the tabacologist Christian Sain, as part of a partnership with the League Against Cancer and on the occasion of month without tobacco, offers to smokers regular or occasional free consultation days.
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The first of these days took place on Thursday, in front of the Spar de l’Acapulco store, in Calenzana.
“Tobacco is a plant that contains some 4,000 toxic products, including 70 carcinogenic substances, contextualise l’addictologue. Nicotine is a hard drug, it does not cause illness but is highly addictive. The smoker’s brain, accustomed to its dose of nicotine, takes control, manages consumption and emotions. “
The tobacco specialist has a carbon monoxide tester to assess the amount of the latter in the exhaled air. “This gas, resulting from bad combustion, takes the place of oxygen in the lungs, he specifies. This is why smokers breathe less well.“
Christian Sain offered around twenty consultations during this first day. Each lasts between 5 minutes and 20 minutes, depending on the attention and level of interest of the consultants. Another day is planned in front of the Leclerc store in L’Île-Rousse, on Monday, November 15.
Fagerstrom test and ambivalence
The tobacco specialist relies on the so-called Fagerstrom test to assess, by means of a questionnaire, the level of dependence and tobacco intoxication.
He asks, for example, the number of cigarettes smoked, schedules, behavioral habits in order to have an idea of consumption. “The most addicted smokers use up cigarettes as soon as they wake up, he explains. Their brain is used to a good dose of nicotine and they wake up in a situation of withdrawal. They therefore have to string together several cigarettes to regain a feeling of well-being. “
Quitting smoking is above all a question of motivation.
The aim of the tobacco specialist is therefore to reverse the decisional balance: “All smokers want to quit and continue at the same time, so there is an ambivalence. The motivation will decide the final choice. We must ensure that the disadvantages of smoking outnumber the advantages.”
By simply offering nicotine substitutes, the professional says he gets good results. In the business for over 20 years, he has observed changes in the smoking population.
“The trend, for 20 years, is that men have divided their consumption by two and women have multiplied it by four. In Corsica, it’s a disaster. Women, by emancipating themselves, simply wanted to imitate the men. However, tobacco in women creates even more complications. Men smoke heavy, strong cigarettes. In the long run, they will develop lung cancer. Women, it will often be deeper cancers, they will be more difficult to be diagnosed. So the mortality will be higher. “
Jeannine Maraninchi, President of the League Against Cancer in Balagne, spent the day with Christian Sain and other volunteers: “This is the sixth consecutive year that the Ministry of Health has organized the month without tobacco, she specifies. I think cancer is starting to be scary because a lot of people die from it. This is why it is important to take action against tobacco. On November 15, we will be in L’Île-Rousse, still with tobacco specialist Christian Sain. He is a great educator and manages to convince many people that they need to quit smoking. “
Tobaccoologist Christian Sain also gives consultations outside Balagne, in Bastia, Corte, Ghisonaccia and Moriani.
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