VAT now 7.5% as President Buhari signs 2019 finance bill into law

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VAT now 7.5% as President Buhari signs 2019 finance bill into law

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the 2019 finance bill into law in Abuja on Monday.

The bill was submitted to the National Assembly alongside the budget but the bill signing is coming 27 days after the 2020 budget was signed into law on December 17.

“I am pleased to announce that this morning I signed into law the Finance Bill, 2019,” a tweet on the President’s Twitter account read.

“We introduced the bill alongside the 2020 budget, to reform Nigeria’s tax laws to align with global best practices, support MSMEs in line with our Ease of Doing Business Reforms, incentivize investments in infrastructure and capital markets and raise government revenues.”

“This is the first time, since the return of democracy in 1999, that a Federal Budget is being accompanied by the passage of a Finance Bill specially designed to support its implementation, and to create a truly enabling environment for business and investment by the private sector.”

“I thank the leadership and members of the Ninth National Assembly for the hard work and support that have gone into the passage of the landmark Deep Offshore and Inland Basin PSC Amendment Bill, and the Finance Bill; both vital to the successful implementation of the 2020 Budget.”

The bill also made provisions for companies with an annual turnover of less than N25 million to be exempted from paying company income tax.

The Federal Government also raised the threshold from which stamp duty will be charged for online transactions from the current N1,000 to N10,000.

Silence before the storm: Russian speaking hacking group is attacking banks in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Silence before the storm: Russian speaking hacking group is attacking banks in Sub-Saharan Africa

The malware used in the attacks indicates that the threat actors are most likely to be an infamous Silence hacking group

LAGOS, Nigeria, January 13, 2020,/ — Kaspersky security researchers have reported on thousands of notifications of attacks on major banks located in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region. The malware used in the attacks indicates that the threat actors are most likely to be an infamous Silence hacking group, previously known to be responsible for the theft of millions of dollars from banks across the world.

The Silence group is one of the most active Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors, which has carried out a number of successful campaigns targeting banks and financial organisations around the Globe. The typical scenario of the attack begins with a social engineering scheme, as attackers send a phishing e-mail that contains malware to a bank employee. From there the malware gets inside the banks’ security perimeter and lays low for a while, gathering information on the victim organisation by capturing screenshots and making video recordings of the day to day activity on the infected device, learning how things work in the targeted banks. Once attackers are ready to take action, they activate all capabilities of the malware and cash out using, for example, ATMs. The score sometimes reaches millions of dollars.

The attacks detected began in the first week of January 2020 and indicated that the threat actors are about to begin the final stage of their operation and cash out the funds. To the date, the attacks are ongoing and persist in targeting large banks in several SSA countries.

Kaspersky researchers attribute the attacks to the Russian speaking Silence group based on the malware used in the attacks, which was previously used solely in the group’s operations. In addition, the language of the malware is Russian: threat actors attempted to slightly cover this fact by typing Russian words using the English keyboard layout.

“Silence group has been quite productive in the past years, as they live up to their name; their operations require an extensive period of silent monitoring, with rapid and coordinated thefts. We noticed a growing interest of this actor group in banking organisations in 2017 and since that time the group would constantly develop, expanding to new regions and updating their social engineering scheme,” said Sergey Golovanov, a Security researcher at Kaspersky. “We urge all banks to stay vigilant, as apart from the large sums Silence group also steal sensitive information while monitoring the Banks activity as they video record screen activity. This is a serious privacy abuse that might cost more than money can buy.”

Kaspersky detects the malware used in the operation as HEUR: trojan.Win32.Generic, PDM: xploit.Win32.Generic

To protect from this and similar attacks, we advise financial organisations to apply the following measures:

  • Introduce basic security awareness training for all employees so that they can better distinguish phishing attempts.
  • Monitor activity in enterprise information systems information security operations centre.
  • Use security solutions with dedicated functionality aimed at detecting and blocking phishing attempts. Businesses can protect their on-premise email systems with targeted applications inside the Kaspersky Endpoint Detection and Response or use the Kaspersky Anti Targeted Attack Platform.
  • Provide security teams with access to up to date threat intelligence data, to keep pace with the latest tactics and tools used by cybercriminals.
  • Prepare an incident response plan to be ready for potential incidents in the network environment.

