| Summary: | Introduction
Tobacco use is detrimental at any time. However, it is proving to be
more dangerous during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tobacco use may increase the
risk of being infected, increases the chances of complications, and also increases
the probability of its spread. We assessed the awareness about this association
and the impact of the lockdown on tobacco use among tobacco users registered
before the lockdown for LifeFirst, a tobacco dependence treatment program.
Methods
1016 tobacco users were under active follow-up in their course of the
6-month counselling program. From 14 to 28 May 2020, 650 (64%) of these
registered users were contacted by counsellors for follow-up sessions over the
telephone. Semi-structured questionnaires were filled in during the calls.
Results
Two-thirds (67%) of tobacco users were unaware of the association between
tobacco and COVID-19. Only 30% of the users felt that the current situation
had affected their tobacco use, the commonest impacts being unavailability and
increased prices of tobacco products. While this was seen as an opportunity to
quit by some users, some reported increased tobacco use due to increased stress.
Of the 219 (34%) tobacco users who quit tobacco during the lockdown, 51% quit
because of the lockdown and their concern over COVID-19. Abstinence among
those who were aware of the association between the coronavirus and tobacco
was twice that among those who were not aware.
Conclusions
Awareness activities about the harmful effects of tobacco during the
coronavirus pandemic have to be strengthened. Measures to motivate and support
tobacco users to quit have to be provided through cessation services.
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