-threatening Rapid benefit, people who quit smoking after having a heart
disease attack reduce their chances of having another heart attack by
50 per cent.
 Health benefits of smoking
cessation

4. Quitting smoking decreases the excess risk of many diseases

related to second-hand smoke in children, such as respiratory
diseases(e.g.asthma) and ear infections.

5. Quitting smoking reduces the chances of impotence, having

difficulty getting pregnant, having premature birth, babies with low
birth weights and miscarriage.

How to improve your confidence in quitting:

Many smokers are afraid to quit because they have tried to quit
in the past and were unsuccessful.
Here are a few suggestions to help improve your confidence:
Try to quit smoking and being smoke-free for 1 day, then 2, and
so on.
Follow role models. Observe those around you that have recently
quit and practice their behaviors. What actions and reactions of
theirs can you adopt?
Look at each quit attempt as a learning process. Each time, you
learn what doesn’t work for you and how you can be more
successful next time.
 Health benefits of smoking
cessation

You should know that it’s common for smokers trying to quit to
make multiple attempts before they are successful, but they do
achieve success!
Improve your negative mood towards quitting. Many smokers
associate fear, stress, and anxiety with trying to quit. However, if
you surround yourself with the proper support, such as friends
and family and maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well,
exercising, and getting enough sleep you will find that any
stress, fear, or anxiety that you are anticipating can be properly
managed.
If you do begin to feel any of these things, yoga, meditation, and
other relaxation methods, are great coping mechanisms.
 Tips to help quit tobacco:

Set a quit date.

Change your environment:
Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and
place of work.
Don’t let people smoke in your home.
Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked
and what did not.
Once you quit, don’t smoke - not even a puff!
Tell your family, friends, and co-workers that you are going to
quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you
or leave cigarettes out.
Talk to your health care provider (for example, doctor, nurse,
health educator ...etc.)
Drink a lot of water and other fluids.
Exercise to reduce your stress and distract yourself from urges
to smoke.
Ask your health care provider for advice on any medication
needed.
 Symptoms and Cognitive
Behavioral Therapies

Headaches
If you are experiencing frequent headaches, make sure you are
getting enough sleep, have a good diet and exercise regularly.
These lifestyle changes should help keep headaches at bay
and/or lesson their severity.

Coughing
Staying hydrated is key to manage any coughing you may
experience. A spoonful of honey, warm teas, juices, inhaling
vapors, and avoiding dairy are common "remedies" to deal with
coughing.

Craving
The 4Ds Strategy to Deal with Smoking Cravings
1 Delay: Set a time limit before you give in to smoking a cigarette.
Delay as long as you can. If you feel that you must give in to your
urge, move on to step 2.
2 Deep breathing: Take 10 deep breaths to relax yourself. Try to
mediate with deep breathing to relax yourself from within until the
urge passes. If the urge does not subside, move on to next step.
3 Drink water: Water helps flush out toxins to refresh your body. If
you still crave cigarettes, move on to next step.
4 Do something else to distract yourself: Read, go for a walk, listen
to music, watch TV- engage in any hobby other than smoking!
 Symptoms and Cognitive
Behavioral Therapies

Increased appetite or weight gain

Weight gain is one of the most common roadblocks and side
effects responsible for derailing smokers trying to quit. It is true
that when you quit, you are likely to have a larger appetite and be
tempted to replace cigarettes with food. However, you can avoid
weight gain by making healthy eating choices (fruits, vegetables,
and other healthy snacks) and drinking lots of water.

Mood changes
Try focusing on positive thoughts about quitting or filling your
head with happy, uplifting music to drown out the negative
thoughts and emotions that you are experiencing. Remind
yourself of all the benefits of quitting smoking; think of how
much better you will physically feel, think of all the extra energy
you will have.

Restlessness
The best way to deal with restlessness is to get up and move
around! Engage in physical activity, go for a walk!
 Emotional or Psychological
Connections

Emotional or Psychological Connections - In order to avoid being

derailed by such emotional or psychological roadblocks, it is
important to remember and remind yourself of the risks of
smoking and the benefits of quitting.
You can create positive self-talks based on the benefits of
quitting such as “quitting smoking can save my life” and “quitting
smoking can save me money”, to help you break the connections
between quitting and negative beliefs.
Every quit attempt is a positive step in the right direction
towards quitting permanently. It might take multiple quit
attempts, but each time you resume your attempt to quit, you
move farther and farther in the right direction and will make it
easier for you to stop next time.
Relapsing and making mistakes are only natural. Do not let a
relapse hinder your confidence - a relapse does not mean failure
The best way to prevent relapses is to use effective treatments.
Effective and approved treatments include self-help materials;
advice from healthcare providers; individual behavioral
counseling; group behavior counseling; telephone counseling.
 Emotional or Psychological
Connections

Below are just a few suggestions on how to begin breaking the

links of smoking or habits that make you crave for tobacco:
It is important to always keep your end goal at the forefront of
your mind so that you are not derailed by your connected habits.
Distract yourself until your habits are no longer a trigger for
smoking cravings. Typically cravings/urges are brief, lasting only
1 to 2 minutes.

Begin a new activity immediately after eating. Distract yourself

Smoking associated with from the temptations and urges. Wash the dishes, exercise, read,
eating or do other household chores are just a few examples.

Avoid these situations until you have successfully quit smoking.

Smoking as a social activity You do not have to cease ties with your friends all together, just
while with friends avoid going to dinner, or out, with them until you are strong in
your commitment to abstain.

This is a common misconception believed by many smokers.

Smoking has absolutely no connection to stress relief. However,
Smoking as a stress
there are many other ways to deal with stress. Drink water or tea,
reliever
carry around a stress ball, practice deep breathing or exercise to
relieve stress.

Remove all cigarettes from the car, listen to music, take public
Smoking in the car
transportation, or carpool to help avoid temptation.

Engage in another activity while on the phone. Whether its playing

Smoking while on the with a stress ball, or walking around, distract yourself from the urge
phone to smoke.