MSIG Partners with MyKasih to Support 130 Underprivileged Students in Sabah and Selangor

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MSIG Partners with MyKasih to Support 130 Underprivileged Students in Sabah and Selangor

KUALA
LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach – 13 January 2020 – MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd “(MSIG Malaysia)”, has teamed up with MyKasih to provide bursaries of RM720 per annum
(each) for 130 students in two schools in Sabah and Selangor.

 

The
programme, which developed out of MSIG’s involvement with FINCO (Financial
Industry Collective Outreach), is focused on children from underprivileged
families in the B40 income group. Student beneficiaries are
rendered assistance in the form of cashless bursaries via a contactless MyKasih
smartcard. Once registered, a spending allowance of RM30 will be deposited
twice a month. The students will draw on the allowances by using their MyKasih
student smartcard to pay for purchases of school books and stationery from the
school bookstore, as well as food from the school canteen. As part of the
bursary scheme, each student will also be annually reviewed in terms of overall
attendance and academic performance.

 

Mr. Chua Seck Guan, Chief Executive Officer of MSIG Malaysia, said, “MSIG is delighted to be working with
MyKasih and FINCO to help these underprivileged, children and their families. We
are a supporter of UN Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is focused on
creating inclusive and equitable educational opportunities for all. We hope
that the bursaries will allow these children to focus on their education,
rather than worrying about basic provisions which more privileged children take
for granted”.

 

MSIG will be supporting 80 students at SK Babagon Toki, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (the
entire school) and 50 selected students at SJKC Damansara, Damansara, Selangor.
As part of their ‘Love My School’ programme, MyKasih will be working with the
children and their parents to ensure that the bursaries are spent responsibly.

 

“As one of Malaysia’s
leading general insurers we have been impressed with how this MyKasih programme
will help educate both the children and their families about the benefits of
prudent financial budgeting and planning and we are glad that we have been able
to partner with both them and FINCO in developing this programme,” Mr
Chua concluded.

 

“We are grateful to MSIG and FINCO for choosing us as their partner
in reaching out to underprivileged children in schools. Education is a key area
of MyKasih’s work. Beyond providing students with cashless bursaries, we also
furnish schools with computer labs, robotics equipment, aquaponics edible
garden projects, sports development programmes, as well as English, music and
financial literacy classes to enhance their learning experience. The students will no longer need to worry about daily school meals and learning
essentials, and can therefore focus on their studies. With improved academic
success, we hope this would enable them to seize better opportunities in the
future, thereby breaking the cycle of poverty“, said MyKasih Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder, Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon
Keat.

 

In addition to the financial contribution, MSIG
will also be working with FINCO and MyKasih to develop meaningful activities at
the schools where MSIG staff can directly participate, sharing their time and
experience to create additional value for these schools and students.

 

Clare Walker, Chief Executive Officer of FINCO added, “This is a great initiative by MSIG and a
good example of FINCO’s collaborative approach to working with the financial
industry to support young people. Ensuring these children have their daily
needs taken care of means that they can better focus on their education and
work towards achieving their full potential”.

 

This programme is one of several sustainability initiatives that MSIG
Malaysia has committed to in the past year. Other examples include their
support for visually impaired photographers, sponsorship of prosthetic limbs
for road traffic accident victims, creation of a dedicated insurance product
for social enterprises and a partnership with EPIC Homes, aimed at providing
housing for marginalised Orang Asli communities. All of these initiatives are
linked through MSIG’s support for the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals, which have guided and focused the company’s sustainability efforts in
2019. 

About MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd

MSIG Insurance (Malaysia) Bhd (“MSIG Malaysia”) is a subsidiary of
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited and a member of MS&AD Insurance
Group Holding, Inc. (MS&AD), one of the top ten** general insurers in the
world.

 

With over 100 years of general insurance experience and a nationwide
network of 20 branches in Malaysia, MSIG Malaysia is one of the leading general
insurers in Fire, Engineering and Motor classes and No.1* in Marine Cargo,
offering an extensive range of products and services for personal and business
needs.

 

MSIG Malaysia’s expertise is well recognised through
its receipt of many prestigious awards. These have included the 2018 “Outstanding
Property and Casualty Insurer in Malaysia” award* in the InsuranceAsia News
Awards for Excellence. MSIG Malaysia was commended for leading the market with
strong financial growth, investment in product innovation, enhanced digital
capabilities in business and claims management systems and strong customer
service proposition. Its commitment to customer service excellence through its
efforts in enhancing the customer experience and industry leadership in
Enterprise Risk Management also earned MSIG Malaysia the “General Insurance
Company of the Year” at the Asia Insurance Industry Awards in 2015.

