Tag Archives: smoking

COVID-19 has offered us an unexpected opportunity to help more people quit smoking

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Simone Pettigrew, George Institute for Global Health

Smokers are worried. A respiratory disease is running rampant across the globe and people with unhealthy lifestyle habits appear to be especially vulnerable.

We know smokers hospitalised with COVID-19 are more likely to become severely unwell and die than non-smokers with the disease.

At any point in time, most smokers want to quit. But COVID-19 provides the impetus to do it sooner rather than later.

In our new study, we surveyed 1,204 adult smokers across Australia and the United Kingdom. We found the proportion intending to quit within the next two weeks almost tripled from around 10% of smokers before COVID-19 to 29% in April.

Many more were thinking about quitting some time soon, and most wanted help to do so.

Our research shows many people who smoke understand they can reduce their COVID-19 related risk by addressing their smoking. Given this, and the broader health gains associated with stopping smoking, we must ensure people who want to quit in the face of COVID-19 are supported.



Read more:
Smoking increases your coronavirus risk. There’s never been a better time to quit

Information and support

When asked whether they’d like to receive information about the risks of COVID-19 for smokers, almost half (45%) of our respondents said they would. This was especially the case among those wanting to quit very soon.

As for where they wanted to get this information, participants most commonly chose government representatives (59%) and doctors (47%) as their preferred sources.

Television news was the most favoured information delivery channel (61%), followed by online news (36%), social media (31%) and email (31%).

A man smokes a cigarette outdoors.
We surveyed about 1,200 smokers in Australia and the UK.
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As well as being receptive to information, our participants were keen for support to help them quit.

Evidence-based forms of smoking cessation assistance include nicotine replacement therapy (for example, gum, patches and inhalers) and counselling.

Almost two-thirds (61%) of our respondents expressed an interest in receiving nicotine replacement therapy to help them quit, which rose to more than three-quarters (77%) if it could be home-delivered and provided free of charge.

Half (51%) wanted access to personal advice and support, such as that provided by Quitline. A similar number (49%) were receptive to being part of a text support program for smokers.

These results show us smokers are interested in forms of quitting assistance that can be delivered remotely. Making sure smokers know these sorts of things are available in lockdown could increase uptake, and in turn reduce smoking rates.

It’s also important to note the social isolation associated with the pandemic may make people more vulnerable to the addictive effects of nicotine. So they may need extra support during this time.

Two big risks to our health

Strong groundwork in the form of anti-smoking campaigns, tobacco taxes, and smoke-free environment legislation has reduced smoking levels in Australia to a record low of 11%. But even at this rate, smoking remains Australia’s number-one avoidable killer.

Smoking eventually kills up to two-thirds of regular users, and the number of people dying from smoking-related diseases still dwarfs COVID-19 deaths.

Roughly eight million people around the world die each year from tobacco-related diseases (such as cancer, stroke and heart disease), compared to the almost one million deaths attributed to COVID-19 so far.

Of course, the infectious nature of COVID-19 brings its own set of challenges. But combined, we have a potent reason to prioritise encouraging and helping smokers to quit as soon as possible.



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Does nicotine protect us against coronavirus?

There has been speculation about whether smoking increases the risk of contracting COVID-19, or whether nicotine might actually protect against the disease. The evidence remains unclear.

Regardless of whether smoking affects the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the first place, we know it increases the risk of dying from it. Providing intensive quit support during the pandemic could facilitate a substantial boost to cessation rates and bring us closer to the day when smoking becomes history.

Capitalising on this opportunity

Smokers’ increased risk from COVID-19 and the importance of encouraging smokers to quit to reduce their risk of a range of non-communicable diseases means health agencies around the world are sending messages about the importance of quitting now.

Our results suggest these statements should ideally be accompanied by explicit offers of help to quit in the form of nicotine replacement therapy and counselling. Investment in these is cost-effective, and now is an ideal time to make them as widely available and affordable as possible.

Many smokers would also likely benefit from the use of mass media to provide more information about their greater risk if infected with COVID-19.

This heightened interest in quitting in the face of COVID-19 — reflected not only in our research, but elsewhere — represents a unique opportunity for governments and health agencies to help smokers quit, and stay off smoking for good.



