Smoking Community - Important Call to Action “Time to Quit"
A new study suggests as many as two in three Australian smokers will die from their addiction unless they quit. . February 2015 Chloe Taylor says the risk of smoking-related death would hit home more if she knew someone affected by it. Picture : Mike Keating. |
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Cigarettes will kill two in three Australian smokers, Melbourne University and Sax Institute study
Despite Australia having one of the lowest rates of smoking in the world, 1.8 million of the country’s 2.7 million smokers will lose their lives to cigarettes.
Not only does the habit shave a decade off their life but just 10 cigarettes a day doubles the risk of smokers dying prematurely, compared with non-smokers.
Are you ready to Quit? call Vicki on 0403 216 309 and book in or email me using the Contact us form.
Hypnotic approach helps smokers quit
A RADICAL policy to ban smoking at a major Melbourne university and pay for staff to get hypnotherapy, quit aids and counselling has led to almost one person a day butting out.
Deakin University made its four campuses smoke-free last year, but it also funded support services to help people adjust to the changes.
“At the start I said even if one extra person gives up, it’s worth the investment, but to have 600 people either reduce or give up is amazing,” said Catherine Bennett, Deakin head of the School of Health and Social Development.
The policy has resulted in more than 347 students and 13 staff members butting out for good, while more than 200 reduced their cigarette intake.
The proportion of students and staff smoking is estimated to be 7 per cent and 4 per cent respectively, compared with a statewide rate of 13 per cent.
One of the quit tools offered to staff was enlisting the services of a clinical hypnotherapist, who said hypnosis was essentially a focusing technique used to slow down people’s brain waves.
The University of Melbourne and Sax Institute research, published in the journal BMC Medicine, is the first to provide large-scale evidence on smoking and mortality in Australia.
“Their risk of dropping dead at any age is three times that of non-smokers,” co-author University of Melbourne’s Laureate Professor Alan Lopez said.
Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and cancers of the lung, mouth, oesophagus, larynx, kidney, pancreas, bladder, stomach and cervix.
The risk of dying was also found to increase dramatically with smoking intensity.
Compared with non-smokers, mortality rates doubled in those who had 10 cigarettes a day and increased four-to-five-fold in those who had more than 25 smokes daily.
Council Victoria’s CEO Todd Harper said it was an “astonishingly high number of deaths” and underlined the importance of encouraging people to quit as soon as possible.
“This is devastating news for many people who are addicted to tobacco products,” Mr Harper said. Prof Lopez said the research highlighted the importance of the government staying the course on tobacco control.
The report points out that Australia has been one of the most successful in the world at slashing smoking rates, with daily consumption among adults now 13 per cent.
But health groups say this report highlights that there is still work to do in order to reduce the death toll.
Mr Harper said continuing to educate and support smokers and creating more smoke-free environments, such as outdoor dining, were needed to help people with their daily struggle to quit. Read more from The sun article here.
Are you ready to Quit? If yes call Vicki 0403 216 309 and book in today. You deserve to be Healthy and Happy!
Despite Australia having one of the lowest rates of smoking in the world, 1.8 million of the country’s 2.7 million smokers will lose their lives to cigarettes.
Not only does the habit shave a decade off their life but just 10 cigarettes a day doubles the risk of smokers dying prematurely, compared with non-smokers.
Are you ready to Quit? call Vicki on 0403 216 309 and book in or email me using the Contact us form.
Hypnotic approach helps smokers quit
A RADICAL policy to ban smoking at a major Melbourne university and pay for staff to get hypnotherapy, quit aids and counselling has led to almost one person a day butting out.
Deakin University made its four campuses smoke-free last year, but it also funded support services to help people adjust to the changes.
“At the start I said even if one extra person gives up, it’s worth the investment, but to have 600 people either reduce or give up is amazing,” said Catherine Bennett, Deakin head of the School of Health and Social Development.
The policy has resulted in more than 347 students and 13 staff members butting out for good, while more than 200 reduced their cigarette intake.
The proportion of students and staff smoking is estimated to be 7 per cent and 4 per cent respectively, compared with a statewide rate of 13 per cent.
One of the quit tools offered to staff was enlisting the services of a clinical hypnotherapist, who said hypnosis was essentially a focusing technique used to slow down people’s brain waves.
The University of Melbourne and Sax Institute research, published in the journal BMC Medicine, is the first to provide large-scale evidence on smoking and mortality in Australia.
“Their risk of dropping dead at any age is three times that of non-smokers,” co-author University of Melbourne’s Laureate Professor Alan Lopez said.
Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and cancers of the lung, mouth, oesophagus, larynx, kidney, pancreas, bladder, stomach and cervix.
The risk of dying was also found to increase dramatically with smoking intensity.
Compared with non-smokers, mortality rates doubled in those who had 10 cigarettes a day and increased four-to-five-fold in those who had more than 25 smokes daily.
Council Victoria’s CEO Todd Harper said it was an “astonishingly high number of deaths” and underlined the importance of encouraging people to quit as soon as possible.
“This is devastating news for many people who are addicted to tobacco products,” Mr Harper said. Prof Lopez said the research highlighted the importance of the government staying the course on tobacco control.
The report points out that Australia has been one of the most successful in the world at slashing smoking rates, with daily consumption among adults now 13 per cent.
But health groups say this report highlights that there is still work to do in order to reduce the death toll.
Mr Harper said continuing to educate and support smokers and creating more smoke-free environments, such as outdoor dining, were needed to help people with their daily struggle to quit. Read more from The sun article here.
Are you ready to Quit? If yes call Vicki 0403 216 309 and book in today. You deserve to be Healthy and Happy!