World Tobacco Day: Saying a NO to Tobacco/Cigarettes

31st of May has long been recognized as World Tobacco Day and over the years there has been a lot of talk about the need to say NO to tobacco. But for a lot of us, even though we know of the impetus the movement has gained over a period of time, we are not able to let go of the habit of smoking or the consumption of tobacco.

In the light of such knowledge it becomes important to try and understand the various aspects that are associated with the behavior of smoking and the consumption of tobacco in its various other forms which can give us insights into the reasons that make it difficult for people to quit. And probably an integral aspect of this is knowing the reasons why people in the first place choose to smoke.

With all the materials I have read and all the people I have interacted with, some of the more common reasons for initiating smoking have included seeing significant role models smoking, thinking that it appeared rather cool, presuming that it helps deal with stress and pressure, along with a need to conform and fit in with one's peer group, and including the need to simply try something that was in a way forbidden. Multiple reasons and yet a single common outcome - for most people who tried it, they became hooked to it. And once hooked, they did not know how it is that they can come out of it.

Many have made attempts. In fact, many keep trying to make attempts to quit tobacco and smoking. Yet it seems to be something far more difficult than what one would presume. There has to be something that does seem to work and identifying that is an absolute imperative.

And I would state here that one of the most important things in being able to quit is one's own inner strength, motivation and drive to do so. Nothing is more important than having a full recognition of the impact the use of tobacco or smoking is having on you and utilizing that knowledge to build resilience within one's own self to be able to say a "NO" and to be able to stick to it. And this I feel is probably of greatest significance among the other things that one can do in order to quit.

Once the drive and motivation is there, it is about being able to follow a few simple steps. These include, but not exclusively so, the following:

• Be cognizant of the adverse effects that smoking and tobacco use can have on your health.
• Never buy a pack of cigarettes at a go. Always buy one cigarette at a time.
• Never consume the entire quantity or cigarette in one go. In fact stop mid way through your cigarette and throw the remaining away. 
• Ensure that you do not have people around you who can go and fetch it for you. Make it a habit that if you want a smoke you would go on your own.
• In the initial stage you may need to avoid the places and maybe even the people with whom you would have a smoke. The brain automatically associates places and events with a particular habit, so once the trigger is there one automatically goes to the tobacco or cigarette. That is the reason why one may need to avoid some places and people.
• You can always use a chewing gum, clove, or a nicotine gum to help initially with the craving that you may have for a smoke or tobacco.
• Decide in your own mind a quit date and then once it arrives give up entirely. If you plan to wait for the day that the craving may become zero, it may not really happen. So you would have to be proactive in this regard.
• Do not look at an entire lifespan without smoking or consuming tobacco. Instead take it one day at a time and work towards it.
• Remember it is difficult at first, but once the initial battle is won, it's not such an up-hill task.

Quitting can be difficult but not impossible. Do not ignore the warnings that are there on the cigarette packs that you smoke, it could become a reality for you. So quit and start saying a "NO" to tobacco.