Read more:
Smoking at record low in Australia, but the grim harvest of preventable heart disease continues

Readers around Australia can call Quitline on 13 7848 or visit www.quit.org.au to access a free multi-session quit assistance program.The Conversation

Simone Pettigrew, Professorial fellow, George Institute for Global Health

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Smoking increases your coronavirus risk. There’s never been a better time to quit

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Billie Bonevski, University of Newcastle; Caitlin Bialek, University of Newcastle, and Eliza Skelton, University of Newcastle

If you’re a smoker, there’s really never been a better time to quit. Coronavirus affects your lungs, causing flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat and fatigue. In the most serious cases, sufferers struggle to breathe at all and can die of respiratory failure.

The World Health Organisation recommends people quit smoking as it makes them more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection.

Here’s what we know about smoking and COVID-19 risk – and how you can boost your chances of quitting while under lockdown.



Read more:
It’s safest to avoid e-cigarettes altogether – unless vaping is helping you quit smoking

Smoking and COVID-19 risk

Early data from China suggests smoking history is one factor that the risk of poor outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, smoking is a leading risk factor for chronic disease and death.

Smokers are more susceptible to developing heart disease, which so far seems to be the highest risk factor for the COVID-19 death rate. The Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford reports that smoking seemed to be a factor associated with poor survival in Italy, where 24% of people smoke.

We know that immunosuppressed people are at higher risk if they get COVID-19 and cigarette smoke is an immunosuppressant.

And the hand-to-mouth action of smoking makes smokers vulnerable to COVID-19 as they are touching their mouth and face more often.

We don’t yet know if recent ex-smokers are at higher risk of COVID-19 than people who have never smoked. Given the lungs heal rapidly after quitting smoking, being an ex-smoker is likely to decrease your chances of complications due to COVID-19.

Reduce your COVID-19 risks today by quitting

The benefits of quitting smoking are almost immediate. Within 24 hours of quitting, the body starts to recover and repair. Lung function improves and respiratory symptoms become less severe.

You might not notice the changes immediately, but they will become obvious within months of quitting. And the improvements are sustained with long-term abstinence.

Tiny hairs in your lungs and airways (called cilia) get better at clearing mucus and debris. You’ll start to notice you’re breathing more easily.

Symptoms of chronic bronchitis, such as chronic cough, mucus production and wheeze, decrease rapidly. Among people with asthma, lung function improves within a few months of quitting and treatments are more effective.

Respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia also decrease with quitting.



Read more:
Smoking at record low in Australia, but the grim harvest of preventable heart disease continues

People should seek behavioural counselling support to work through motivations to quit, strategies for dealing with triggers, and distraction techniques.

And you can get behavioural support from your doctor or a psychologist via telephone Quitlines in your state or territory or online.

Several studies suggest that some people quit smoking without assistance. If you feel you need extra help, talk to your doctor about nicotine gum, patches, inhalators, lozenges or prescription medications. If you can’t get in to see a GP, you can try a telehealth consultation or consider over-the-counter products.

Calculate how much money you’ll save by quitting.
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Quitting while in lockdown

Physical distancing and lockdown measures may make it more challenging to get the support you need to quit smoking – but not impossible.

If financial stress is undermining your attempts to stop smoking, calculate how much money you can save by quitting (and whatever you do, don’t share cigarettes with someone else). Financial support is available if COVID-19 has affected your income.

Social support, even during lockdown, is crucial. Why not organise a group of friends also wanting to quit and support each other via Houseparty, Zoom or Skype?

Pandemic or no pandemic, smoking poses an enormous risk to your health – and hurts your finances, too.

Any effort you put in now to reduce your smoking or stub it out altogether will reduce your risk if you do get COVID-19, help you live longer and enjoy a higher quality of life. We wish you the very best of luck with it.The Conversation

Billie Bonevski, Women in Science Chair, University of Newcastle; Caitlin Bialek, Research Assistant, University of Newcastle, and Eliza Skelton, Research Academic, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

FAITH AND ASSURANCE: Bishop J. C. Ryle

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READER,

If you are a thoughtless, careless man about your soul, you will take no interest in the subject of this tract. Faith and assurance are mere names and words to you: they are neither land, nor money, nor horses, nor dress, nor meat, nor drink: like Gallio, you care not for them. Alas, poor soul! I mourn over you. The day will come when you will think differently.

