Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Islam and Motivation to Quit Smoking: Public Health Policy Implications

  • Psychological Exploration
  • Published:
Journal of Religion and Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office some 14 years ago, a ‘religiously inspired approach’ was proposed to combat tobacco use. This promoted a useful debate in the region. The purpose of this paper is to argue the need to identify the role which Islamic beliefs and teachings play (1) in influencing individual motivation to quit smoking and (2) in gaining support for public policies to reduce smoking. Ramadan and Hajj are taken as key points. These, it is argued, are times when Muslim religious motivation to abstain from smoking is strongest. This paper concludes that there is an insufficient evidence base on which to adopt a religiously inspired approach. All of civil society, including religious Muslim authorities, should rather supplement the efforts of health professionals to encourage smoking cessation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aadil, N., Houti, I. E., & Moussamih, S. (2004). Drug intake during Ramadan. British Medical Journal,329(7469), 778–782.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Albayrak, S., & Ergun, A. (2015). Smoking and desire to quit smoking behavior in a sample of Turkish adolescents. Journal of Addictions Nursing,26(1), 41–46. https://doi.org/10.1097/JAN.0000000000000063.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • AlBedah, A. M., Khalil, M. K., & Khalil, A. A. (2011). Use of the target group index survey to evaluate the cigarette smoking profile in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Medical Journal,32(10), 1055–1059.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Bedah, A. M., Qureshi, N. A., Al-Guhaimani, H. I., & Basahi, J. A. (2010). The global youth tobacco survey: 2007. Comparison with the Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2001–2002 in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Medical Journal,31(9), 1036–1043.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Doghether., M. H. (2004). The behavioral interventions for smoking cessation. Asia Pacific Family Medicine,3(1–2), 19–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Haddad, N. S., Al-Habeeb, T. A., Abdelgadir, M. H., Al-Ghamdy, Y. S., & Qureshi, N. A. (2003). Smoking patterns among primary health care attendees, Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal,9(5/6), 911–922.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Hosani, S., Al-Ali, M., Al-Marashda, K., Al-Shamsi, N., Al-Ansari, T., Al-Behandy, A., Darwish, E. & Elhassan, A. (2015). Smoking prevalence, attitudes and behaviors of primary healthcare providers and its impact on their smoking cessation counseling practices. Ibnosina Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, 7(2): 47–55. Available online: http://www.ijmbs.org. Accessed 19 April 2016.

  • Al-Lawati, J., Mabry, R. M., & Al-Busaidi, Z. Q. (2017). Tobacco control in Oman: It’s time to get serious! Oman Medical Journal,32(1), 3–14. https://doi.org/10.5001/omj.2017.02.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Almutairi, K. M. (2016). Predicting relationship of smoking behavior among male Saudi Arabian college students related to their religious practice. Journal of Religion and Health,55(2), 469–479.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alzyoud, S., Kheirallah, K. A., Ward, K. D., Al-Shdayfat, N. M., & Alzyoud, A. A. (2014). Association of religious commitment and tobacco use among Muslim adolescents. Journal of Religion and Health,54(6), 2111–2121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arab News. (2009). Govt strives to make Haj tobacco free. Arab News. 3 November 2009. http://archive.arabnews.com/services. Accessed 16 October 2010.

  • Asfar, T., Al-Ali, R., Ward, K.D., Vander Weg, M.W. & Maziak, W. (2011). Are primary health care providers prepared to implement an anti-smoking program in Syria?. Patient Education and Counseling, 85, 201–205. Available online: https://research.ncl.ac.uk/media/sites/researchwebsites/medchamps/AsfarNov2011.pdf. Accessed 12 Jan 2016.

  • Asfar, T., Ward, K. D., Al-Ali, R., & Maziak, W. (2016). Building evidence-based tobacco treatment in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Lessons learned by the Syrian Center for tobacco studies. Journal of Smoking Cessation,11(2), 116–123.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Aveyard, P., Begh, R., Sheikh, A., & Amos, A. (2011). Promoting smoking cessation through smoking reduction during Ramadan. Addiction (editorial),106, 1379–1380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banks, C., Rawaf, F., & Hassounah, S. (2017). Factors influencing the tobacco control policy process in Egypt and Iran: A scoping review. Global Health Research and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41256-017-0039-6.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Batran, A. A. (2003). Tobacco smoking under Islamic Law: Controversy over its introduction (p. 2003). Beltsville: Amana Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bauld, L., Coleman, T., Adams, C., Pound, E., & Ferguson, J. (2005). Delivering the English smoking treatment services. Addiction,100(Supplement 2), 19–27.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Birmingham City Council. (2014). Helping Smokers quit during Ramadan. http://birminghamnewsroom.com/helping-smokers-quit-during-ramadan/. Accessed 04 May 2015.

  • Bradford District Council. (2009). http://www.bradford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/310B4FEB-2310-4121-BB14-244FB41DF866/0/PublicPart4DeliveringtheBigPlan.pdf. Accessed 04 May 2015.

