According to Jellinek Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands abstract smoking dependence fits the criteria given in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders system, version IV (DSM IV),1 grading dependence and addiction to a substance (Table 28-1)
Today when I was out and about town I witnessed an individual standing near an ashtray attempting to get a few last puffs off her cigarette. The location of the ashtray was approximately twenty feet away from the door of a local business, and the smoker was in compliance regarding the location of where she could smoke.
Nearby I heard another lady dramatically coughing while turning her nose up in disgust and obviously intolerant of the situation. I overheard her teenage daughter sarcastically retort, “Who are you to speak? You smoked at home for twelve years!”
According to this report most smokers do want to quit smoking. That this is not always an easy task can be attributed to the fact that dependence plays an important role.
Nicotine dependence meets all criteria of addiction. The use is compulsive, it is hard to quit even when there is clear damage, withdrawal symptoms appear when stopping, and there is always a risk of falling back when trying to quit a chronic behavior.
Smoking dependence is not much different than substance addiction.
I want to tell this lady to drop the smoking Nazi bullshit and get angry with the tobacco industry and those who knowingly support it.
I would also like to tell her to get proactive with local/global legislation and tobacco education because she will catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. If tobacco education is free and accessible then generations of nicotine addicts and their children will be able to become reeducated.
Why quit sums it up quite elegantly: Education Destroys Dependency Ignorance.
Jellinek Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands abstract
Who’s minding your business?