Smoking Physicians ... Is It Normal?

Most of us look at doctors as omnipotent, omniscient and perfect people. We forget that they are human beings with individual preferences and behaviors. This is probably because we go to them for answers to the most important questions of life. It’s understandable, but ridiculous. Doctors may have their bad personal habits. They may smoke or drink.

Many medical students come across smoking in adolescence and college. The addiction of smoking develops fast while information about smoking risks arrive to them too late. Thus, some of them quit smoking and others remain smokers. But now they are physicians and know more than anybody else how smoking destroys health, so why do they still smoke?

The reason for the previous question may vary from a doctor to another; some may say: “Smoking is like antidepressant for me”, or “It relieves my stress”, or “I hate smoking but I can’t quit”. The fact that they picked up this habit while they were in adolescent age or at college remains the disappointing answer which all smoker doctors share.

Physicians who are addicted to smoking may understand the patients’ weakness to quit smoke. They know how hard it is to quit since they have tried many times. They may have been successful at a time, but those nicotine sticks win every time.

A physician who is blamed for smoking may say; “this bad habit has nothing to do with my professional care for patients. I never smoke at work. I never tell a patient to do as I do. I relate with my patients because I can and because I am honest with them. And that is more important than anything in my book.”

And I heard once before annoyed smoker physician who is bothered with the same disturbing question; why do you smoke? replying: “You have no idea of why we smoke, so stop forcing your nonsmoking lectures on us. Those only make us want to smoke more!! So judge us all you want, but don't you dare think you understand until you have lived a single moment in our shoes.”

Personally speaking, smoker physicians are not my favorite people, but I respect professionals, whether they are smokers or non-smokers. I admire their respective work ethics and dedication to their jobs. Also, I seek excuses for them and I consider medical schools, especially in developing countries, should do better in preparing specialists and all medical specialties should consider smoking cessation a priority.