 

For more information on MSIG Malaysia, visit www.msig.com.my or facebook.com/MSIGmy.

 

*As of Dec 2018

**Fortune Global 500, 2018.


About MyKasih

Since its inception in 2009, MyKasih Foundation has
channelled RM260 million worth of aid to more than 280,000 families and
students nationwide via a proprietary cashless payment system that is
efficient, secure, and transparent in accounting for how funds are being used.

www.mykasih.com.my


About FINCO

The
Financial Industry Collective Outreach (FINCO) is a collaborative initiative
pioneered by all financial institutions (FIs) in Malaysia with the support of
Bank Negara Malaysia to provide underprivileged children and youth with the
aspiration and educational tools they need to achieve their life goals.

www.finco.my

Dr Ganesh Ramalingam of G & L Surgical on Battling Obesity

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Dr Ganesh Ramalingam of G & L Surgical on Battling Obesity

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 13 January 2020 – According to the
Health Promotion Board, one in 10 Singaporeans aged between 18 and 69 is obese.
If left unmanaged, obesity rates
— projected to hit 15 per cent in the next seven years ­– could swell into a
sizeable problem as the condition could lead to such potentially
life-threatening illnesses as heart diseases and stroke. For Dr Ganesh
Ramalingam, a surgeon specialising in
gastrointestinal, bariatric, advanced laparoscopy and endoscopic surgery of G & L Surgical, maintaining a controlled diet and exercise regime are key factors in achieving one’s
weight-loss goals. However, in cases where diets and lifestyle management appear
to be insufficient, patients are advised to consult a doctor for advice on
alternative treatments.

 

What are some
health risks of being obese?

In general,
being obese affects one’s level of physical activity and mental wellness, with
the attendant body pain and breathing problems leading to a low quality of
life. Clinical depression and sleep apnea may also set in.

 

Beyond that, there
are many other long-term health risks that can affect a person with a high BMI
— a person with a BMI that exceeds 25 and 30 is considered overweight and obese
respectively. Some risks include hypertension (high blood pressure), Type 2
diabetes, osteoarthritis, as well as heart, liver and kidney diseases.

 

What are some
non-surgical alternatives available when it comes to weight loss procedures?

Diet and
lifestyle modifications are always the mainstay of weight management. The next
step is usually medication and there are various oral medications available.

 

Another alternative
is an injectable medication called Saxenda, which is approved by the Health
Sciences Authority in Singapore. Saxenda is an injectable pen prefilled with
liraglutide, which is designed to behave like a hormone that regulates one’s
appetite.

 

Another
non-surgical alternative available is Gastric Balloon Procedure, whereby an
endoscopically inserted balloon limits the amount of food consumed due to the
balloon occupying space in the stomach.

 

For patients who
opt for Saxenda as a non-invasive obesity treatment, what dietary and lifestyle
adjustments do you recommend in order for patients to maintain a healthy
weight?

Exercise
and diet control is vital in any successful weight management. Exercise has to
be done at least three times a week and each session should last more than 45
minutes.

 

A diet can be
assessed in terms of the quantity and quality of food consumed. I will tailor a
diet plan befitting of the individual after a consultation with them.

 

What about weight
loss surgery?

There are
many options available such as bariatric surgery which has been proven to
produce long-lasting weight loss results and improve obesity-related conditions
such as Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea and high blood pressure, said Dr Ganesh
Ramalingam. Patients generally lose 50 to 60 per cent of their excess weight
within a year of surgery. For an example, like many obese individuals who
resort to weight loss surgery, Mr Nikhil Gangaram had tried dieting and
exercise, but failed to keep his weight down. Unlike most of them, however, he
is only 19. The experience undergoing bariatric surgery in 2017 to remove part
of his stomach was the “most painful thing” he has ever put himself
through. But since then, the full-time National Serviceman — who is 1.83m tall
and used to weigh 122.8kg on the 27.02.17 — has reduced his food intake
significantly and shed a total of 20.1kg weighing 102.7kg on 07.06.18. It is a
result he considers a “miracle”.

 

Parents considering
bariatric surgery for their teenage children should bear in mind that lifestyle
and diet changes must be made as a family for the weight loss journey to be
successful, said Dr Ganesh
Ramalingam.

