HLA - Smoking + alcohol

Question 1

Questions to ask smoker

Answer 1

1) Why did you start smoking?
2) How much do you smoke a day?
3) How much do you spend on cigarettes?
4) Would you like to give up smoking?
5) What do you enjoy about smoking and why would you want to give it up?

Question 2

Why quite smoking

Answer 2

Tobacco enter your lungs and go straight into your bloodstream and body tissues, increasing your risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Question 3

How does smoking effect your heart?

Answer 3

• Chemicals in tobacco smoke can damage the lining of your coronary arteries
• Build up of plaque in arteries
• Causing blockage of arteries = coronary heart disease

Question 4

Even if you have been smoking for a while

Answer 4

Stopping smoking at any point will lead to health benefits
- Oxygen levels return to normal
- Lungs start to clear out mucus and other debris
- Nicotine eliminated from body = sense of smell and taste improve
- Breathing improves
- Risk of coronary heart disease reduces

Question 5

Finding the right support for smoking

Answer 5

NHS Stop Smoking Services
National stop smoking helplines and websites

Question 6

Methods of quitting smoking

Answer 6

• Cut down gradually
• Choosing a day to stop/ cut foes
• Get a friend to cut down/stop at the same time
• Planning rewards with the money saved from cutting down

Question 7

Different forms of NRT

Answer 7

Nictotine gum
Nicotine patch
Microtabs
Nicotine nasal spray (strongest for heavy smokers)
Nicotine lozenges (15 a day)
Nicotine inhalator

Question 8

Nictotine gum

Answer 8

• Nicotine is absorbed through the lining of your mouth when you chew the gum
• Two different strengths, and you can chew up to 15 pieces a day.

Question 9

Nicotine patches

Answer 9

• 16-hour or 24-hour patches
• generally used as a 12 week course.
• placed on the skin
• give you a constant supply of nicotine while they are worn.

Question 10

Nicotine nasal spray

Answer 10

Sucking on the mouthpiece releases a nicotine vapour, which is absorbed through your mouth and throat.
This can be helpful if you miss the hand-to-mouth action of smoking.

Question 11

Aren’t NRT just as bad as smoking cigarettes

Answer 11

• NRT products are very safe
• Don’t cause cancer or heart disease.
• Damage to the health = tar, carbon monoxide, and chemical compounds found in cigarette

Question 12

Won’t NRT just fuel the nicotine addiction?

Answer 12

• Enough to beat the craving to smoke, but not enough to keep you addicted.

Question 13

Withdrawal symptoms of stopping smoking

Answer 13

• Coughing
• Craving
• Hunger
• Disturbed sleep
• Dizziness
• Mood swings

Question 14

Risk of developing conditions and alcohol

Answer 14

• The risk of developing illneses including certain cancers, increases with any amount of alcohol you drink on a regular basis.
• However if people keep within the recommended limits, you can reduce this risk.

Question 15

Recommended alcohol intake

Answer 15

• You should not regularly drink more than 14 units per week.
• Best to spread this evenly over three days or more.

Question 16

Alcohol and calories

Answer 16

• Alcohol is high in calories and so can contribute to weight gain.
• It’s easy for these calories to add up quickly and unnoticed as they are being consumed as a liquid.

Question 17

Practical tips for cutting down alcohol intake

Answer 17

• Set yourself a limit on how much you are going to drink on a night out
• set yourself a budget of how much money you will spend on alcohol.
• Let your friends and family know you are trying to cut down so they can support you.
• Try to eat before starting drinking