Smoking: Health Effects and Challenges of Quitting - Essay Example

MEMORANDUM Abdullah Almansour DR. Robert Goldbort June 2, Re: Final Report: Smoking, Health Effects, and Challenges of Quitting And Legislative Issues I hereby submit an analysis of smoking and its health effects. Also, I aim to decipher the challenges that smokers encounter when they try quitting smoking habits and the subject of cessation programmes amid anti-smoking laws. Smoking tobacco leads to many health problems in infants and children leading to instances of asthma and other respiratory conditions (Friebely, Rigotti, Chang, Hall, Weiley, Dempsey, Hipple, Nabi-Burza, Murphy, Woo and Winickoff 1). According to Friebely et al. (2013), the smoke in tobacco contains sticky elements and tiny particles that stop smokers from preventing other people around them from its effects. This leads to increased deaths and health complications. This paper seeks to explain why the topic is so current and significant. Additionally, it presents my take on the issue and why I became interested. The reason why the topic is current and significant The topic on smoking is existing and meaningful considering that many people are suffering from the effects of smoking whereas others fail to understand the grave dangers of smoking. Young adults and teenagers are resulting into smoking for social pleasure and stress management. On the other hand, there are people who wish to quit but, lack the best ways to approach this social shift. Also, many are not aware of the anti-smoking laws that seek to control the smoking habit. Over and above, many who attempt quitting the smoking habit are faced with social, emotional and psychological problems that are hard to manage. This further creates a cycle of smoking problems which needs urgent and practical measures. Shomar, Lubbad, Ansari, Al-Khatib and Alharazin (2014) carried out a study to evaluate the level of smoking in university students. In addition he examined their understanding of tobacco use, health risks and recognition of available national anti-smoking legislations. The authors established that many students in the schools were not informed about the possible federal anti-smoking laws in Gaza and Palestina. Smoking termination programmes also seem not to exist in Gaza. Shomar et al. (2014) claim that there is an urgent need to develop intervention programmes. Also, they establish a need for administrators and educators, such as NGOs to aim at preventing smoking among university students in Gaza. That includes educating the youths on the dangers of smoking tobacco. Many people fail to know about the effective ways of managing stress, thus end up abusing substances, such as tobacco. There is a need to have effective intervention programs implemented. Also to this, administrative units must strive to apply anti-smoking laws (Shomar et al. 2). Friebely, et al. (2013) conducted a study with an aim of establishing whether role conflict can stir behavioral change. The authors pointed out that no studies have been carried out before with an aim of delving into the relationship between parents/smokers role conflicts and the willingness to stop smoking. Friebely, et al. (2013) studied the connection of weighing parents/smokers role conflict with other parents and children features. That includes evaluating the theory that parents/smokers role conflict is linked with a parents willingness to stop smoking. Friebely, et al. (2013) found out a clear connection between the parents/smokers role conflict and desire to quit smoking. The willingness that enhances parents/smokers role conflict can aid in advancing the desire to quit smoking in mothers who smoke cigarettes. Intervention programs that help parents/smokers role conflict can boost the desire to quit smoking in parents who smoke (Friebely, et al. 2). Mathur, Erickson, Stigler, Forster and Finnegan (2013), point out that individuals social actions and their immediate backgrounds impact on their smoking patterns. There is a growing trend that people’s immediate surrounding may influence their social behaviour. For example, availability and accessibility of health care services and transport will dictate the rate of smoking. Also, their perceptions of health and health linked actions, stress levels and social aspects increase the rate of smoking (Mathur et al. 3). Youths or adolescents living in areas characterized by gender, race, social status, occupation and marital statuses tend to have definite smoking patterns. In this regard, it is essential to evaluate the social actions of youths who engage in smoking habits and also their immediate environment. This is because immediate circumstances form part of their activities and social orientation. My take on the topic and why I became interested Smoking is a significant problem, and there is an urgent need for stringent measures to help reduce the rate of health issues and deaths. From the findings, it is apparent that smoking not only damages the health of the smoker but also the people around them. In the present day, many people engage in smoking habits were young adults, women and men smoke as a means to run away from realities of life. I became interested in this topic because, it creates a clear insight of the challenges that smokers go through. I learnt about the real reason for turning to smoking to be poor management of stress or lack of awareness of effective ways of managing stress. It is shocking to learn that, measures to enable smokers to quit, are insufficient. It is also evident that there are many people aiming to stop smoking but, lack the best cessation ways. Many of those who try leaving end up suffering from social, emotional and psychological problems, which must be addressed when tackling the problem of smoking. Conclusion In conclusion, from the findings, it is clear that smoking is a significant subject that needs an urgent response. Many people continue to suffer from the effects of smoking, including persons living with the smokers. Lack of knowledge of the existing legislative measures adds more problems to the subject of smoking. Additionally, it is evident that many people who strive to quit the habit of smoking encounter social, emotional and psychological challenges. It means that there is an urgent need to have cessation measures and programs derived on account of the challenges that smokers’ experience. Also, anti-smoking awareness programs will help reduce the number of prospective smokers. The latter will help alleviate the rate of deaths and health complications. Works Cited Friebely Joan, Rigotti Nancy A., Chang Yuchiao, Hall Nicole, Weiley Victoria, Dempsey Janelle, Hipple Bethany, Nabi-Burza Emara, Murphy Sybil, Woo Heide and Winickoff Jonathan P. Parent smoker role conflict and planning to quit smoking: a cross-sectional study, BMC Public Health13.164 (2013): 1-7. Mathur Charu, Erickson Darin J., Stigler Melissa H., Forster Jean L. and Finnegan John R. Individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status effects on adolescent smoking: A multilevel cohort-sequential latent growth analysis, American Journal of Public Health 103.3 (2013): 543-547. Shomar Reem T. Abu, Lubbad Ihab K., Ansari Walid El, Al-Khatib Issam A. and Alharazin Hatem J. Smoking, awareness of smoking-associated health risks, and knowledge of national tobacco legislation in Gaza, Palestine, Cent Eur J Public Health, 22.2 (2014): 80–89. Read More