Reader, if you really desire to go to heaven, and to go there in the Bible way you will find the subject of this tract of the deepest importance. Believe me, your own comfort in religion, and your peace of conscience, depend exceedingly on understanding the matter about which I am going to speak. I say then, that faith in Christ, and a full assurance of being saved by Christ, are two distinct things.


A man may have saving faith in Christ, and yet never enjoy an assured hope, like the Apostle Paul. To believe, and have a glimmering hope of acceptance, is one thing; to have joy and peace in our believing, and abound in hope, is quite another. All God’s children have faith: not all have assurance. I think this ought never to be forgotten.


I know some great and good men have held a different opinion: I believe that many excellent ministers do not allow the distinction I have stated; but I desire to call no man master. I dread as much as anyone the idea of healing the wounds of conscience slightly; but I should think any other view than that I have given a most uncomfortable gospel to preach, and one very likely to keep souls back a long time from the gate of life.


I would not desire to make one contrite heart sad that God has not made sad, or to discourage one fainting child of God, or to give a soul the impression that you have no part or lot in Christ, except you feel assurance. I do not shrink from saying, that by grace a man may have sufficient faith to flee to Christ, really to lay hold on Him, really to trust in Him, really to be a child of God, really to be saved; and yet to his last day be never free from much anxiety, doubt, and fear.


“A letter,” says an old writer, “may be written which is not sealed; so grace may be written in the heart, yet the Spirit may not set the seal of assurance to it.”


A child may be born heir to a great fortune, and yet never be aware of his riches, live childish, die childish, and never know the greatness of his possessions.


And so also a man may be a babe in Christ’s family; think as a babe, speak as a babe, and, though saved, never enjoy a lively hope, or know the full privileges of his inheritance.


Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ a man must have, beyond all question, if he is to be saved. I know no other way of access to the Father: I see no intimation of mercy excepting through Christ. A man must feel his sins and lost estate, must come to Jesus for pardon and salvation, must rest his hope on Him and on Him alone. But if he only have faith to do this, however weak and feeble that faith may be, I will engage, from Scripture warrants, he shall not miss heaven. Never, never let us curtail the freeness of the glorious gospel, or clip its fair proportions. Never let us make the gate more strait, and the way more narrow, than pride or love of sin have made it already. The Lord Jesus is very pitiful and of tender mercy. He does not regard the quantity of faith, but the quality He does not measure its degree, but its truth. He will not break any bruised reed, nor quench any smoking flax. He will never let it be said that any perished at the foot of the cross. “Him that cometh unto Me,” He says, “I will in no wise cast out” (John vi. 37). 1


Yes, reader! though a man’s faith be no bigger than a grain of mustard seed, if it only brings him to Christ, and enables him to touch the hem of His garment, he shall be saved: saved as surely as the oldest saint in paradise; saved as completely and eternally as Peter, or John, or Paul. There are degrees in our sanctification: in our justification there are none. What is written is written, and shall never fail: “Whosoever believeth on Him,” not whosoever has a strong and mighty faith, “Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed” (Rom. x. 11).


But all this time, I would have you take notice, the poor soul may have no full assurance of his pardon and acceptance with God. He may be troubled with fear upon fear, and doubt upon doubt. He may have many a question and many an anxiety, many a struggle, and many a misgiving, clouds and darkness, storm and tempest to the very end.


I will engage, I repeat, that bare simple faith in Christ shall save a man, though he may never attain to assurance; but I will not engage it shall bring him to heaven, with strong and abounding consolations. I will engage it shall land him safe in harbour, but I will not engage he shall enter that harbour under full sail, confident and rejoicing. I shall not be surprised if he reaches his desired haven weather-beaten and tempest-tossed, scarcely realising his own safety till he opens his eyes in glory.


