There are countless reasons to love as there are to stop smoking. In February, love is in the air and we would like to remind you why quitting tobacco use is an act of love toward yourself and others.
With the campaign L.O.V.E. (Leave Out of Wrong Experiences), the ENSP Youth Group, in collaboration with the Tobaccology Unit from the University Sapienza of Rome (UNITAB) and the Turpanjian College of Health Sciences of the American University of Armenia, aims to transcend the original meaning of romance to highlight the importance of appreciating our bodies, our relationships and the world around us and therefore, approach the idea of quitting differently: Keep loving, stop smoking.
Starting February 14 and for the next 7 days, different posts ─ carefully designed around this idea ─ will pop up as a reminder of self-love and acceptance. Our goal will be to encourage anybody that relates to these messages to connect with us and become a part of the tobacco control community.
#keeplovingstopsmoking #ENSPNext
For the first day, love means the fresh scent of your skin, hair, and clothes throughout the day, without the unpleasant notes of tobacco.
Which act of love represents quitting smoking to you?
For the second day, love means preserving the environment. Let’s not forget that Mother Earth taught us how to breathe by breathing in through its forests and breathing out oxygen for us. Today it’s important to take a moment to appreciate our surroundings, our animals, and our resources and take a step further in supporting others who take action for it: https://eci.ec.europa.eu/029/public/#/screen/home
In which way could nature inspire you to quit smoking?
For the third day, love means the soft touch of your unwrinkled skin, seeing the fact of becoming older just as a natural transformation of your body instead of damaged teeth, shortness of breath, or overall low energy levels. Quitting smoking could have a real impact on your overall appearance in the future.
How do you see yourself in 10 years if you quit smoking now?
For the fourth day, love means taking one thing at a time. It refers to the expression of our feelings in an honest, open way. It means, above all, learning how to communicate our feelings, to build stronger relationships and healthier bridges, rather than hiding and closing ourselves in the false “relief” of smoking under pressure.
What is your healthy method to cope with stressful situations?
For the fifth day, love means sharing unique moments with your friends and being present. It’s just as much fun to linger on a joke as it is on a cigarette. Except the cigarette is harmful and no one has ever died from jokes. We all know that Thursday means after work with friends. Challenge yourself today to be the one to socialize without a cigarette or a drink. Be original.
What icebreaker would you use in a bar without the context of a cigarette or a drink?
For the sixth day, love means the coziness of your living room when you watch a movie with your loved ones. It represents the moment when your kids are waiting for freshly baked bread without being forced to inhale the tobacco smoke from the kitchen. And more than that, it means to be there for their most important days and admire them with wisdom. Is it worth suffering from diseases associated with smoking and second-hand smoke instead of watching them grow beautifully?
How do you think your family would benefit if you quit smoking?
For the seventh day, love means appreciating the gamut of tastes and enjoying pleasant things instead of poisoning our bodies. Love means indulging your taste buds with the sweetness of chocolate or the sourness of lemonade, not the bitterness of a cigarette. Today, remember what brings you joy and try to shift your moments of pleasure falsely caused by smoking to healthier options.
What’s the most bitter thing someone said to you about smoking?
To wrap up, love is recalling all the important reasons to quit smoking that were shared during the past seven days. Keep loving, stop smoking, take control over your mind and health, and remember love is… living an addiction-free life
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