3. Smokers need encouragement to quit. Many smokers have tried or know somebody who attempted to quit but could not. Smokers want more than punitive measures to help them stop smoking. The findings of these studies revealed that, supportive tone of the ads make the female smokers feel understood, reassured them that they were not failures and supported them in their efforts to quit. (Tripp & Davenport, 1989)
4. Smokers want realistic guidance about quitting. Smokers responded positively and were receptive to messages that revealed people often fail to quit in the first few attempts, and that kind of failure is normal. These messages gave smokers a reason for trying again and again.
Christen & Christen (1994) said recognizing tobacco use as an addiction is critical both for treating the tobacco user and for understanding why people continue to use tobacco despite the known health risks. They also suggested tobacco is a potent drug that exerts strong control over its regular users and reinforces the need to use and re-use. Albrecht et al (1999) stated that developmentally, adolescents focus on the present, the immediate effects of tobacco use, such as bad breath, stained teeth, and high cost of cigarettes, and this should be the focus of the education effort.
Christen and Christen (1994) reported that about 70 to 80 per cent of smokers who do quit are likely to relapse within the first 3 months of cessation. In addition, 50 per cent or more of patients who are recovering from surgery for a smoking related disease continue to smoke while they are hospitalized or resume smoking shortly after they are discharged. In essence, smoking is an extremely multifaceted, addictive behavior that involves pharmacological, environmental, cognitive, and affective factors.
Albrecht et al (1999) recommended programs that involve role modeling, peer resistance, and booster sessions, focused on attitude and behavior change, to achieve cessation while recognizing issues of adolescent development can be highly successful. They also suggested when working with teens, parents of the adolescent must be included in health promotion activities. Tripp & Davenport (1989) examined advertising directed at smokers found that fear tactics were a most ineffective means of encouraging smokers away from their smoking behavior. They found advertisements that provided information about the dangers of smoking and offered some suggestions that are effective methods to quit were effective. This study concluded positive ads seemed to motivate people to a moderate degree. Tripp & Davenport (1989) opposed the use of fear tactics to help teenage female smokers decide against initiation or cessation of smoking. They found that fear tactics failed to address the real concerns of female adolescent smokers, which center on the difficulties and frustration involved in breaking an addiction.
Albrecht et al (1999) further recommended the following steps as effective guidelines for smoking cessation for high-risk populations:
1. Awareness: understanding of the unique needs of the high-risk population.
2. Ask: inquire about lifestyle to assess high-risk areas to target cessation activities.
3. Advise: education should center around specific short and long-term effects smoking has on the high risk population and reversible effects that occur with cessation.
4. Assist: self-help educational material must be supplemental with counseling sessions that specifically address quit preparation, smoking triggers, and alternative coping responses that enhances lifestyle changes.
5. Arrange: follow-up appointments can be scheduled closely around quit date for reinforcement and support of cessation efforts.
6. Again: repeating process reinforces cessation efforts and addresses relapse issues.
Conclusion
A healthy and safe environment is a public health priority. Clean air, free from tobacco smoke, is particularly vital since researchers have documented the link between tobacco smoke and increased morbidity and mortality in both smokers and non-smokers. Health professionals can play an essential role in both clinical and community settings to reduce tobacco use, one of the leading causes of health problems in this country. Work site environments must have policies established and enforced that restrict or prohibit smoking. Health professionals must make it their duty to enhance public awareness and education about the hazards of tobacco smoke within the work setting, and the benefits
no-smoking policies as mechanisms for enhancing the health of both smokers and non-smokers.
Recommendations
A committee needs to be created to steer this organization to form and adopt a policy that satisfies all involved. The committee must include all employees representative and other stakeholders. We also advise, open procedures that motivate active decision making participation of all participants. The overall goals for the policy ensure that its scope of action is extensive.
These three goals are:
+ to protect the health and rights of non-smokers (protection);
+ to help non-smokers stay smoke free (prevention);
+ to aid and encourage those who want to quit smoking to do so (cessation).
To achieve this, the following six strategic directions have been identified:
+ access to information;
+ access to services and programs;
+ message promotion;
+ support for action;
+ Intersectoral policy coordination;
+ research and knowledge development
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