World No Tobacco Day.
On this day, the World Health Organization (WHO) raises the global awareness of this deadly addiction and encourages those who smoke to abstain from smoking for 24 hours.
It could end up being the start of something wonderful.
Since helping people quit smoking is a great interest of mine, I would also encourage those who smoke to try and become a nonsmoker for the day.
Try a day. What do you have to lose? You have everything to gain. Your body, your wallet, your family and friends, even your planet will thank you with amazing results.
Since 1999, over one million Canadians have quit smoking.
Quitting smoking is not easy. Many patients I have helped in the hospital’s smoking cessation clinic have told me that quitting smoking was like giving up their best friend.
This is merely the illusion of tobacco addiction distorting reality because what “best friend” would take your hard earned money and shorten your life (on average a smoker lives 10 years less than a nonsmoker).
This “best friend” turns out to be your worst enemy.
There are many ways to quit smoking. There is the free 24 hour smokers’ helpline called Quit Now by phone at 1-877-455-2233 or online www.quitnow.ca.
All of these community resources are at the clinic’s website at www.CISIC.ca.
Dr. Derek Poteryko
Nanaimo Regional General Hospital