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Zwolle – Stoptober started again on 1 October, in other words the month of the largest smoking cessation attempt in the Netherlands. A good moment, according to lung specialist Arnold Huisman, to think about quitting smoking. “Know that you can get good help with this in Isala.”
“Unfortunately, most patients only stop on their own when a spot can already be seen on their lung or after they have had a heart attack,” says Arnold. ‘Only then does a startle reaction occur and suddenly it is possible to stop. That’s just how people are put together. But if you can prevent this by stopping earlier, that is of course much better. Because the more you smoke and the longer, the greater your chance of misery.”
Major health gain
Quitting smoking has major health benefits. “Most smokers are afraid of lung cancer, but unfortunately this is by no means the only disease that you are more likely to get as a smoker.”
“Lung cancer is not the only disease that smokers are more likely to get.” Arnold Huisman, Pulmonologist
“Think also of bladder and larynx cancer, brain haemorrhages, COPD and other lung diseases, diabetes, dementia, but also cardiovascular disease.”
The best thing to do
“People who smoke die on average 8 to 10 years earlier than people who don’t smoke and 30% of all cancers are caused by smoking,” Arnold continues his story. “That’s why quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for yourself. Already after 14 days you feel fitter and most withdrawal symptoms disappear. It’s certainly not easy, but it’s certainly not impossible. Especially not if you get the right help.”
If you are thinking about stopping, the pulmonologist advises you to discuss this with your doctor or treating doctor. “He or she can refer you to the Stop smoking clinic of Isala. This help is reimbursed from the basic insurance, so that does not have to be an obstacle either. After an intake interview, you will receive personal and group guidance for a year. We can also use nicotine patches and medication to make it easier to quit. The chance that you will stop permanently is much greater then.”
No fault of your own big bump
Arnold regularly meets patients in his consulting room for whom quitting smoking is very difficult. “Some people have had so much to choose from in their lives. Then a cigarette gives a little grip. To say that getting sick due to smoking is your own fault is going too far for me. Although I sometimes say to a patient who continues to smoke during treatment: ‘As a hospital, we invest a lot of time and energy in making you better, but then you also have to do something yourself.”
Arnold is fierce about the tobacco industry. “It’s unbelievable what manufacturers are doing to get people addicted to nicotine as quickly as possible. Like adding tasty flavors to cigarettes and even narcotics. This way you do not notice that your airways are getting irritated and you can continue to smoke “good”. This is an essential part of their own revenue model at the expense of the user.”
“E-cigarettes are also really not a healthier way to smoke, although it is often marketed as such. This way of smoking also increases the risk of lung damage and other conditions.”
daughter and grandpa
Arnold likes to work to prevent people from smoking. “Last year I gave information in group 8 at my daughter’s primary school. Precisely at that age, children are still open to the message how sinful it is if you start smoking. Waste of money – if you smoke a pack a day, it will cost you 245 euros per month! – but above all of your health. Hopefully they will think three times after that before starting it. My own grandfather died of lung cancer when he was not yet 60. Yes, perhaps that also makes me want to spare people this sad fate.”
More information
Read more about quitting smoking and the help the Stop smoking policy can give you.
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