Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

H ealth education programs, mass media campaigns and nowadays even the slogans depicted on cigarette packages, warn smokers about the harmful effects of smoking. Despite all these efforts people continue to smoke, percentage of smokers in many countries of the Middle East reaches about 50% among males and 20% among females. In addition to smoking cigarettes as popular in the world, there is a kind of smoking which is very popular in the Middle East called the waterpipe, this kind is much harmful than regular cigarettes which needs more educational programs. Jordan is a country in the Middle East which is developing smoking cessation clinics to help people to quit smoking, the percentage of smoking among Jordanian males reaches 46% and 18% among females, Studies showed that 70% of smokers like to quit smoking completely and 46% of them try to quit each year. Taking all the above in consideration, Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) took the initiative and made several important contributions towards making a university without smoking. University without smoking became the motto in JUST, in addition to that JUST has developed a clinic which is designed and well equipped to offer an effective intensive counseling program that follows the most recent cessation guidelines and it runs by family physician consultant and a team composed of doctors, nurses and pharmacists. The readiness to quit smoking, level of dependence, level of carbon monoxide in the breath and lung function tests will be assessed during the first visit. There will be a weekly visit for counseling of a period of eight weeks, then once monthly for one year. Abstinence of smoking and the level of carbon monoxide in the breath will be assessed in each visit. The intensive counseling also includes telephone advice, use of video and group counseling in addition to distributing leaflets and booklets related to smoking cessation guidelines

Biography

Ahmad Qasem is studying Doctor of pharmacy ( Pharm.D ) at Jordan University of Science and Technology and currently in the 5th year. Ahmad Qasem is doing his first research on Smoking aspects and cessation in Jordan, and he is the representative of JUST in international conferences.