Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, which are of interest to those who want to quit smoking, distract the person from the motivation to quit smoking. Drawing attention to the addictive effect of e-cigarettes, experts emphasize that these devices, which are used especially by young people on the grounds that they are harmless, are a transitional substance to start smoking.
November 15 is commemorated as World COPD Day in order to raise awareness about COPD, which is the abbreviated name of Chronic (Obstructive) Obstructive (Obstructive) Lung Disease, and to raise awareness about the disease. Smoking is one of the most important causes of COPD, which is a generally progressive disease caused by non-microbial inflammation that develops in the airways and lungs as a result of inhalation of harmful dust, gases and particles, resulting in narrowing and obstruction of the airways.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Psychiatry Specialist Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said that according to the data of the World Health Organization, 6 million people die every year in the world due to smoking and smoking-related health problems.
Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan stated that 600 thousand people lose their lives due to being 'under smoke' due to the cigarettes consumed by their relatives or other people, although they do not smoke, and said, "We can say that this figure has decreased in Turkey with the ban on smoking in closed areas. The rate of smoking in our country has been reported to be around 30%."
Trying cigarettes starts the addiction process
Reminding that cigarettes contain nicotine, carbon monoxide, tar and many different chemicals, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "Especially nicotine creates the effect of addiction, while other chemicals in addition to it cause negative effects on health. From the moment the cigarette is first tried, the addiction process starts according to the genetic characteristics in our body. According to studies, 1 out of every 4 adolescents who try cigarettes during adolescence becomes addicted."
Nicotine reaches the brain in 10 seconds
Stating that nicotine reaches the brain in about 10 seconds and its addictive effect emerges, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "After about 45-60 minutes, withdrawal symptoms begin to appear in the brain and the brain sends a warning to smoke again. Addiction is reinforced with repeated cigarette use and it becomes difficult to quit."
Stating that smokers attempt to quit smoking approximately 2-3 times throughout their lives and that only 5-10% of those who attempt to quit on their own can quit smoking so as not to use cigarettes again, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "Especially in the first 3 months after quitting, the rates of resumption of smoking are very high. With psychological support and medication, the rate of smoking cessation can reach 50%."
Stating that during the psychotherapy process, discussions are held on the reasons for wanting to quit smoking, the individual's concerns about quitting, the difficulties that may be experienced during the quitting process, positive gains after quitting smoking, methods of coping with stress, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "In the drug treatment process, drugs effective on the symptoms that will occur when smoking is not used, nicotine replacement therapies are used."
E-cigarette, transition substance to cigarettes
Stating that the use of devices known as electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes has been increasing in recent years despite the fact that their use is prohibited in our country, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan underlined that this is an important step in starting smoking. Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said the following:
"E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that allow nicotine, various flavors and many different chemicals to be inhaled through the airway. It is preferred especially by young people, especially because it contains different flavors and has a high popularity in social media, thinking that it is not harmful to health. Today, it is of great importance that these devices are used as a transitional substance to start smoking, which causes many health problems such as lung cancer, COPD and heart problems. Young people are actually meeting a greater risk by saying 'It is not harmful anyway, it is not a cigarette anyway'."
Emphasizing that the negative effects of e-cigarette devices on health are still being researched today and that they pose a great risk due to the various chemicals they contain, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "E-cigarettes have an addictive effect at least as much as cigarettes. Electronic cigarette devices, which are especially preferred by those who want to quit smoking, can actually bring more harm than benefit to these individuals. An individual who is motivated to quit smoking is distanced from the decision to quit smoking from the moment he starts using electronic cigarettes to quit smoking. He has become addicted to electronic cigarettes by saying 'I quit smoking'. The use of electronic cigarette devices brings non-smoking young people closer to smoking and distracts individuals who want to quit smoking from the motivation to quit smoking. For these reasons, it is necessary to be conscious about the use of electronic cigarettes."
Smoking Cessation Polyclinics can be applied
Stating that today, genetic examinations are carried out to determine which drug should be used in whom and different treatment options are used in the fight against addiction, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Onur Noyan said, "With genetic examinations, the rate at which the body metabolizes cigarettes, which drugs will be more effective in treatment can be evaluated and drug treatment can be started accordingly. Recent studies have shown that Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (Deep TMU) treatments reduce the desire to smoke, which is the biggest cause of difficulty in the smoking cessation process. With this treatment, it is aimed to stimulate the brain areas in the deep regions of the brain that cause the desire to smoke with electromagnetic waves. We know that unsuccessful attempts to quit on their own reduce the motivation of the person. For this reason, it will be useful to know that it is possible to quit smoking, that there are various treatment options and to apply to smoking cessation polyclinics."