European University of Lefke (EUL), Faculty of Health Sciences, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department Instructor. Aydın Meriç made detailed explanations due to the world smoking cessation day and conveyed information.

“Smoking is the most frequently used addictive substance today and according to the data of the World Health Organization, more than a billion people smoke in the world, and statistics show that 550 thousand people will die in our country only in this year we live,” said Meriç. He stated that individuals have a hard time abandoning this bad habit even though they know about their harm. Meriç claimed that, easy access to cigarettes, the presence of other people consuming cigarettes around the individuals, stressful situations encountered during the day, individuals’ efforts to make themselves accepted to other friends in their social environment, celebrities that people take role models smoking the television programs and movies individuals’ desire to prove that they have grown, and similar situations both prevent people from quitting smoking and pose a danger to individuals who have never smoked easily.

Meriç: Nicotine is a powerful psychological stimulant, no different from alcohol in terms of addiction in people

“There are more than 4,000 highly toxic substances in the cigarette and the main ones are; Ammonia, acetone, hydrogen cyanide, tar, lead, thinner and nicotine that everyone knows. He

pointed out that nicotine is a strong psychological stimulant and that there is no difference between alcohol and heroin in terms of addiction.  Meriç stated that the first effect of smoking when it is taken into the body is irritation in the throat, nausea, abdominal pain and sometimes vomiting, but its effects are not limited to this, it causes an increase in pulse and blood pressure, increases the amount of plasma free fatty acid, hyperglycaemia (increased blood sugar), coronary decreased blood flow in the artery, hypothermia (decreased body temperature), increased respiratory rate, increased blood clotting, atherosclerosis (vascular stiffness), type 2 diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke, all types of cancer, cataracts, spine pain and stated that it causes many more diseases.

 Meriç: Smoking is not a preferred way to lose weight

“Some people start smoking for weight control or continue smoking because they are afraid of gaining weight. Smoking, low physical activity and low physical performance prevent a healthy and effective weight control. Stating that exercise performance improves in those who quit smoking, ”Meriç stated that both smokers, adults and young people, can return to positive conditions if they quit smoking and that smokers get tired more quickly than non-smokers and prefer sedentary life.

“We can classify adult and young individuals to stay in a fixed position for at least 10 hours a day as a new cigarette-like hazard. Stating that sedentary life and sitting in a fixed position for a long time can confront us with many cancers, especially high blood pressure. ”Meriç said that high blood pressure caused many diseases such as heart attack, stroke, kidney diseases and heart failure.

Meriç also mentioned that maintaining a sedentary life will cause many postural pain problems.

Meriç said, “The rate of low back pain in people who smoke is three times higher. Due to the inability to carry sufficient amount of oxygen, the nutrition of the structures belonging to our spine, especially discs located between our vertebrae, serving as a pillow and shock absorber, is impaired. Damages to discs that develop with age and activities accelerate even more due to the negative effects of nicotine. He said that smoking is an important quitting factor that increases the risk of herniated disc, as it causes both a poor nutrition of the disc and a chronic cough (too much load on the discs during cough).

Meriç said, “Smoking has a negative effect on the perception of pain felt in muscles, bones and ligaments, and smoking negatively affects the therapeutic process given by the brain to low back pain and leads us to become more resistant to pain” and approaches to protecting health before diseases occur more value. He noted that not smoking at all, or stopping smoking, was seen as an effective strategy for preventing back pain and regaining health.

Finally, Meriç reminded that smokers can quit smoking by removing the cigarette from your life and saying that you can improve the quality of all your tissues including muscles, bones, discs, joints and ligaments that need clean and abundant oxygen. “Do not deprive your muscles and bones, your soul, your heart and your brain from oxygen, doing exercises such as cycling, brisk walking, swimming, and at least 150 minutes a week that will help your heart beat healthily, and exercises such as weight, Pilates and yoga at home”.