National Non-Smoking Week is underway, reminding those who use tobacco that quitting smoking isn’t impossible. In fact, there’s never been a better time to quit. It can take between seven and 30 quit attempts to break the cycle of addiction for good, which is why the Middlesex-London Health Unit is telling those who smoke: don’t quit on quitting. Whether it is tobacco, vaping or cannabis, quitting is one of the best ways to improve your overall health.
No matter how long someone has smoked or vaped for, the benefits of quitting can be experienced just 20 minutes after the last cigarette and for up to 15 years after quitting. Some benefits include lower blood pressure, improved senses of taste and smell, and a reduced risk of heart attack and coronary heart disease. Quitting smoking or vaping can also help protect against COVID-19, or potentially experiencing more severe symptoms of the virus, if acquired. Research has indicated that smokers are more likely to experience severe symptoms of COVID-19, be admitted to intensive care, and pass away from the virus, compared to those who are non-smokers.1
“Sharing cigarettes or e-cigarettes can increase the transmission of COVID-19,” says Donna Kosmack, Manager of the Southwest Tobacco Control Area Network at the Middlesex-London Health Unit. “In addition, the acts of smoking and vaping require individuals to remove their mask and increases the hand-to-mouth contact which can lead to transmission of COVID-19. So, an added benefit of quitting smoking right now; is that it can help reduce your exposure to COVID-19, in addition to improving your overall health.”
National Non-Smoking Week was established in 1977 by the Canadian Council for Tobacco Control, as a nation-wide effort to inform and educate Canadians about the dangers of tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke, and to support and encourage those who currently use tobacco, to quit. National Non-Smoking Week continues until Saturday, January 23rd.
There are many supports and services available for those who are looking to quit:
- Call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 to access trained quit specialists
- Visit www.smokershelpline.ca/ for resources or to connect virtually with an online coach
- Call the Health Unit’s Quit Clinic at 519-663-5317, extension 4357(HELP) to access local services and supports or
- Visit https://www.healthunit.com/Tobacco
Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit,
519-617-0570 (cell.)
Spokesperson:
Donna Kosmack, Manager, Southwest Tobacco Control Area Network
Reference:
1Vardavas, C.I. & Nikitara, K. (2020). COVID-19 and smoking: a systematic review of the evidence. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 18(20), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/119324