Reader, I believe it is of great importance to keep in view this distinction between faith and assurance. It explains things which an inquirer in religion some times finds it hard to understand.


Faith, let us remember, is the root, and assurance is the flower. Doubtless you can never have the flower without the root; but it is no less certain you may have the root and not the flower.


Faith is that poor trembling woman who came behind Jesus in the press and touched the hem of His garment (Mark v. 25). Assurance is Stephen standing calmly in the midst of his murderers, and saying, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” (Acts vii. 56). Faith is the penitent thief crying, “Lord, remember me” (Luke xxiii. 42). Assurance is Job sitting in the dust, covered with sores, and saying, “I know that my Redeemer liveth” (Job xix. 25). “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him” (Job xiii. 13).


Faith is Peter’s drowning cry as he began to sink: “Lord, save me!” (Matt. xiv. 30). Assurance is the same Peter declaring before the Council, in after times, “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts iv. 11,12).


Faith is the anxious, trembling voice: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief” (Mark ix. 24). Assurance is the confident challenge: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? Who is he that condemneth?” (Rom. viii. 33, 34).


Faith is Saul praying in the house of Judas at Damascus, sorrowful, blind, and alone (Acts ix. 11). Assurance is Paul, the aged prisoner, looking calmly into the grave, and saying, “I know Whom I have believed,” “There is laid up for me a crown” (2 Tim. i. 12; iv. 8).

Faith is life. How great the blessing! Who can tell the gulf between life and death? And yet life may be weak, sickly, unhealthy, painful, trying, anxious, worn, burdensome, joyless, and smileless to the very end.

Assurance is more than life. It is health, strength, power, vigour, activity, energy, manliness, and beauty.

Reader, it is not a question of saved or not saved that lies before us, but of privilege or no privilege, it is not a question of peace or no peace, but of great peace or little peace, it is not a question between the wanderers of this world and the school of Christ, it is one that belongs only to the school, it is between the first form and the last.

He that has faith does well. Happy should I be if I thought all readers of this tract had it. Blessed, thrice blessed are they that believe: they are safe; they are washed; they are justified. They are beyond the power of hell. Satan, with all his malice, shall never pluck them out of Christ’s hands. But he that has assurance does far better, sees more, feels more, knows more, enjoys more, has more days like those spoken of in Deuteronomy, even “the days of heaven upon the earth” (Deut. xi. 21). 2

Reader, whoever you may be, I exhort you never to be satisfied with anything short of a full assurance of your own salvation. With faith, no doubt, you must begin, with simple, child-like faith: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” But from faith go on to assurance. Rest not till you can say, “I know Whom I have believed.”

Believe me, believe me, assurance is worth the seeking. You forsake your own mercies when you rest content without it. The things I speak are for your peace. It is good to be sure in earthly things; how much better is it to be sure in heavenly things!

Make it then your daily prayer that you may have an increase of faith. According to your faith will be your peace. Cultivate that blessed root more, and sooner or later, by God’s blessing, you may hope to have the flower. You may not perhaps attain to full assurance at once: it is good sometimes to be kept waiting; we do not value things that we get without trouble. But though it tarry, wait for it. Seek on, and expect to find.

 

FOOTNOTES:

1 “He that believeth on Jesus shall never be confounded. Never was any; neither shall you, if you believe. It was a great word of faith spoken by a dying man, who had been converted in a singular way, betwixt his condemnation and execution: his last words were these, spoken with a mighty shout ‘Never man perished with his face towards Jesus Christ.'”  Traill.

2 “The greatest thing that we can desire, next to the glory of God, is our own salvation; and the sweetest thing we can desire is the assurance of our salvation. In this life we cannot get higher than to be assured of that which in the next life is to be enjoyed. All saints shall enjoy a heaven when they leave this earth: some saints enjoy a heaven while they are here on earth.” Joseph Carlyle. 1658.

STUDY: GAY LIFESTYLE STRONGLY LINKED TO DEPRESSION, SUICIDE

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A new study in the United Kingdom has revealed that homosexuals are about 50% more likely to suffer from depression and engage in substance abuse than the rest of the population, reports Kathleen Gilbert, LifeSiteNews.com.

