Sunny Health

With plans to make Orchard Road smoke-free by 2018, Singapore looks well on track to become a smoke-free nation. Since 30 June, there will be five designated smoking areas - Behind Somerset MRT station, Cuppage Terrace, Far East Plaza, Orchard Towers and The Heeren. But it won't be the entire area or shopping centre that allows smoking of course. The property owners are to set up designated smoking areas within their properties, complying with guidelines set out by the National Environment Agency (NEA). Existing smoking corners at food establishments along Orchard Road will eventually be banned from July 2018.

This has resulted in quite a hot debate online. The move has garnered plenty of praise, but also just about the same amount of complaints. This is rather worrying as it appears that the number of smokers and people who support smoking in Singapore is quite significant.

The hazards of smoking and second-hand smoking are already well-documented. But smoking has ways to make smokers overlook even the most dreadful health warning pictures on the cigarette packaging. To effectively reach out to the more stubborn smokers who cannot be deterred by costs or nightmarish pictures about their lungs turning black, it is important to understand the reasons why people smoke. For young people, especially those in their teens, it is usually attributed to peer pressure and the desire to look cool and mature. Smoking also relieves tension and improves mood due to chemical actions of nicotin. But this is only temporary and the stress will come back shortly after, along with the urge to smoke again. This is why some people easily smoke up to an entire pack of cigarettes in one day.

Finding other more meaningful and healthy ways to combat stress would be a good distraction from smoking, but many people would give cite lack of time as an excuse. It seems much more fuss-free to light up a cigarette, especially at the workplace, a common source of stress, than to head to the gym to work it out of your system.

Quitting smoking is difficult, especially if it has been a habit for years. But you don't have to do this alone.Call Health Hub's ​quitline at 1800 438 2000 for their free counselling service. They will give you advice on other free/affordable resources you can tap on if necessary. Finally, if stress and misery are making you turn to cigarettes, you might also want to consider professional stress management as part of your quitting regime. Many clinics provide this. The Singapore General Hospital offers consultation and treatment. You can make an appointment via appointments@sgh.com.sg or 6321 4377.

Health problems and money issues (cigarettes are expensive) cause even more stress. Get help from the right places before you get caught up in a vicious cycle!