Measures to Minimize the Use of Cigarette Smoking - Essay Example

Tobacco smoking is addictive with users being unable to quit. Tobacco contains many harmful chemicals that enter the mother’s bloodstream. The nutrients are passed from mother to child through the placenta. The harmful chemicals pass to the child through the placenta which may cause cancer. The mother’s blood also provides oxygen to the unborn child. Excessive smoking by the mother cuts off the child’s oxygen supply. Low oxygen supply may result in malformation of the child, stillbirth, or premature delivery. Women should avoid tobacco to ensure an increase in the chances of giving birth to healthy children.

Chemicals in tobacco may also be passed to the newborn child through breast milk or secondary smoking. Educating women on the harmful effect of cigarettes is vital to improve infant mortality. Information should be provided to women at a young age to ensure that they make informed decisions when choosing cigarettes. For addicted women, the user can use remedies to overcome nicotine addiction.

It is difficult to quit smoking due to the addictive nature of the drug. The nicotine problem can be countered using nicotine patches. Women who are addicted to tobacco can use nicotine patches to reduce the withdrawal effects. Nicotine patches are effective over a long time despite their slow mode of action. Gum and lozenges can also be used to reduce the harmful effects of nicotine. Gum and lozenges are fast acting but the user should reduce their use over time (Kozlowski, Henningfield & Brigham, 2001).

Behavior modification therapy will help reduce the problem of nicotine addiction. The user talks to other addicts or a counselor about ways to reduce dependency on nicotine. Behavior modification therapy may be accompanied by medication prescribed to reduce the effects of nicotine on the user. The user should know the side effects associated with the prescribed drugs and avoid taking drugs that may affect the newborn. Talking to people with nicotine addiction enables the user to gain confidence in the group’s ability to withdraw from the medicine (Kozlowski, Henningfield & Brigham, 2001).

Tobacco has many chemicals that may cause many harmful effects to the user. Women are at a higher risk compared to men because the side effects may affect children conceived. Women should get advice on the harmful effects of tobacco on women at an early age to ensure that they are aware of the consequences. The problem of addiction can be solved using remedies that reduce the withdrawal effects of drugs. Nicotine patches, behavior modification therapy, and prescription drugs are some of the remedies used to solve the problem associated with tobacco addiction. Read More