Smoking is just as bad for you as you think it is: Opinion

One of the more fulfilling parts of my job as a doctor is helping people to quit smoking.

Physicians have a front-row seat to the bodily harm tobacco smoking can cause. When I assess a patient who is a smoker, I do it through that lens.

I know that patient is at higher risk for developing lung disease, like COPD, and is more vulnerable to chest infections.

They are at higher risk for lung cancer — that's the one that we are all familiar with when it comes to smoking — but also for cancers of the bladder, colon, mouth, sinuses, throat, kidneys, pancreas and others.

If that patient is complaining of sore legs when walking, I think of possible peripheral vascular disease, blockages in the arteries feeding their legs and feet. Similar blockages in the heart or neck arteries can cause heart attacks and disabling strokes.

Smoking alters lab tests, slows wound healing, and reduces your exercise tolerance.

Incredible benefits of going smoke-free

Your risk of smoking-associated diseases will start to drop as soon as you quit.

Some of these benefits take time. Others will kick in quickly.

For example, conditions like high blood pressure improve almost immediately. If you take high blood pressure medication, check in with your doctor after quitting. You may not need as much once you're off cigarettes.

After 10 years, smokers who quit will be at the same heart attack risk as non-smokers,  and the odds of dying of lung cancer are cut in half.

Other immediate benefits include a better sense of taste and smell, fresher breath and your body will stop smelling of smoke.

Advice on quitting

Examining why you smoke may reveal a way to help with quitting. 

Patients tell me they smoke for a number of reasons: for example, to relieve feelings of anxiety, or to get a break from their work day. 

Maybe your starting point could be working on your anxiety by seeing a counsellor or learning physical relaxation techniques. See if your doctor can offer help.

At work, take short breaks for a quick walk in lieu of a not-so-fresh-air break.

It's likely that any smoker reading this article has already tried to quit. It can take many attempts before achieving lasting success. I encourage current smokers not to look on past relapses as something to be ashamed of, but as something to learn from.

Remembering the circumstances that led to relapse can help you be on guard for a similar scenario this time.

Thinking about why you are quitting can also help. Is it to be a role model for your children or grandchildren, to save your spouse from second-hand smoke exposure, to be able to exercise more?

Revisit your reason often, and draw motivation from it. You can also make a personal investment in quitting.

Spend time cleaning the residue of smoking out of your environment. Scrub down the walls in your home, or detail your car. This gives one more incentive to stay away from cigarettes: you don't want your hard work to go to waste by resuming the habit. 

You can't quit if you don't try

The nicotine in tobacco causes an incredible addiction — both physical and mental. While the above tips and tricks can be helpful, medications can greatly increase your chances of successfully quitting. 

Physicians typically recommend one of three evidence-based treatments: nicotine replacement therapy, or the prescription medications varenicline or bupropion.

Unfortunately, these drugs can be too expensive for some. Quitting smoking will of course save you thousands of dollars in the future, but money in the future can't be invested into a quit attempt now.

As of October 2019, Prince Edward Islanders have some help in this department, with the launch of the government's Smoking Cessation Program. This new program will fund one of the above medical therapies for quitting smoking.

Not smoking best return on investment

A trained registered nurse will help get you started. The program provides a three-month supply of medication, which is the typical recommended amount for a quit attempt.

If your quit attempt in the program isn't successful, you can re-enter the program the following year. You can find more information here.

There are lots of ways we can put effort into improving our health. For smokers, the absolute best return on investment is to try to quit smoking.

You are guaranteed to never quit if you don't try, and each attempt is one step closer to your final, successful one. And that's one step closer to a much healthier you.

This column is part of CBC's Opinion section. For more information about this section, please read our FAQ.

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