Many will be aware that the NHS has launched their annual Stoptober campaign (www.nhs.uk/smokefree/stoptober) to help smokers quit the habit during October. Research suggests that if a smoker stays stopped for a 4 week period, they are 5 times more likely to stay stopped permanently.
As Muslims, we should be opposed to all forms of tobacco consumption, but unfortunately, due to cultural beliefs and practices, we find that Muslims are more likely to smoke than almost every other group of people in the UK. To sort this problem out, we need to first change the erroneous assumption that smoking is in any way permissible in Islam, and secondly, change the perception that smoking is normal in any way. Then, we have to help those that are addicted to smoking to quit altogether. This is a very tall order, but with patience and perseverance, Allah SWT will help us to eradicate this scourge from our community.
To help in this matter, we at WellWishers, have started our campaign with the following points:
1. Encourage smokers to quit this October in tandem with the NHS Stoptober campaign on wellwishers.org.uk, and through our Facebook and Twitter accounts
2. #SmokefreeEntrances - This is the campaign to ban smoking at the entrances of public buildings, such as hospitals and Masaajid. This is both to protect non-smokers entering the building, and also to discourage smokers by making them think twice before they light up. To this end, we would like your support in the following:
a) We have started a petition on the UK Government website to ban smoking at entrances of public buildings. We encourage you to sign up at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/107574
- please also share this link with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter and directly by email or text
- please also share this link with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter and directly by email or text
b) We also encourage you to write to your local MP to support legislation to ban smoking at entrances of public buildings
c) If you work in a public building, we encourage you to write to your manager/director of your company to put in place a policy banning smoking near the entrance
3. We encourage you to speak to your local Imaam/scholar or Masjid committee in respect of two things:
a) Keep reminding the congregation of the impermissibility of smoking and to advise them to quit smoking by attending the nearest stop smoking service
b) Put in place a policy to prevent smoking in and around the entrances of Masaajid and the Madrasah to protect our children and the wider congregation
4. We encourage all smokers to empower themselves with facts about the harms of smoking from reputable websites. The following can get you started:
- NHS Choices: http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2344.aspx?CategoryID=53
- NHS Smokefree: http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/why-quit/smoking-health-problems
- Cancer Research UK: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/smoking-and-cancer
- British Heart Foundation: https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/risk-factors/smoking
- Macmillan: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/coping/maintaining-a-healthy-lifestyle/giving-up-smoking
- NHS Choices: http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/2344.aspx?CategoryID=53
- NHS Smokefree: http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/why-quit/smoking-health-problems
- Cancer Research UK: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/smoking-and-cancer
- British Heart Foundation: https://www.bhf.org.uk/heart-health/risk-factors/smoking
- Macmillan: http://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/coping/maintaining-a-healthy-lifestyle/giving-up-smoking
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