Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Aziz (not his real name) knew he had to stop smoking. He and his wife were expecting their first child and they both knew how hazardous second-hand smoke could be. At first, he made an effort to only smoke away from his wife but he knew that once they had children, it would be difficult for him to smoke away from them. Keeping in mind the health of their future child, he made the decision to stop smoking. Speaking to some of his friends, they recommended him to take the first step by visiting the local community pharmacist for help. While he was initially surprised at their suggestion, he paid a visit to the pharmacy and has starting working together with the pharmacist to kick his smoking habit.
If you are as surprised as Aziz was about going to a pharmacist for help in quitting smoking, don’t be.
Pharmacists in Malaysia have been helping smokers in the efforts to quit the habit for many years now. Smoking cessation services are currently provided by pharmacists both within the public healthcare facilities and private pharmacies. The smoking cessation services provided by pharmacists are often attractive to smokers mainly due to the fact that pharmacists are easily accessible and available. The accessibility of pharmacists is often seen by smokers who want to quit as an advantage, as they find it convenient and comfortable to seek advice and counselling from a pharmacy setting. Some pharmacists have also reported that smokers who seek their help to quit smoking often choose to do so as they find it more effective than trying to quit on their own or going through the hassle of making a hospital visit.
To provide greater assistance to smokers who want to quit, pharmacists in Malaysia often undergo special training programs to equip themselves with comprehensive information and educational techniques. The Academy of Pharmacy in Malaysia provides one such training course where graduates of the course become registered as Certified Smoking Cessation Service Providers.
Pharmacists who are Certified Smoking Cessation Service Providers can help to educate smokers who are trying to quit on the techniques and methods that have been successfully used by others, guide them in making the most appropriate choice of cessation methods, while addressing the problems of side effects experienced when a smoker starts to quit. They can also provide advice on how to deal with the effects of smoking such as yellow teeth, bad breath and poor skin health. Certified pharmacists can also offer private and customized counselling programs to provide more in-depth support and longer-term follow-up.
Other pharmacists who have not undergone such training are still able to give useful, sensible advice to smokers looking to quit, albeit at a lesser level of expertise compared to specially trained pharmacists. Regardless of qualifications, all pharmacists are able to assist smokers by providing essential information on the variety of smoking cessation medication, including both prescription and non-prescription choices. Pharmacists can also educate smokers on general strategies to help them quit. These strategies and techniques can be employed to help smokers manage their cravings and withdrawal symptoms as well as cope with the stress that comes during the initial stages of quitting. Very importantly, pharmacists can also help smokers deal with the difficulties that come when they slip up or relapse into old habits.
One area of expertise pharmacists have is on the use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) choices to help smokers quit. NRT is a means of gradual reduction in nicotine dependence by delivering nicotine without the harmful tar, gases and other elements of smoking. It reduces the cravings for cigarettes and the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting. There are several forms of nicotine replacement therapy products available at the pharmacy; patches, gums, lozenges and inhalers. A pharmacist can help smokers trying to quit to choose the most appropriate and effective product based on a variety of factors such as lifestyle, level of nicotine dependence and medical history.
In summary, health awareness campaigns across the country have helped bring awareness to smokers regarding the hazards of smoking towards themselves as well as their families. For smokers who wish to take that step towards quitting, pharmacists are an accessible and readily available source of information, advice and products on their journey towards being cigarette-free.
Mr. Mark is a regular columnist with the Malaysian Medical Gazette. You can read more about him in The Team page. He is also a member of the NARCC.
[This article belongs to The Malaysian Medical Gazette. Any republication (online or offline) without written permission from The Malaysian Medical Gazette is prohibited.]