Those who suffer from tobacco-related illnesses often blame themselves for their illnesses. While acknowledging the smoker's role, it is more important to assign blame to tobacco companies. No other industry shares the responsibility for so many lost lives.
Guilt, blame, and shame have no place in the treatment of lung cancer and other tobacco-related illnesses.
Physicians can and should help patients cope with these feelings. They can also help those who have who have lost loved ones to tobacco-related illnesses to channel their anger and grief into efforts to advocate for community efforts to reduce the use of tobacco and thereby the incidence of deaths and illness due to tobacco use. |
