DOHA: Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Smoking Cessation Clinic encourages tobacco smokers to use the fasting period during Ramadan as an opportunity to take the first step towards quitting the habit and living a healthier lifestyle.
Dr Ahmad Al Mulla, Head of the clinic, said fasting requires abstinence from smoking and refraining from food and drink during the day.
“This provides an ideal opportunity for smokers to quit. Ramadan activities such as family visits and prayers can also keep an individual occupied and assist him or her in quitting smoking. Quitting smoking has benefits, especially for diabetics. It can result in improved blood sugar levels and blood circulation, increased insulin reception, decreased cholesterol levels and decreased complications,” he said.
Acknowledging that it is difficult for many people to quit smoking, Dr Al Mulla encouraged seeking professional help, such as through the clinic, where patients can obtain advice, treatment and support from specialists to enable them to quit smoking permanently.
The clinic provides patients with ways to replace their nicotine consumption and cope with withdrawal symptoms and supports them throughout the process of quitting. Exercise, drinking plenty of water after Iftar and keeping away from smokers are among steps people can take to decrease the urge to smoke, he said.
Avoiding places such as shisha cafes and other areas frequented by smokers will also help prevent inhaling secondhand smoke responsible for thousands of heart disease-related deaths every year.
Tar inhaled during smoking can cause lung cancer, stroke and heart and respiratory diseases. “Lung cancer is associated with smoking due to carbon monoxide and tar. Cigarette smoke contains more than 45 poisonous chemicals that can cause cancer,” he said.
The Peninsula
