Why Quit Smoking

Why Quit Smoking? 

It has been over decades that the holy fight to reduce smoking in countries does not show gigantic progress. Today, an estimated of one in four men and one in five women still smoke. 

To non-smokers, it has always been a mystery why smokers continue to smoke despite all the health damage discovery of smoking. Smoking is the number one killer in America for it increases the risk for heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke and other health problems, tremedously. 

  

Is smoking a habit that really worth the risk?

Most smokers do realise the dangers of smoking but they do not seem to be wary of these until the problems surface, and sadly, it would be too late to reverse anything. Smokers (mostly in developed countries) also can feel the stress financially but they seem to be able to overcome this problem. Some smokers can skip meals but not smoking. 

The fact that the nicotine in cigarettes is highly addictive stops smokers from quitting smoking. In addiction, smoking does provide psychological comfort to some smoekrs. After all, quitting smoking is too difficult.  

There are researches done in regarding to quit smoking. The benefits of quitting become more visible over the years and the drawbacks of not quitting have been clear. 

1. Smoking impacts and ruins your looks. 

  There are many ways that smoking can cause damage to your physical appearance. Looks is the first thing anyone would judge you on, and so why do you want to get a lower rating? 

 Bags under your eyes 

                 Smokers are four times as likely as non-smokers to suffer from feeling unrested after      

                 waking up due to nicotine withdrawal that make them tossing around on bed. Having 

                 poor sleep, you may suffer from bags under your eyes.  
                 Psoriasis 

                 Psoriasis is an autoimmune-related skin condition that creates patches of marks on  

                 your skin. The risk for getting psoriasis increases the longer you smoke. If you smoke 

                 a packet of cigarette a day, psoriasis risk will increase by 20% of a non-smoker; if 

                 you have been smoking for the past 20 years, your psoriasis risk is 60% higher; and 

                 if you smoker longer than that, the risk doubles or more. Second-hand smoking for  

                 pregnant ladies and children is the cause of psoriasis as well.
                     Icky teeth 

                 Nicotine stains teeth. Smokers have high risk of getting yellowish teeth. Teeth        

                 whitening procedure is costly.
                 Premature aging and wrinkles 

                 Smoking increases the risk of skin wrinkling and smokers age faster than non-           

                 smokers. Smokers look 1.4 years older than non-smokers, on average, due to the          

                 smoke hampering the blood supply that keeps skin tissue looking supple and healthy.            
                     Yellow fingers 

                 The nicotine not only stains your teeth but your fingers and nails too. The person 

                 who does handshake with you may be turned off by your hands and it creates a very 

                 bad impression.
                 Hair drop and gray hair 

                 The toxic chemicals in smoke damage the DNA in hair follicles and generate cell- 

                 damaging free radicals. Smokers will suffer from thinner hair and their hair will turn  

                 gray earlier. With thinner hair, smokers will suffer from hair drop and thus they have  

                 higher risk of becoming bald.
                 Scarring 

                 Nicotine causes vasoconstriction. Smokers' blood vessels are being narrowed and  

                 oxygen-rich blood may not be able to reach their tiny blood vessels in their faces or  

                 other parts of the bodies. Therefore, healing process of wounds would take longer 

                 and thus smokers will have bigger and redder scars than non-smokers.
                 Tooth loss 

                 According to a 2005 U.K. study in the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, smokers are 

                 up to six times more likely than non-smokers to develop gum disease, which can lead  

                 to tooth loss.
                 Natural glow is gone 

                 Cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, which displaces the oxygen in smokers'  

                 skin. With the aid of nicotine, which reduces blood flow, smokers' skin is dry and 

                 discoloured. Nutrients such as vitamin C are depleted, reducing their skin's self  

                 repairing and protection ability. A 1985 study came up with the term Smoker’s Face  

                 to describe certain facial characteristics, such as wrinkles, gauntness, and a gray  

                 appearance of the skin, caused by smoking. Smoking is so not cool.
                 Slower wound healing 

                 Smokers do not heal as well after surgeries such as tooth extractions, periodontal  

                 and face-lifts procedures. Some surgeons will not perform cosmetic surgery for 

                 smokers until they agree to kick the habit.
                 Warts 

                 Warts can be caused by a large family of viruses known as human papillomavirus.    

                 Smokers are more susceptible to such infection. Female smokers are four times as 

                 likely to suffer from gential warts than non-smokers.
                 Skin cancer 

                 Smokers are three times as likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma, the second  

                 most common type of skin cancer, than nonsmokers.
                 Stretch marks 

                 Nicotine damages fibers and connective tissue in smoker's skin to make them lose  

                 elasticity and strength. Cigarette is one of the causes for stretch marks and red skin 

                 striations other than gaining weight rapidly.
                 Flabby tummy 

                 Smokers have more visceral fat than non-smokers and it pads internal organs and  

                 can accumulate in midsection, ultimately increasing the risk of other diseases such  

                 as diabetes.
                 Cataracts 

                 Cigarette smoking can increase the risk of cataracts by putting oxidative stress on  

                 the lens of the eye. The amount of cigarettes smoked was a more important risk 

                 factor than how long someone smoked. 