After analyzing 25 earlier studies on sexual orientation and mental health, researchers, in a study published in the medical journal BMC Psychiatry, also found that the risk of suicide jumped over 200% if an individual had engaged in a homosexual lifestyle.

These findings strongly support the results of similar studies conducted in the United States, which have unveiled the severe physical and psychological health risks associated with homosexual behavior. Drs. Paul and Kirk Cameron of the Family Research Institute revealed in 2007 that research shows that the lifespan of a homosexual is on average 24 years shorter than that of a heterosexual. As a health threat, even smoking pales in comparison, as studies show smoking can shorten one’s life by only 1 to 7 years on average.

While the Health 24 article suggested that homosexuals may be pushed to substance abuse and suicide because of anti-homosexual cultural and family pressures, empirical tests have shown that there is no difference in homosexual health risk depending on the level of tolerance in a particular environment. Homosexuals in the United States and Denmark – the latter of which is acknowledged to be highly tolerant of homosexuality – both die on average in their early 50’s, or in their 40’s if AIDS is the cause of death. The average age for all residents in either country ranges from the mid-to-upper-70s.

Dr. Rick Fitzgibbons, a psychiatrist and member of the Catholic Medical Association, says there is evidence that homosexuality is itself a manifestation of a psychological disorder accompanied by a host of mental health problems, including “major depression, suicidal ideation and attempts, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, conduct disorder, low self-esteem in males and sexual promiscuity with an inability to maintain committed relationships.”

Fitzgibbons said the American Psychological Association, which is known for its support of homosexual “marriage,” ignored the evidence he presented that homosexuality presents significant danger to psychological health.

Report from Christian Telegraph

There’s An Ash Tray – What Hinders Me?

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 This is something I really shouldn’t have been thinking about today – yeah, I was in church. So what is it with all of the ash trays in some churches? OK, I know what you’re thinking, ‘they don’t really smoke in churches – do they? Well, not that I know off ~ but it could be possible that some American Pentecostal and/or Market Driven Churches are into it, after all, it would be a good way to get some unchurched folks into the church. Alright – not so funny.

So anyhow, there I was thinking about this ash tray – should I sneak in sometime and put a butt or two in it. I don’t suppose that would go down too well. Depending on whether or not water was kept in the ash tray, at least it is possible that there wouldn’t be too much of a fire hazard.

That’s right people, I was thinking about the ‘baptismal font,’ if that is what they are called. It’s an item that can be used for all manner of purposes and not just as an ash tray. It could be used as a free standing ‘dip’ bowl for crackers and the like, though it could be argued it is already being used for ‘dipping’ I suppose. It could be used as a small bowl for keeping fruit, such as grapes and berries – certainly not water melon because it isn’t designed to hold a whole lot of water 🙂

It got me to thinking, why was it that the Ethiopian eunuch ‘struggled’ to get baptised after Peter had explained the meaning of various Scriptures to him – could it be that it took such an awfully long time to find a suitable small body of water. Perhaps eventually he was able to say, ‘Peter, there’s an ash tray – what hinders me from being baptised.’ I imagine Peter might have said, ‘Well, there isn’t enough water for a proper baptism buddy.’ Hence they waited until they found a considerable body of water for the sign to be carried out correctly.

OK, so you’re thinking – ‘typical Baptist!’

Now hang on, I could also say what is it with all of the concealed baths and spas that are often hidden under pulpits? Since when did baptisms get conducted in a bathroom?

Isn’t it likely that the sign of giving a public testimony via baptism was meant to be carried out, well, publicly? Isn’t it an outward sign of what has happened inwardly, a public testimony to all that something has happened of a spiritual nature and that you are giving a public testimony of the fact?

Obviously such ‘open air’ baptisms are a thing of the past for many denominations and churches – which is rather sad. What you get these days is some highly ritualised sprinkling, dipping and/or dunking in some fairly hidden away receptacles.

But you could probably go further and ask why are churches these days tied to ‘church buildings?’ Why are churches so concerned for material property, spending far too much time on property matters than on the mission to which they have been appointed? But I guess that is a possible subject for another day.