  • Byron, M. J., Cohen, J. E., Gittelshohn, J., Frattaroli, S., Nuryunawati, R., & Jernigan, D. H. (2015). Influence of religious organisations’ statements on compliance with a smoke-free law in Bogor, Indonesia: A qualitative study. British Medical Journal Open,5, e008111. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daoud, N., Hayek, S., Muhammad, A.S., Abu-Saad, K., Osman, A., Thrasher, J.F. & Kalter-Liebovici, O. (2015). Stages of change of the readiness to quit smoking among a random sample of minority Arab-male smokers in Israel. BMC Public Health, 15, 672. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1950-8. Accessed 3 August 2016.

  • Eissenberg, T., & Shihadeh, A. (2009). Waterpipe tobacco and cigarette smoking: Direct comparison of toxicant exposure. American Journal of Preventive Medicine,37(6), 518–523.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • El Awa, F. (2005). The role of religion in tobacco control interventions. Bulletin of the World Health Organization,82(12), 894.

    PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • El-Awaisi, A., Awaisu, A., El Hajj, M. S., Alemrayat, B., Al-Jayyousi, G., Wong, N., et al. (2017). Delivering tobacco cessation content in the middle east through interprofessional learning. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education,81(5), 91. https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe81591.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Garrusi, B., & Nakhaee, N. (2012). Religion and smoking: A review of recent literature. The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine,43(3), 279–292.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ghouri, N., Atcha, M., & Sheikh, A. (2006). Influence of Islam on smoking among Muslims. British Medical Journal,332, 291–294.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hammal, F., Mock, J., Ward, K. D., Eissenberg, T. & Maziak, W. (2008). A pleasure among friends: How narghile (waterpipe) smoking differs from cigarette smoking in Syria. Tobacco Control, 17 (2), e3. https://doi.org/10.1136/tc.2007.020529. Accessed 14 Oct 2015.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hymowitz, N., Cummings, K. M., Hyland, A., Lynn, W. R., Pechachek, T. F. & Hartwell, T. D. (1997). Predictors of smoking cessation in a cohort of adult smokers followed for five years. Tobacco Control, 6 (Suppl2), S57–S62. Available: http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/tobaccocontrol/6/suppl_2/S57.full.pdf. Accessed 25 May 2018.

  • Islam, S. M., & Johnson, C. A. (2003). Correlates of smoking behavior among Muslim Arab-American adolescents. Ethnicity and Health,8(4), 319–337.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jabbour, S., & Fouad, M. F. (2004). Religion-based tobacco control preventions: How should WHO proceed? Bulletin of the World Health Organization,82(12), 923–927.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jaber, R., Taleb, Z. B., Bahelah, R., Madhivanan, P., & Maziak, W. (2016). Perception, intention, and attempts to quit smoking among Jordanian adolescents from the Irbid longitudinal Study. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease: The Official Journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease,20(12), 1689–1694.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jawad, M., Jawad, S., Waziry, R. K., Ballout, R. A. & Akl, E. A. (2016). Interventions for waterpipe tobacco smoking prevention and cessation: A systematic review. Scientific Reports. Published online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2Fsrep25872. Accessed 11 August 2016.

  • Khan, Z. H., Watson, P. J., & Chen, Z. (2013). Smoking, Muslim religious commitments, and the experience and behaviour of Ramadan in Pakistani men. Mental Health, Religion and Culture,16(7), 663–670.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knishkowy, B. & Amitai, Y. (2005) Water-pipe (narghile) smoking: An emerging health risk behavior. Pediatrics, 116(1), e113–e119. Available: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/116/1/e113.abstract. Accessed 12 Nov 2010.

  • Mahroof, R., Syed, R., El-Sharkawy, A., Hasan, T., Ahmed, S., & Hussain, F. (2007). Ramadan health guide. London: The Stationery Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maziak, W. (2004). Religion-based interventions must be supported by evidence. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 82(12). http://www.who.int/bulletin/bulletin_board/82/elawa1/en/. Accessed 10 Nov 2014.

  • Maziak, W., Jawad, M., Jawad, S., Ward, K. D., Eissenberg, T., & Asfar, T. (2015). Interventions for waterpipe smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD005549.pub3. Accessed 9 August 2016.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Maziak, W., Nakkash, R., Bahelah, R., Husseini, A., Fanous, N., & Eissenberg, T. (2014). Tobacco in the Arab world: Old and new epidemics amidst policy paralysis. Health Policy and Planning,29(6), 784–794. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czt055. Accessed 11 August 2016.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, D. E., Jorenby, D. E., Minami, H., & Yeh, V. (2009). Treatment options in smoking cessation: What place for bupropion sustained-release? Clinical Medicine: Therapeutics,1, 683–696.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petticrew, M., Lee, K., Ali, H., & Nakkash, R. (2015). Fighting a hurricane: Tobacco industry efforts to counter the perceived threat of Islam. American Journal of Public Health,105(6), 1086–1093.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Qidwai, W. (2004) Barriers to smoking cessation: Results of a survey among family practice patients. Middle East Journal of Family Medicine, 5(5). http://www.mejfm.com/journal/MEJFM%20May202004/Smoking.pdf. Accessed 18 Nov 2014.