 

Patients must be
fully committed in preparing themselves for the surgery.

 

“Preparing for
this major operation can take many months of work. Patients need to show that
they are willing and able to make big changes in their eating and exercise
habits before the surgery,” said Dr Ganesh.

 

With many weight
management options out there, why should someone seek medical advice for
alternative solutions?

Obese or
overweight people may have chronic diseases or health-care issues related to
obesity — for instance, Type 2 diabetes. As a result, they may have experienced
little success despite managing their diet, exercising or trying out
non-medical treatments. In such situations, consulting a medical team may be
more helpful, as they can provide a holistic approach towards the goal of
achieving a better quality of life.

 

Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH enforces its patents in the field of human milk oligosaccharides against Nestlé in Germany

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Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH enforces its patents in the field of human milk oligosaccharides against Nestlé in Germany

RHEINBREITBACH, GERMANY – Newsaktuell – 13 January 2020 – Jennewein Biotechnologie GmbH filed a
patent infringement suit with the regional court in Mannheim on January 09,
2020 against Nestlé Nutrition GmbH and its holding company Nestlé Deutschland
AG. Nestlé offers its infant formula Beba Supreme which contains two human milk
oligosaccharides — unique saccharides naturally occurring in human breast milk
only — for sale in Germany. Pursuant to the findings of Jennewein
Biotechnologie, Nestlé uses human milk oligosaccharides for the manufacturing
of its infant formula that are produced by a process being protected – among
other IP rights – by European Patents EP 2 896 628 and EP 3 131 912 (start of
protection: January 22, 2020) which are thus infringed by Nestlé.

 

As Nestlé offers its infant food containing human milk
oligosaccharides not just in Germany, Jennewein currently investigates measures
against the assumed infringement of its corresponding foreign patents by the
manufacturing of products such as Illuma, SMA, NAN and Gerber Good Start.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement

About HMOs:

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are
complex sugar molecules that are only present in  breast milk. Excluding water, they are the
third most abundant constituent of human milk after fats and lactose. More than
200 structurally different HMOs have been identified. The most abundant HMO is
2′-fucosyllactose, which is produced by about 80% of all       lactating mothers at concentrations of
up to 3 g/L. Scientific studies have shown that HMOs, and 2′‑fucosyllactose in
particular, have a positive impact on infant health and development. HMOs are
prebiotics, i.e. they specifically promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms,
and at the same time they inhibit the growth of pathogens by directly and
indirectly preventing colonisation. Jennewein Biotechnologie launched
2′-fucosyllactose onto the global baby food market in 2015, and several infant
milk formulas around the world now contain 2′-fucosyllactose (e.g. Abbott
Similac).

About Jennewein Biotechnologie:

Jennewein
Biotechnologie is a leading international industrial biotechnology company with
a range of products in the field of complex oligosaccharides (HMOs) and rare
monosaccharides. The company manufactures an extensive portfolio of
innovative HMO products, such as 2′‑fucosyllactose, 3-fucosyllactose and lacto-N-tetraose.
These rare sugars are used in the food industry (particularly infant milk
formulas), the pharmaceutical industry, and the cosmetic industry. The
manufacturing process involves state-of-the-art fermentation techniques. In
2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Jennewein
Biotechnologie a license to market 2′-fucosyllactose in the USA. This was
followed in 2017 by The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) under the Novel
Food Regulation.

Lagos Records Over 200 Motorcycle Accidents Monthly – Sanwo Olu

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Lagos Records Over 200 Motorcycle Accidents Monthly – Sanwo Olu

The Lagos State Government has announced plans to halt the abuse of traffic laws by motorcycle and tricycle riders, saying the menace can no longer be condoned.

A statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, affirmed that the ongoing enforcement of traffic laws will be stepped up across the State to check motorcyclists and motorists violating the laws.

The Commissioner explained that the violation of traffic laws by commercial motorcyclists was unacceptable, thereby necessitating the enforcement of the State Traffic Law 2018 to pave the way for the implementation of the present administration’s transportation project.

He recalled that the alarming negative statistics resulting from motorcycle accidents and the compelling need to enhance safety led to the introduction of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law 2012, which was reviewed in 2018.

Omotoso emphasised that the law makes the use of safety helmets by riders and passengers of motorcycles compulsory, the obedience of traffic lights and signage mandatory and the conveyance of more than a passenger, expectant women, adults with babies, as well as children of school age forbidden.

