When they started, they were unaware of the consequences. Now that they are trapped feel the heat and wish to be free. Doctors are the intellects of society. They have different positions in society. But a doctor who is a tobacco user is no more acceptable in society.
For a doctor who is a smoker or chewer the situation is:
– People look at him with disbelief
– The doctor tends to lose credibility and respect with the patients and in society
– Justification to continue to smoke or chew tobacco is not valid
– Family and children suffer because of your habit directly and indirectly.
Tobacco is no more socially acceptable behavior and least expected of a doctor.
Tobacco is the most addictive substance and when it comes to tobacco whosoever is immaterial, whether one is a doctor, one is on the knees begging, stealing, telling lies. You are a changed personality.
The journey of quitting for a doctor is difficult and unique because of the many self-created hurdles
– “I know all”
– “I can quit whenever I want”
– “I have a strong will power”
– “I take occasionally, it will not harm me”
Failures of quitting lead to frustration, justification, and accepting the consequences. This is the worst thing to happen.
It is possible to quit and stay quit, what the doctor needs are
– Recognize the fact that tobacco is a disease
– You are as much prone as anyone else – the degree does not grant you immunity from being affected
– Recognize the fact that you need help
– Please do not take help from quacks
– A specialist may be a highly recognized doctor but that is of his specialty but when it comes to tobacco intervention, he may be a quack until unless certified for the purpose in this.
– Tobacco Cessation intervention is a specialist job.
So “BE SMART DO NOT START” and for those who have started earlier, you quit the better. Do not hesitate to take the help of a Certified Tobacco Cessation Specialist. Quitting Tobacco is easy but staying quit is difficult! The specialist would give you support, medication, comorbidity management, follow up and continued motivation to prevent relapse during your journey.
Tobacco is a complex endemic disease. It is well recognized and now diagnostic methodology, specific medicines, and counseling processes are available to treat this disease. The book WIN OVER TOBACCO MADE EASY authored by Dr. Pawan Gupta is a comprehensive guide for those willing to quit and also for doctors. It is the moral responsibility of all doctors to take training to understand the intricacies of the disease and advice the patient in an evidence-based method for tobacco quit to be successful.
ICanCaRe Tobacco Wellness center is coming up at various Hospitals for helping tobacco patients in distress.
By Dr. Pawan Gupta M.Ch., FAIS, FSOG
Director HN, MAX Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali;
Chief Medical Advisor – ICanCaRe (www.icancare.in)
National Convenor – Certified Tobacco Cessation Courses
drpawan.oncosurgeon@gmail.com
9811290152
(The Author – Dr. Pawan Gupta M.Ch. is Director of Surgical Oncology at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Vaishali. Patparganj and Noida. He is the author of the book – Win Over Tobacco Made Easy, Be Smart Do Not Start and is highly recognized for his work on Oral Cancer and Tobacco Cessation. He is the convenor for Certified Course in Tobacco Cessation under the Gujarat University)