Local health professionals urge smokers to seize opportunity of Ramadan to quit

As smoking is not allowed between sunrise and sunset, Ramadan presents smokers with a month-long opportunity to refrain from smoking for long periods of time.

Traditionally during Ramadan, after Iftar, people smoke more heavily in order to compensate for not smoking throughout the day according to Dr Mahmoud Marashi from The Department of Medicine, Rashid Hospital Dubai.

"Ramadan provides people with the opportunity to reflect and focus on their actions and the impact they have on themselves and others. The Holy Month can be a particularly good time for people to quit smoking but they need to resist temptation to smoke after Iftar,"

said Dr Mahmoud Marashi.

Due to the highly addictive nature of nicotine, refraining from smoking during the day can lead to withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anger, restlessness, impatience, insomnia and difficulty concentrating.

"Most tobacco users find it difficult to quit on their own and will benefit from support to overcome their addiction. We are encouraging smokers to seek advice from their family doctors, who can help them access medical treatments and patient support systems," added Dr Mahmoud Marashi.

The World Health Organisation's (WHO) Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2008 presents the first comprehensive analysis of global tobacco use and control efforts. The report found that only 5 percent of the world's population live in countries that help protect their citizens from the deadly addiction.

In support of the global stop smoking campaign, the UAE Ministry of Health has approved the registration of Champix, one of the most effective treatments for breaking the cycle of tobacco addiction.

Champix is a breakthrough treatment that had already helped millions of smokers to quit worldwide. It is a non-nicotine agent and the first new treatment approved for smoking cessation in nearly a decade.

Physicians agree that, for those aiming to quit, medication is far more effective than relying on willpower alone. In two clinical trials, patients who received Champix had almost four times more chance of quitting smoking compared to patients who simply received a placebo, over a 12-week course of therapy.