“Their operations were restricted on 475 roads, including highways and bridges” Omotoso stated.

The Commissioner said: “We cannot fold our arms and watch them disrupt the peace of the State. Over 1500 accidents involving tricycles were reported across the State from 2015 till 2019 while over 70 died and 250 were injured”.

He added that 30 robbery cases involving motorcycles were reported in 2019, out of which 20 were foiled by the Police, who arrested 25 suspects and recovered 48 arms and ammunition.

While reeling out statistics from the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Omotoso stated that no fewer than 619 people were killed or seriously injured in motorcycle accidents within 2015 and 2016, noting that a police report released during the same period indicated that of the 30 armed robbery cases recorded between July and September, commercial motorcycle riders perpetrated 22.

“Over 200 cases of motorcycle accidents have been recorded monthly at health facilities across the State in the last three years”, Omotoso declared.

Bemoaning the era of indecency exhibited by motorcycle and tricycle riders, the Commissioner stated that their consistent and brazen disregard for the law, in addition to drug abuse by many should be a matter of concern for Lagosians.

“Okada is being used to escape after robberies. Besides, the influx into the State of many riders without traceable addresses and valid means of identification, in spite of the provision for a rider’s permit, remains a huge security and safety threat to residents,” the Commissioner said.

He asserted that “Aside from the sheer size of the industry, the level of indiscipline, security concerns and, particularly, the level of fatalities being recorded daily, demand appropriate and very serious sanctions. The government, in line with its T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda, is addressing the challenge decisively.”

The Commissioner affirmed that the resolve to strengthen security has reinvigorated the government’s commitment to instilling sanity in the operation of ‘Okada’ and ‘Keke’ business.

Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT Corridor ready in May – Sanwo-Olu

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Oshodi-Abule Egba BRT Corridor ready in May – Sanwo-Olu

…Lagos Gov: ‘Second Phase Of The Project To Start Immediately’

…Corridor To Open With 200 Buses

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has beamed a special focus on the ongoing construction BRT corridor from Oshodi to Abule Egba. The 13.68 kilometre-long route will be completed in May, this year, Sanwo-Olu disclosed while inspecting the project on Sunday.

Construction work has resumed on the project, which was started under the last administration. The project is being handled and supervised by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

Upon completion, Sanwo-Olu said the project was expected to bring relief to residents, as it is expected to ease transportation challenges along the route.

The Governor said over 200 mass transit buses would be deployed to the corridor for immediate operations, pointing out that additional buses would be delivered based on an assessment of traffic situation and utilisation.

He said: “This BRT corridor was conceived with the intention to address congestion and transportation challenges along the Oshodi-Abule Egba corridor. We are fully back on this project and we are pushing the contractor to step up the pace of work on it. Once it starts operation, this will significantly bring relief and reduce traffic congestion and transportation problems along this route.

“We are hoping that by the end of May, we should complete the entire Phase 1 of the BRT infrastructure along this route. The work has been pushed up and the there entire project is about 75 per cent to completion. The rest of the construction activities to be done include completion of bus shelters, rigid pavements and terminals.”

Sanwo-Olu said the Government had started to address some impediments slowing down the construction work on the path, which, he said, included blocked drainage network along the route. The Governor said desilting of the identified drain channels at Katangowa market would be done to pave the way for completion work on the BRT lane.

The ongoing Phase 1 of the project will have 14 bus stations between Abule Egba and Oshodi. Five of the stations are bilateral, facing both sides of Expressway; nine medium stations. Also, streetlight facilities will be installed on the route in addition to pedestrian bridges being built along the path.

The Governor also said the Government would be acquiring land to build mega bus depots for the BRT vehicles to be deployed to the area.

After the completion of the first phase, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that work would commence on Phase II of the project, which will stretch from Abule Egba to Sango, later this year.

“The extension of the BRT corridor to Ogun State border is part of the solutions we are bringing to address traffic congestion along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and reduce it to the barest minimum. This will create a robust transportation model for our residents living in border towns.”

The Governor warned against indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the BRT corridor, stressing that the Government would not condone one-way driving along the route.

Ex-First Bank Model, Flora Jacobs To Host London’s Starzz Reality TV Show Audition

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Ex-First Bank Model, Flora Jacobs To Host London’s Starzz Reality TV Show Audition

Ex First Bank centenary model, Flora Jacobs, who is also an ambassador for top model and entertainment outfit in Nigeria, Starzz, has been unveiled by the organizers as the head of London’s branch 2020 Starzz Reality TV show.

