33 percent of the Spanish population is a smoker.
Spain is in the lead in number of smokers compared to other countries in the environment.
According to the last National Health Survey conducted in Spain in 2013, 23.9 percent of those over 16 are smokers. Figure that increases to 33 percent, according to the Eurobarometer data made by the European Commission. Of that 33 percent, 25 percent are between 15 and 24 years old.
Although quitting smoking could be the action that most benefits the smoker to improve their quality of life and health, regardless of age or smoking history they have, the fact is that Spain is in line with other European countries like France or Germany. In the United Kingdom, for example, the percentage of smokers is around 18 percent.
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"60 percent of smokers have ever considered quitting smoking. Especially after the age of 50, "explains Francisco Caramelles, family doctor and vice president of the National Committee for the Prevention of Smoking (CNPT), to CuidatePlus. "In the young population, for example, we have higher numbers of smokers than in other countries and this is due to the fact that in Spain, tobacco is cheaper and more accessible.
Caramelles points out that quitting this habit can have great health benefits. "Scientific studies have shown that the sooner a person stops smoking, the more life expectancy they will have." In addition, it indicates that there are benefits that the ex-smoker will soon notice, such as recovery of smell and taste or improvement, after three months, of lung function. "The ex-smoker will notice that he coughs less and that fatigue or congestion will be reduced".
However, the main benefits are linked to cardiovascular diseases. "After one year, the risk of cardiovascular disease will be halved, although the risk will not be similar to that of a person who has never smoked until 15 years have passed," he says. In addition, after five to ten years, ex-smokers will have the same risk of cerebral infarction as a non-smoker. "At ten years the risk of developing lung cancer will be between 30 and 50 percent lower than in people who continue to smoke," he adds.
Although the advantages are many, relapses when quitting are quite frequent and Caramelles points out that it is just as important to quit smoking as it is to maintain the decision to stop smoking. The vice president of CNPT insists that smokers can go to the family doctor to help them get it and gives a series of tips to get it:
1) The first step is to put a date
"This is fundamental since tobacco creates a physical dependence (for nicotine), social (usually smoking with friends, in bars, etc.) and psychological (quitting smoking could cause nervousness, insomnia, constipation, among others. )", Add. The Group of Approach to Smoking of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (semFYC), indicates that it is preferable to put that period in two weeks.
2) Tell your family and friends
It is important to seek the support of the people of the environment to achieve the goal. In the event that a person wants to quit smoking and his partner is a smoker, Caramelles recommends making the attempt at the same time to have more chances of success.
3) Remove everything related to smoking
Before quitting smoking, everything related to tobacco must be removed from the environment: cigars, ashtrays, lighters, etc.
4) Analyze previous attempts
"It is normal that when quitting smoking there are relapses and we can learn from them," he explains. "The ex-smoker must repeat what worked for him in the previous attempt and avoid what hurt him. In this sense, it is advisable to analyze the relationship that the person has with tobacco. "You can think, for example, which is the most expensive cigarette and look for substitutes. If it's after eating, you can go for a walk, brush your teeth or drink water. " In addition, it recommends avoiding or limiting the consumption of alcohol during the first weeks.
5) Total abstinence
The ex-smoker can not afford another cigarette. "Nicotine has an addictive power, like that of cocaine, and makes recipients remember, wake up and need more cigarettes.
6) Pharmacological help
Pharmacological treatment can help to stop smoking, although it is not recommended in young people and pregnant women.
After following these steps it is recommended that a specialist follow up to get more efficiency.
iCoach
Currently there are mobile applications that can help smokers to quit smoking. This is the case of iCoach, an application created by the European Union within the awareness campaign The ex-smokers are unstoppable in 2015, and they already use almost 40,000 smokers.
This tool, which also works on the computer, guides the user through five phases to stop smoking and incorporates challenges, such as leaving cigarettes at home when the person goes out to do a message or postpone 10 times the best cigarette for 10 minutes . After overcoming the challenges, iCoach rewards users with stimulating and reinforcing messages.