What Are Doctors' Opinions on Smoking?

The negative health effects of smoking have been well-documented: decreased lung capacity, various forms of cancer and emphysema are just a few of the diseases and conditions that can result from a lifetime of smoking. No one understands these effects better than doctors, who often try to persuade patients to quit smoking to no avail. While doctors no longer believe that smoking is harmless (or beneficial, as was once believed), they often have a difficult time convincing patients of this fact.

Ethics

• Doctors commonly believe that if patients come to them with a smoking problem -- whether it is the primary reason for an office visit, or simply part of a medical history -- they have an ethical obligation to counsel the person about it. Since the American Medical Association does not maintain that physicians have this obligation, doctors may feel awkward or out of place discussing it. They feel that patients are already likely to know the consequences of their habit and that doctors should simply treat the presenting issue and move on.

Counseling

• If physicians choose to counsel patient about their tobacco addiction, they should stay up-to-date on the latest methods used to quit. Some of these involve patches, pills, smoking cessation programs or even hypnosis. Certain methods require a doctor's prescription. Patients should also be advised, either by physicians or their office staff, that many insurance programs are now beginning to cover the cost of these methods, in full or partially.

Myths

• If doctors believe that a patient has false impressions regarding the harm smoking is doing them, they should express opinions that counteract these misconceptions. For instance, some individuals believe that having only an occasional cigarette is not harmful, while this is not the case. Physicians may want to have reading material prepared for patients to take home regarding smoking and smoking cessation myths.

Smoking Doctors

• Ironically, many doctors -- even those who advise their patients to give up smoking -- are smokers themselves. These physicians are a living demonstration of how difficult it is to break the tobacco addiction. If you know that your doctor is a smoker, share techniques that have worked for you to break the habit. Who knows -- you may prevent your doctor from someday becoming a patient.