Smoking on the increase due to harsh economic times

Furthermore, the survey revealed that stress is causing smokers to delay a quit attempt, increase the number of cigarettes they are smoking, or switch to a cheaper brand instead of quitting 2.

South African smokers will ensure healthy profits for the local tobacco industry if we follow the global trend of stress-related smoking habits during harsh economic times.

Says Vanessa Sew Chung Hong, Brand Manager of South Africa's leading Nicotine Replacement Therapy product, Nicorette: “It's well documented that the nicotine in cigarettes is perceived to ease stress. Nicotine is highly addictive and as any smoker will tell you, not easy to live without once hooked.”

According to the American Heart Foundation, Nicotine addiction has historically been one of the hardest addictions to break.” 3 “It is the brain's dependence on nicotine that makes it so hard to kick the habit,” adds Sew Chung Hong.” What's worse is that the more one smokes, the more you increase your brain's need for nicotine, making it more difficult to quit.”

“There is a three-tiered approach to breaking the addiction to smoking,” says Sew Chung Hong, “first is deciding to quit, then getting rid of the drug from your body and, lastly the hardest part, getting rid of the drug from your mind.”

Smokers need to seek effective solutions to manage their nicotine dependence, like a support programme or network, nicotine replacement therapy options or medication.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) provides a smaller dose of nicotine than smokers normally get from a cigarette, but enough to beat the cravings they get when they stop smoking. Day by day, cravings become less frequent until they disappear, making quitting easier.

At the recent World Health Organisation [WHO] Third Conference of Parties on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control hosted by the South African Department of Health in Durban in November 2008, NRT was discussed as a global solution of choice for government health departments to deal with the burden of smoking related disease.

Joining a free support network like the “Nicorette Kick Butt” programme, an online electronic and sms linked quit smoking support programme, which actively educates and empowers members during their quitting journey. Simply log onto www.nicorette.co.za.

(1) Kebede, R. 2008. Hard Times Prompt Americans to increase smoking. In Reuters Life [online]. Accessed: www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE4A961Y20081110 [10/11/2008].
(2) Cartwright, J. 2008. Current Economic Situation Prompts Increased Smoking, Delay in Quit Attempts Middle and Low-Income Americans Hit Hardest. In American Legacy [online]. Accessed: http://www.americanlegacy.org/2753.aspx
(3) 2008. What Causes Nicotine Addiction. In American Heart Foundation [online]. Accessed: http://www.americanheart.org [10/11/2008].