                             http://www.livestrong.com    

            

2. Smoking harms you financially.

Money cannot buy happiness, but without money, you cannot buy many things. Why do you want to burn your money away? Even if you are rich, why don't you contribute to the society by donating the money spent on cigarettes to the needy, instead of causing harms?

          Smokers are poorer than how rich they are supposed to be.

Cigarettes are expensive. In countries where efficient governments have foreseen the health hassle caused by smoking, they have resolved to set laws and campaigns to strongly discourage smokers from smoking. One useful ways to force smokers to reduce or even quit smoking is to increase the tax of cigarettes, in such a way that smokers have to pay higher price in order to damage their own health. Smokers also have to buy refreshers to eliminate their bad breath or perfume to cover up their body odour. For every stick of cigarette burnt, it is similar to burning a piece of dollar note. 

Smokers, on average, have poorer health than non-smokers.

And as a result, smokers have to visit the doctors more often. Since there is a higher chance for smokers to be contracted with diseases, they may have to pay more to cure their illness in future.

Smokers have to pay higher price when they buy insurance.

Life insurance for certain insurance companies cost more than twice as much for smokers versus non-smoker. Smokers also have to pay higher amount of money for medical insurance. Since smokers' houses are more likely to catch fire, home insurance is more costly as well.

Smoking in car can dramatically drop its resale value.

The smoke not only creates awful smell but also stinks on the interior of the car.

3. Smoking causes your health.

You may be one of the few lucky ones who are not affected in your health, but can you be assured that you are one of them? Why do you want to risk your own health?

         Smokers on average hit the bucket about 10 years quicker.

Due to all the harmful effects of smoking, most smokers have shorter lifespan than non-smokers.

Smokers on average cannot focus as well as non-smokers.

They have to depend on puffing each time to regain their concentration but each cigarette can only last them for a limit period of time.

Smokers on average have poorer health than non-smokers.

Due to the effects of smoking, smokers tend to cough (known as smoker cough) more often and have weaker immune system and thus weaker health. Smokers also have higher risk of getting cancer, heart attacks, strokes, early death and cataracts. Smokers' sense of smell and taste may be affected as well.

There are numerous of proven effects of smoking.

which smokers are meddling with. Cigarettes are disastrous.

4. Smoking creates social problems for you and others.

No man is an island, and thus you have to maintain good relationship with others. But smoking often gives non-smokers bad impression and sometimes it does create conflicts. Besides, smoking affects yourself in other aspects as well.

          Smokers on average are less presentable than non-smokers.

They may have dirty teeth and bad breath, or even body odour. This will certainly give bad impression to some people. To some people, smokers are recognised as hooligans or at least they give the impression.

Smokers are more hated.

If you open your eyes wide every day, you can see that there are obviously more non-smokers than smokers in this world. Some smokers are hated by non-smokers greatly because of the impacts that the smokers have caused on them, such as second hand smoke. Basically, smokers have higher chances to be hated by others, especially regarding the issues of cigarette litter and smoking in public places.

Smokers waste more time than non-smokers.

Cigarette breaks take up time. Buying cigarettes can be time consuming. Sometimes, smokers even have to search for lighter. Imagine the amount of time smokers can save if they have quitted smoking, more useful stuffs can be done.

Smoking is prohibited in many places.

Smokers get "locked out" of places like shopping centres which do not allow smoking. During outings with friends, they often have to stay outside in open areas to finish up their cigarettes before they can go in to join their groups of friends. At times, they also have to worry if their current locations are smoking prohibited.

Smokers set bad example for youngsters.

Smokers are human beings and they are basically kind. Most smokers know the effects of smoking but they continue to smoke. However, they do not wish their children or the younger generation to smoke, but they do not realise they are actually influencing the younger generation to smoke by doing it. This is also known as parental smoking.

When other smoking cessation aids have failed to help you quit, perhaps you should give addiction counseling a try, because it just might work for you.

Quitting Smoking: Why To Quit and How To Get Help

1. What health problems are caused by smoking?

Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and diminishes a person’s overall health. Smoking is a leading cause of cancer and of death from cancer. It causes cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx (voice box), mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia Smoking also causes heart disease, stroke, lung disease (chronic bronchitis and emphysema), hip fractures, and cataracts. Smokers are at higher risk of developing pneumonia and other airway infections.

 A pregnant smoker is at higher risk of having her baby born too early and with an abnormally low weight. A woman who smokes during or after pregnancy increases her infant’s risk of death from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 

2. Does tobacco smoke contain harmful chemicals? 

Yes. Tobacco smoke contains chemicals that are harmful to both  smokers and nonsmokers. Breathing even a little tobacco smoke can be harmful. Of the 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 250 are known to be harmful. The toxic chemicals found in smoke include hydrogen cyanide (used in chemical weapons), carbon monoxide (found in car exhaust), formaldehyde (used as an embalming fluid), ammonia (used in household cleaners), and toluene (found in paint thinners). Of the 250 known harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke, more than 50 have been found to cause cancer. These chemicals include.

