The ‘’Do not be an addict, Be free!’’ seminar about quitting smoking,  organised by  Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital and the Lapta Municipality, took place at the Yavuzlar High school.   At the seminar which was attended by the Lapta Municipality workers and residents, Dr. Suat Gunsel University of Kyrenia Hospital Chest Diseases Specialist Prof. Füsun Yıldız MD. gave detailed information about nicotine addiction, the effects that is has on health and methods to break this addiction.

Prof. Füsun Yıldız MD. stated that cigarette addiction is a treatable disease that requires physician follow ups and drew attention to the fact that smoking cessation is possible with the help of multidisciplinary approaches.

Prof. Yıldız MD.  stated that the most important responsibility that physicians have is not to diagnose and treat but it is to ‘’prevent’’ diseases and said that also nicotine addiction treatment methods are important; however it is more important to put interventions in place for addiction prevention.

Prof. Füsun Yıldız MD.  who reported that cigarette contains thousands of harmful substances including over 4,000 chemicals causes unprecedented health problems and drew attention to the fact that in general, the age of starting to smoke has drop to 15 years and under . Yıldız said “the sad truth is that 3 out of every 4 children who try a cigarette becomes addicted, smoking has long-term health effects and we should stay away from tobacco to ensure that the deaths, additional diseases and economic cost caused by smoking will not increase in the next 20 years.

Prof. Yıldız MD. who recorded that those who have a smoking addiction do not only harm themselves but also cause great harm to people around them, stated also that cigarette smoke is divided into two categories ; mainstream and side stream smoke. Prof.  Füsun Yıldız MD.  who said that side stream smoke is more toxic than mainstream smoke, drew attention to the fact that second-hand smoking can cause greater harm than smoking.

Dr. Suat Günsel University Of Kyrenia Smoking Cessation Polyclinic
Prof. Füsun Yıldız MD. who stated that the smoking cessation polyclinic at the Dr. Suat Günsel University of Kyrenia Hospital is open to serve the public and that all patients can use this clinic and be treated with modern  approaches.

Prof. Füsun Yıldız MD. listed the changes that occur in the body after smoking cessation as follows;

• After 20 minutes blood pressure returns to normal, feet and hands warm up.
• Within 8 hours carbon monoxide gas will be eliminated from your body
• Sense of smell and taste will return to normal within 48 hours
• Energy levels will increase; production of mucous will decrease within 3 months
• After 1 year, risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by 50%
• After 5 year, the risk of having mouth, throat and oesophagus cancer reduces by 50%
• After 10 years, the risk of getting lung, bladder, kidney and pancreas cancer reduces
• After 15 years, the risk of having a heart attack heart attack returns to that of a non-smoker

Yıldız said that it is the responsibility of every physician to help their patients to quit smoking and added that ; ‘’without a doubt, every physician should be involved in the struggle against tobacco, whether they are a chest disease specialist or not, as a part of their professional responsibility.  Because the ‘’first, do no harm’’ sentence in the Hippocratic Oath forms the basis of the physician’s occupation.’’