May 31 is World No Tobacco Day
With 28.5 per cent of males and 20.6 per cent of females in the North Coast still smoking, the call has gone out for local smokers to use World No Tobacco Day on May 31 as an ideal time to challenge their habit — with help if necessary
“Local smoking rates are significantly higher than the NSW average of 23 per cent for males and 19.3 per cent for females, and quitting smoking is the most important thing that a person can do to improve their health,” said North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) Smoke Free Co-ordinator Annie Kia.
“Many people do not understand that addicted smokers are seeking to keep their levels of nicotine steady in their blood. People smoke for nicotine but die from the smoke.
“Tobacco smoke contains 4000 chemicals and is a contaminated way to deliver nicotine to the body. Because there are so many contaminants in the smoke, all smokers have abnormal blood chemistry, with many of their red blood cells carrying harmful carbon monoxide instead of oxygen.”
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), delivered through patches, gum or lozenges, delivers less nicotine than people get from smoking and does not have the toxins and harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke. Use of NRT doubles a person’s chance of success at quitting smoking, the health service said.
“It is important for people to realise that all tobacco smoke from all sources is deadly,” Ms Kia said. “This includes roll-your-own tobacco, ‘organic’ tobacco, cigars, and the illegal tobacco known as ‘chop-chop’.”
“Smoking is the single most preventable cause of serious illness and death in Australia, killing 19,000 people every year. This is more than the combined total deaths caused by car accidents, drowning, heroin overdose, falls and suicide. This tragedy is preventable”.
Smokers wishing to quit can access the Quitline on 137848 and ask for the free, call-back phone support, or to talk to a pharmacist or GP about medications that can help free you from tobacco.
