Covid-19: Why UAE doctors are urging people to quit smoking now

Dubai - There has been an uptick in the number of tobacco users, with an all time high of 1.1 billion smokers across the world.

With one of our most sensitive organs – lungs – seriously under threat by the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, healthcare professionals are urging smokers to consider this as the best time to give up smoking as tobacco consumption can aggravate the infection.

As the world marks World No Tobacco Day on May 31 annually, experts advise smokers to completely quit all types of tobacco consumption such as e-cigarettes, cigarettes or sheesha, midwak and other related products to save our lungs from any serious damage and in order to increase our oxygen levels and immunity to fight diseases such as Covid-19 and other heart ailments.

Pointing out at a recent study, Iyaad Hasan, tobacco cessation specialist at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Smoking Cessation Programme, said there has been an uptick in the number of tobacco users, with an all time high of 1.1 billion smokers across the world. “ Smoking irritates your lungs and weakens your immune system, which can in turn increase your chances of getting any viral infection such a Covid-19. Research and data has shown that smoking makes it harder for the body to fight diseases and can increase one’s chance of becoming an easy prey of Covid-19 with severe complications. Even if one has taken the vaccine, I would advise all to continue their efforts to quit smoking and have a better overall health, improve quality of life.”

When asked if switching to options like vaping or e-cigarettes or sheesha is better than smoking a normal cigarette, Hasan said: “Your ultimate goal should be to quit smoking and not just change products. This could be a good start but don’t get convinced by the marketing gimmicks of products that sell in the name of being less harmful. We are seeing a number of younger individuals complaining to us of shortness of breath, severe spasm or pneumonia and other respiratory issues after using vaping products, e-cigarettes or midwak as these can also cause lung injury in otherwise healthy individuals. These products may look less harmful but are much more harmful than what people think. While data is still limited but research says that one puff of midwak is equivalent of smoking 3-5 cigarettes, and half an hour of smoking sheesha is equivalent to smoking 50-100 cigarettes. The carbon monoxide coming out of sheesha is enormous which is why at times it can make people feel dizzy.”

Stating that tobacco is the second major factor for early deaths across the world, Dr. H. S. Wilkhoo , health and lifestyle coach at RAK Hospital, said explained what makes it deadly. “The fatal component present in tobacco is nicotine. Besides that, the cigarette contains a heady cocktail of chemicals that deliver a range of emotions. The alcohol in the cigarette or pipe sedates the brain, glycol in it acts as a tranquilizer, nitric oxide is an anesthetic and pain reliever, and so on. In current scenario of Covid-19 pamdemic that affects one’s lungs, carbon monoxide present in smoking, cannibalizes oxygen and the acids it contains and destroys lung tissue. Tobacco also contains benzene and tar, both of which cause cancer, and finally also contains traces of deadly chemical cyanide.”

Sharing his insights based on his clinical practice, Dr. Amal A Louis, interventional cardiologist at Canadian Specialist Hospital, said smoking impairs lung function making it harder for the body to fight off coronaviruses and other diseases. “Smokers are more likely to develop severe disease with Covid-19, compared to non-smokers. Given that the Covid-19 virus affects the respiratory tract, the hand-to-mouth action of conventional smoking and use of e-cigarettes may increase the risk of infection.”

He added that tobacco is also a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes which put people with these conditions at higher risk for developing severe illness when affected by Covid-19. Available research suggests that smokers are at higher risk of developing severe disease and death.