Emirati men coming forward to quit tobacco use

Many young Emirati men are choosing to quit tobacco, according to a story in The National quoting local medical practitioners.

“They are self referring and this is an encouraging sign, said Dr. Abdul Alkaddour, the head of preventive cardiology at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi. “There is an increased awareness among Emiratis.”

Alkaddour said most Emiratis trying to stop smoking were between the ages of 20 and 40.

“Many of these are young men and their wives may be expecting a child or a family member may have died, motivating them to quit,” he said.

Dr. Mohamed Rafique, head of pulmonology and sleep medicine at Prime Healthcare Group, was said to have noticed that smokers whose habit was making them ill were often the most keen to give up. “If you can speak to them at that point and explain why smoking is bad for them you may be successful in helping them to quit,” he said.

Rafique believes that help from the family increases the chances of someone sticking to their decision to quit the habit. “We advise families to avoid stressful situations that will make the person go back to the habit,” he said.

“If someone can’t stop smoking completely, they can reduce the amount they smoke. This in itself is a big achievement.”