  • Radwan, G. N., Israel, E., El-Setouhy, M., Abdel-Aziz, F., Mikhail, N., & Mohamed, M. K. (2003). Impact of religious rulings (Fatwa) on smoking. Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology,33(Supplement 3), S1087–S1101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raw, M., McNeill, A., & Coleman, T. (2005). Lessons from the English smoking treatment services. Addiction,100(s2), 84–91.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rondina, R., Gorayeb, R. & Botelho, C. (2007). Psychological characteristics associated with tobacco smoking behaviour. Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia, 33(5). Available online in English translation. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1806-37132007000500016.

  • Singapore Health Promotion Board (2010) Ramadan Smoking Cessation Program 2010. http://www.hpb.gov.sg/HOPPortal/health-article/7876. Accessed 12 Aug 2010.

  • Singh, P. M., Neergard, J., Job, J. S., El Setouhy, M., Israel, E., Mohammed, M. K., et al. (2012). Differences in health and religious beliefs about tobacco use among waterpipe users in the rural male population of Egypt. Journal of Religion and Health,51(4), 1216–1225.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Sucakli, M. H., Ozer, A., Celik, M., Kahraman, H., & Ekerbicer, H. C. (2011). Religious officials’ knowledge, attitude and behaviour towards smoking and the new tobacco law in Kahramanmaras, Turkey. BMC Public Health,11, 602.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ussher, M., Kakar, G., Hajek, P., & West, R. (2016). Dependence and motivation to stop smoking as predictors of success of a quit attempt among smokers seeking help to quit. Addictive Behaviors,53, 175–180.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vangeli, E., Stapleton, J., Smit, E. S., Borland, R., & West, R. (2011). Predictors of attempts to stop smoking and their success in adult general population samples: A systematic review. Addiction,106, 2110–2121. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03565.x.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Villanti, A. C., Bover Manderski, M. T., Gundersen, D. A., Steinberg, M. B., & Delnevo, C. D. (2016). Reasons to quit and barriers to quitting smoking in US young adults. Family Practice,33(2), 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmv103.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, K. D. (2016). Tobacco intervention research in low- and middle-income countries: Lessons learned and future directions. Journal of Smoking Cessation,11(2), 61–64.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ward, K. D., Siddiqi, K., Ahluwalia, J. S., Alexander, A. C., & Asfar, T. (2015). Waterpipe tobacco smoking: The critical need for cessation treatment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence,153, 14–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.05.029.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • West, R. (2004). Assessment of dependence and motivation to stop smoking. British Medical Journal,328, 338–339.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • West, R. (2008). Finding better ways of motivating and assisting smokers to stop: Research at the CRUK Health Behaviour Research Centre. The European Health Psychologist,10, 54–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkes, S. (2008). The use of bupropion SR in cigarette smoking cessation. International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease,3(1), 45–53.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (WHO, 1984). Thirty-seventh World Health Assembly, Resolution WHA37.13. Geneva: WHO document WHA37/1984/REC/1:6.

  • World Health Organization (WHO, 1999) Tobacco free initiative meeting on tobacco and religion, Geneva, Switzerland, 3 May 1999. Report. WHO document WHO/NCD/TFI/99.12.

  • World Health Organization (WHO), EMRO. (2007). Tobacco-Free Mecca and Medina’. WHO-EM/TFI/029/E. http://applications.emro.who.int/dsaf/dsa767.pdf. Accessed 12 Nov 2014.

  • World Health Organisation (WHO, 2011). Tobacco-free cities for smoke-free air: A case study in Mecca and Medina. Available: http://www.who.int/kobe_centre/interventions/smoke_free/mecca_medina_web_final.pdf. Accessed 12 July 2012.

  • World Health Organization (WHO), EMRO. (2014 i). Religion and tobacco. http://www.emro.who.int/tfi/emroleads.htm. Accessed 12 Nov 2014.

  • World Health Organization (WHO), EMRO. (2014 ii). Tobacco use and religion. WHO – EM/TFI/119/E. http://applications.emro.who.int/docs/Fact_Sheet_TFI_2014_EN_15322.pdf?ua=1. Accessed 06 May 2015.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Services Department (MSD), PO Box 395839, Riyadh, 11375, Saudi Arabia

    Khaled Alturki

  2. Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University, PO Box 844228, Riyadh, 11671, Saudi Arabia

    Ahmed Hamza

  3. Edificio Itamaraty, Rua Luis Pasteur, Monte Castelo, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil

    Peter Walton

Authors
  1. Khaled Alturki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ahmed Hamza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peter Walton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

KA conceived of the study and was responsible for reviewing the literature and drafting the manuscript. AH made substantial contributions to the design and to critical revision. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. PW prepared the manuscript for publication.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Walton.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Alturki, K., Hamza, A. & Walton, P. Islam and Motivation to Quit Smoking: Public Health Policy Implications. J Relig Health 59, 1175–1188 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0649-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0649-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation