Stay home, stay well: Time to kick smoking habit

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic could possibly be the best opportunity for smokers to quit their habit.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Nazmul Hasan, assistant professor at the Department of Internal Medicine of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said, "People may take this opportunity. A time of crisis is a time of opportunity."

It will not be tough for smokers to quit smoking if they are strongly determined, he said.

The doctor said many suggest to quit smoking gradually but the smokers should quit abruptly. "The sooner a smoker quits, the better it is for him or her."

Some people may feel issues right after quitting. In that case, they should consult a physician. The main thing is mentality. It is better to switch a smoker's mind to recreational activities more, he said.

It usually takes several months for a smoker's lung to heal the damage caused by long-term smoking, but a smoker would notice health improvements within days after quitting smoking, he added. 

World Health Organization (WHO) said smokers would be worse suffers of Covid-19 if infected compared with non-smokers.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of WHO, recently said, "Smoking can increase your risk of developing serious disease if you become infected with COVID-19."

A study published in February in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at 1,099 patients in China with Covid-19, showing that of 173 patients who had severe symptoms, 16.9% of them were current smokers and 5.2% had previously smoked.

The medicine specialist Nazmul said as corona attacks on lungs and smoking weakens lungs.

"So, it is observed that smokers are at a higher risk to become seriously ill than the non-smokers."