The auditions for the Starzz reality TV show is ongoing in some parts of the states in the country and this audition tends to bring interested participants from all works of life together.

Flora, who will be handling the United Kingdom auditions, stated that the reality Tv show is back and better as it is set to hold on the 2nd of February, 2020, in Allstarslanes, Westfield Strafford, London, as the show tends to compete with other shows that exist in the country.

The season 2 of the reality Tv show, is set to roll out the grand price of 2 brand new cars, the cash price of N5million and a trip to Dubai. The show will have 31 housemates for 31 days in one house.

She has become a force to reckon with each year, due to her consistency in helping at breeding great minds in the modelling world and with her dual citizenship, it has not hindered her from making an impact in the society especially in Nigeria.

For interested participants, Flora can be reached through her social media page @jacobsflora on instagram

How to Stop Smoking During Pregnancy

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How to Stop Smoking During Pregnancy

Quitting smoking is not easy. However, for pregnant women quitting is very crucial. The good news is, other women have tried quitting with success. It also helps to know that you are not alone in this.

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

You already know that smoking during pregnancy puts both you and the baby at risk. Alongside the common effects of smoking like heart disease and lung cancer, smoking during pregnancy also increases the risk of:

  • Premature labour
  • Miscarriage
  • Baby with low birth weight
  • Complications like bleeding and issues with the placenta
  • Stillbirth

It also puts your baby at a higher risk of:

  • Behavioural issues
  • Wheezy coughs
  • Problems with attention and hyperactivity

The good news is, despite how far along you are in your pregnancy, it’s never too late to quit. To help protect your unborn baby, the sooner you quit smoking, the better.

Some women worry that the stress of trying to stop smoking can be just as bad for the baby. However, this is not true. Even though smoking can make you feel calmer, it increases your blood pressure and heart rate. Hence, though quitting could be stressful for you, there will be no strain put on the baby.

What Can Help You Quit Smoking?

Just by deciding to quit, you have to take a big first step, congratulations! The next thing you need to do is make a plan of how you are going to achieve this.

If you feel like you can hack it, you could try quitting cold turkey or cutting down gradually. If this is a bit more strenuous for you, try using nicotine replacement therapy like gum, patches, and lozenges. Even though there is no full guarantee that NRT is entirely safe for you and your unborn baby, they are much more reliable than smoking.

Whatever the approach you feel is easier for you to use, as long as you are committed to it, you are more likely to succeed. We recommend getting help from free stop smoking services for further support. They have specialist advisers who will help you customize a quitting plan that will work for you and keep you on the right track.

If you would rather not use the service, you can tell your midwife and GP about your smoking, and they will most likely help you cope with the cravings without passing any judgment. However, you need to let them know that you’re a smoker so they can plan your care properly.

We recommend getting your friends and family involved. You’re more likely to quit if you tell them about your quitting plan, goals, and ask those who smoke not to do it in your presence. Whenever you have intense cravings, you can call or text someone close to you and talk it through.

If your partner is also a smoker, encourage him to stop as well. It makes it easier to quit smoking if your partner quits as well. If he is not willing to quit, at least you can persuade him not to smoke in the house. Second-hand smoking is just as bad for you.

Make sure you have a firm plan for what you do when you get cravings. You could try chewing gum, drinking water, or just having a healthy snack like sliced vegetables and fruits. You could also try keeping yourself busy with activities like knitting clothes.

Avoid activities and places that you associate with smoking. If you used to smoke while taking a cup of coffee in the morning, cut out the coffee, and opt for something else instead. If you are used to reaching out for a cigarette after a meal, go out for a stroll instead to break the habit. The key is to make sure you keep yourself distracted until the craving passes.

Quitting smoking is difficult, but others have done it, and you can do it as well. It helps to keep reminding yourself why you’re doing this and who you are doing it for. Remember that you’re doing it for your baby, and that’s the best motivation there is.

Keep thinking of other great benefits of quitting smoking. In conjunction with reducing your health issues, quitting will also:

  • Make breathing easier
  • Make your teeth whiter and skin clearer
  • Your energy levels will be boosted
  • You’ll likely live longer
  • Your sense of smell and taste will improve

To learn more about pregnancy and smoking, visiting childmode.com.

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