Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE FESTIVE SEASON is upon us and as Christmas approaches it can be a stressful time for everyone, particularly for smokers who are frustrated by their smoking habit and are struggling to quit. However it can be a great time to prepare for a big quit attempt when all the festivities come to an end on January 1st. Many smokers have used this time to prepare and begin the New Year smoke-free. Encouraging and supporting a family member or friend to quit smoking is the greatest gift you can give someone.
You can give them the best possible chance by being encouraging and providing practical support: help them put together a “quit kit” to include, stress ball, toothpaste, mints, sugar-free gum or anything they might use in lieu of tobacco.
Help them to get through the cravings, remind them of the 4 Ds: Delay, Distract, Drink water and Deep breathe. Starting planning all the new exciting activities and hobbies that you can do together to help distract from reminders of smoking. Be tolerant as irritability may be part of withdrawal and is a positive sign that the body is recovering from the effects of smoking. Listen to them when they talk about quitting. If a relapse occurs, praise them for trying to quit and stay positive. Most smokers will relapse a couple of times before they finally quit. Encourage them to quit again. Reinforce the “I won’t smoke, not even a puff” rule to avoid relapse and reactivation of the nicotinic receptor. Keep all reminders of smoking out of sight.
A better quality of life
If you are a smoker and your friend is trying to quit, smoke outdoors, be aware of situations where you would usually smoke together, with a drink, after a meal, at a party. Consider using the opportunity to change your lifestyle and quitting with someone else might be helpful. Make the house a smoke-free zone. Consider ways of spending your money, plan a holiday. If you are smoking 20 a day your habit is costing you over €3,500 per year. Keep a “cash not ash” jar. Every time you purchase tobacco you may as well be putting a match to your €10 note!
Stopping smoking is likely to give you a better quality of life, peace of mind and add years to your life. Tobacco contains over 7,000 chemicals and 69 of those are carcinogenic!
One of the most traditional New Year’s resolutions is to stop smoking. Currently 19% of the Irish population smokes. Quitting smoking is a tough decision and should not be impulsive but rather a process that requires adequate preparation in order to lay down the foundation for success. Not everyone succeeds the first time so don’t lose hope! Write down the reasons for wanting to quit. Consider how you can change your routine to break the habit of smoking. Think about setting a realistic quit date.
A third of all cancers are caused by smoking and one in two will die of a tobacco related disease. Quitting is the best thing you can do for your current and future health and for your family. You will regain control of your life! Believe you can quit. Stopping smoking affords the opportunity of reviewing your lifestyle in general and even small changes over a period of time will make a huge contribution to your health.
Remember there is help available by calling the National Smoker’s Quitline on 1800 201 203, talk to your GP or other health professionals. The purpose of the HSE support programme is to enable the smoker to plan and set a quit date, to offer encouragement, motivation and information to quit and to assist the individual in dealing with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It is a free confidential service and they can provide information on local HSE support in your area.
Medication is also available to cope with cravings. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or smoking cessation specialist – group support may be available. The quit rate depends on what type of approach is taken but we now have evidence that the best outcomes for smokers are achieved through a combination of behavioural support and medication. Look up quit.ie and www.cancer.ie for further information. Remember it is never too late to quit smoking and the benefits begin immediately! Happy Christmas and a healthier New Year.
Mary Briscoe is a Smoking Cessation Advisor for the Irish Cancer Society.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
This case showed exactly what is right with due process.. Mr dwyer got his chance to tell his story, was assumed innocent and the prosecution then proved his guilt. Now he’ll rot in jail and everyone knows he did it
Reality is more gruesome than a movie could ever be.
The jury system relies heavily on the assumed ability of the jurors to be able to comprehend complex legal matters that are sometimes crucial to a case.A juror is not obliged to offer any proof of his or hers understanding of such a matter.That could lead and has done in many cases to an ‘incorrect’ verdict.While the appeal system cleans up most of these errors, I wonder if it is time to test jurors for simple comprehension skills rather than let them lose on long costly trials that lead to long costly appeals….etc.It is the best system to have… A jury system ,But it needs to be reviewed.
Claiming to understand reasonable doubt and actually understanding it are two different things.
What parameters would you use to decide that Alan? Sounds to me like the process of jury selection would be so complex as to be unworkable and appeals more likely to succeed due to technicalities concerning juror selection.
Agree completely with you. The selection should at the very least be based on educational standards.I know that sounds elitist and even snobbish. It is not intended to be so.A very good friend of mine took literacy classes about 8/9 years ago.He had served on a jury and there were requirements to ‘read’ some of the evidence in the jury room afterwards.He admitted that he struggled to do so and could not understand half of what he read.Even the ensuing debate among the jurors was double dutch to him in parts.He said he was to embarrassed to admit this. I do not believe his experience to be unique.
I cannot offer a solution,Though I still believe there to be a problem.
This IS a difficult question. However, having an education is not the same as having intelligence or even comprehension. I know several people with degrees, but little real understanding of their subject. A degree gan be obtained with a good memory, or even using memory tricks. In the Elaine O’Hara case, I do think there IS reasonable doubt. The Master/slave relationship is not nearly as uncommon as many people believe. Dolcett or killing, can easilly be a fantasy, but there is a huge difference between having a fantasy as extreme as that, and actually doing it. I think it is a definite possibility that Elaine took her own life, telling Dwyer where, and that he burried her. That doesn’t absolve him from responsibility though, as I do believe it likely that he pushed her in that direction, and failed to report her death.
It doesn’t sound like the concept of reasonable doubt is very complicated at all to be honest.
On the face of it, no. But in practice it becomes exponentially more complex as more and more issues come into play.
I disagree Alan. Reasonable doubt is exactly that, reasonable. It is a subjective concept that a jury of one’s peers is assumed to understand. That is the whole basis of a jury trial. It only becomes complex when one attempts to explain a meaning or definition around it.
Hope he rots in hell
There is no hell. I hope he rots in his head!
It is not the same as a philosophical doubt…but it is often compared to a doubt about making a major decision e.g. marriage..buying a house…..at the very least you must be pretty sure or happy to go ahead.
He looks strange and was into weird sex = guilty
He doesn’t look strange at all to be honest and plenty of people are into weird sex but aren’t murderers.
In cases like these, most people would prefer to wrongfully convict a weirdo than to have weirdo murderer running free. Smoke and fire. Lots of smoke with this weirdo, hence he is almost certainly guilty!
Wish the media didn’t focus on this case as much as it did.
If you understand what a Theory is in the scientific sense, then there should be no problem understanding the premises of reasonable doubt.
It really is actually simple.
That was a good and helpful explanation. Thanks.
have your say