1. arsenic (a heavy metal toxin)
2. benzene (a chemical found in gasoline)
3. beryllium (a toxic metal)
4. cadmium (a metal used in batteries)
5. chromium (a metallic element)
6. ethylene oxide (a chemical used to sterilize medical devices)
7. nickel (a metallic element)
8. polonium–210 (a chemical element that gives off radiation)
9. vinyl chloride (a toxic substance used in plastics manufacture)

3. What are the immediate benefits of quitting smoking? 

The immediate health benefits of quitting smoking are substantial. Heart rate and blood pressure, which were abnormally high while smoking, begin to return to normal. Within a few hours, the level of carbon monoxide in the blood begins to decline. (Carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas found in cigarette smoke, reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.) Within a few weeks, people who quit smoking have improved circulation, don’t produce as much phlegm, and don’t cough or wheeze as often. Within several months of quitting, people can expect significant improvements in lung function.

 4. What are the long-term benefits of quitting smoking? 

 Quitting smoking reduces the risk of cancer and other diseases, such as heart disease and lung 

 disease, caused by smoking. People who quit smoking, regardless of their age, are less likely than 

 those who continue to smoke to die from smoking-related illness.  Studies have shown that 

 quitting at age 30 reduces the chance of dying from smoking-related diseases by more than 

 90%.  People who quit at about age 50 reduce their risk of dying prematurely by 50% compared 

 with those who continue to smoke.

 5. Does quitting smoking lower the risk of cancer? 

 Quitting smoking substantially reduces the risk of developing and dying from cancer, and this      benefit increases the longer a person remains smoke free. However, even after many years of not smoking, the risk of lung cancer in former smokers remains higher than in people who have never smoked. The risk of premature death and the chance of developing cancer due to cigarettes depend on the number of years of smoking, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, the age at which smoking began, and the presence or absence of illness at the time of quitting.

 6. Should someone already diagnosed with cancer bother to quit smoking? 

 Yes. There are many reasons that people diagnosed with cancer should quit smoking. For those 

 having surgery or other treatments, quitting smoking helps improve the body’s ability to heal and 

 respond to the cancer treatment, and it lowers the risk of pneumonia and respiratory failure. 

 Also, quitting smoking may lower the risk of the cancer returning or a second cancer forming .

 7. What are some of the challenges associated with quitting smoking? 

 Quitting smoking may cause short-term problems, especially for those who have smoked a large 

 number of cigarettes for a long period of time:

1. Feeling sad or anxious: People who quit smoking are likely to feel depressed, anxious, irritable, and restless, and may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating.
2. Gaining weight: Increased appetite is a common withdrawal symptom after quitting smoking, and studies show that people who quit smoking increase their food intake . Although most smokers gain less than 10 pounds, for some people the weight gain can be troublesome . Regular physical activity can help people maintain a healthy weight.

Depression, anxiety, restlessness, weight gain, and other problems are symptoms of nicotine withdrawal . Many people find that nicotine replacement products and other medicines may relieve these problems. . However, even without medication, withdrawal symptoms and other problems do subside over time.

  8. Can a doctor, dentist, or pharmacist help a person quit smoking? 

  Doctors, dentists, and pharmacists can be good sources of information

  about the health risks of smoking and  the benefits of quitting. They can

  describe the proper use and potential side effects of nicotine replacement

  therapy and other medicines, and they can help people find local quit

  smoking resources.
  9. How can I help someone I know quit smoking? 

  It’s understandable to be concerned about someone you know who  

  currently smokes. It’s important to find out if this person wants to quit  

  smoking. Most smokers say they want to quit. If they don’t want to quit,  

  try to find out why.

 Here are some things you can do to help:

1. Express things in terms of your own concern about the smoker’s health (“I’m worried about...”).
2. Acknowledge that the smoker may get something out of smoking and may find it difficult to quit.
3. Be encouraging and express your faith that the smoker can quit for good.
4. Suggest a specific action, such as calling a smoking quitline, for help in quitting smoking.
5. Ask the smoker for ways you can provide support.

Here are two things you should not do:

1. Don’t send quit smoking materials to smokers unless they ask for them.
2. Don’t criticize, nag, or remind the smoker about past failures.

 10. Are there alternative methods to help people quit 

  smoking? 

 Some people claim that alternative approaches such as 

 hypnosis, acupuncture,  acupressure, laser therapy, or 

 electrostimulation may help reduce the symptoms associated  

 with nicotine withdrawal. However, clinical studies have not shown that these alternative approaches help people quit smoking.

 11. What if a person smokes again after quitting? 

  Many smokers find it difficult to quit. People commonly quit smoking and then find themselves  

  smoking again, especially in the first few weeks or months after quitting. People who smoke   

  after quitting should try again to quit. Most people find that they need to persist in their  

  attempts to quit smoking before they quit for good.

  It may take four or more attempts before smokers are able to quit for good People who stop 

  smoking for 3 months or longer have an excellent chance of remaining cigarette free for the rest  

  of their lives.