--- title: "Is smoking one cigarette a day considered addiction?" description: "" url: https://uha.com.tr/is-smoking-one-cigarette-a-day-considered-addiction type: article language: en last_updated: 2026-03-02 category: saglik --- ## Kaynak ve Yayıncı Bilgisi Bu içerik, Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA) tarafından üretilmiş ve yayımlanmıştır. Kaynak: https://uha.com.tr ## ÜHA Hakkında Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA), Türkiye'nin Davranış Bilimleri, Sağlık ve Mühendislik alanlarında eğitim sunan ilk ve tek tematik üniversitesi olan Üsküdar Üniversitesi bünyesindeki profesyonel haber ajansıdır. Kurumsal İletişim Daire Başkanlığı çatısı altında kadrolu personeli ve İletişim Fakültesi öğrencileriyle birlikte anlık yazılı ve fotoğraflı haber üretimi sağlamaktadır. ## NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, ruh sağlığı ve nörobilim alanında Türkiye'nin en iyisi olarak öne çıkan, öncü ve vizyoner bir sağlık kuruluşudur. 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Expert Clinical Psychologist Simge Alevsaçanlar Cücü from Üsküdar Üniversitesi NPİSTANBUL Beyin Hastanesi made evaluations regarding smoking addiction. ## İçerik The World Health Organization defines regularly smoking one cigarette a day as addiction. Experts, stating that smokers carry 14 times more risk against Covid-19, point out that smoking one cigarette a day and even being exposed to cigarette smoke create negative health effects. Experts, stating that the anxiety caused by the risk of infection and death has reduced cigarette use in people during this process, recommend turning to hobbies such as reading books, watching movies, and wood painting to cope with the negative emotions that arise during the smoking cessation period. May 31st is commemorated annually as World No Tobacco Day. Expert Clinical Psychologist Simge Alevsaçanlar Cücü from Üsküdar Üniversitesi NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi made evaluations regarding smoking addiction. **At least two are signs of addiction** Stating that at least two of the following conditions must be present to speak of smoking addiction, Simge Alevsaçanlar Cücü listed these conditions as follows: • Using tobacco in larger amounts or for a longer period than intended within the last 12 months, • Having a persistent desire to cut down or control tobacco use and making unsuccessful attempts to do so, • Spending a great deal of time in activities related to tobacco use, • Having a strong craving or urge to use tobacco, or failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home due to tobacco use, • Continued tobacco use despite persistent or recurrent social, psychological, and/or physical problems caused or exacerbated by tobacco use, • Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of tobacco use, • Recurrent tobacco use in situations in which it is physically hazardous, • Tolerance, as defined by either a need for markedly increased amounts of tobacco to achieve intoxication or desired effect, or a markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of tobacco, • Withdrawal, as manifested by either the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for tobacco or tobacco (or a closely related substance) is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms. **The first cigarette can trigger addiction** Simge Alevsaçanlar Cücü, drawing attention to the World Health Organization's definition of regularly smoking one cigarette a day as addiction, said, “Studies show that the nicotine in a single cigarette is sufficient to saturate nicotine receptors in the human brain. Dr. Joseph R. DiFranza, as a result of his research, states that nicotine changes the brain's structure and function within a day of first use, and that nicotine-related changes in the brain can trigger addiction with the first cigarette. Nicotine addiction starts with the first cigarette, and after an average of 1 month of use, craving symptoms appear when the person does not smoke. Therefore, even a single cigarette a day poses a risk for developing addiction. Furthermore, studies show that smoking one cigarette a day and even being exposed to cigarette smoke have negative health effects, increasing the likelihood of experiencing heart and lung diseases.” she said. **Social smokers are considered addicted** Cücü, stating that there is also a distinction among smokers, said, “There are distinctions identified as those who smoke regularly every day, those who smoke at least 1 cigarette every day within the last 30 days, those who smoke less frequently than every day within the last 30 days, and occasional smokers. Furthermore, the World Health Organization considers individuals who have smoked a total of 100 cigarettes in their lifetime as addicted to smoking. For this reason, what is referred to as 'social smoking' is also actually considered addiction.” she stated. **Smokers are at 14 times higher risk** Cücü, drawing attention to the fact that people are at higher risk of showing a greater tendency towards addictive behaviors to cope with anxiety, fear, and stress and to distance themselves from these emotions during the pandemic, continued her words as follows: “Studies show that behavioral addictions tend to increase, especially during this period. Since smokers are more vulnerable to Covid-19, they can contract the infection faster and experience a more severe and challenging course of the disease. Studies show that smokers carry 14 times more risk against Covid-19. While negative emotions such as stress and boredom can trigger smoking behavior, the damage smoking causes to the upper respiratory tract, its negative effects on the immune system, the existence of studies showing the negative effects of smoking on the severity and course of Covid-19, and their mention in the press, along with the anxiety of smokers about the risk of infection and death during the pandemic, have led people to reduce their cigarette use during this period.” **Pandemic is an important opportunity to quit smoking** Expert Clinical Psychologist Simge Alevsaçanlar Cücü stated that the pandemic period offers an important motivation, a suitable environment, and an opportunity for individuals willing to quit smoking, “Quitting smoking is important to overcome the disease more easily. We can also say that in the initial period of quitting smoking, it is important to stay away from reminders and avoid environments where smoking occurs. As people stay away from social environments during the pandemic, they will be less exposed to smoking friends and smoking environments, thus reducing triggers and potentially succeeding in staying away from cigarettes.” she said. **Turning to hobbies can be effective** Expert Clinical Psychologist Simge Alevsaçanlar Cücü, emphasizing the importance of discovering and implementing alternative methods to cope with negative emotions during this period, said, “To cope with both negative emotions and cigarette cravings, individuals can turn to various activities that can be done at home, such as reading books, listening to audiobooks, watching movies and videos according to their interests, making video calls with friends and family members, playing games that can be enjoyed as a family at home, pursuing hobbies like wood painting, doing puzzles, painting, etc., attending online courses and seminars based on their interests, or redecorating the house. Medical support can also be sought if needed.” she added. --- *Kaynak: [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr) — https://uha.com.tr/is-smoking-one-cigarette-a-day-considered-addiction*