Smoking cessation has been considered by many smokers at least once, and those that have not yet thought about it, will at some point in their lives. To say that hundreds of studies have been conducted to prove the harmful effects of cigarettes would be an understatement. In fact, we all know the negative health repercussions of this habit. Yet, there are still millions of people that continue to smoke! This is because nicotine is a highly addictive substance that makes it extremely difficult to quit. The negative effects of smoking are not intangible or vague. They are much more than “bad for you”. Here are some very specific, tangible and well known effects. Hopefully, this information will drive you straight into a smoking cessation program.
- Cancer: Smoking has been directly linked to an increase in the likelihood of contracting cancer. The main form of this disease that develops from cigarette use is lung cancer. This is due to the tar and chemicals that are contained in smoke. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), cigarette smoke contains around 250 carcinogenic or toxic chemicals. You read it right, that was 250! Here is another interesting number from the CDC. Male smokers are 23 times more at risk of developing lung cancer than non-smokers. For women, the number is 13 times more at risk. The lungs may be the most affected organs, but throat and mouth cancer are also heavily linked to smoking.
- Heart Attack: Smoking can lead to heart attacks in several ways. First, it increases carbon monoxide in the blood. Carbon monoxide sucks out the oxygen, making it more likely that you will have cholesterol deposits in the arteries. Second, nicotine causes high blood pressure which can increase the risk of blood clots. These two effects make smokers more likely to have a heart attack than nonsmokers. By the way, higher cholesterol levels can lead to poor circulation and stroke as well. Smoking cessation can have almost an immediate impact in this area!
- COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. This name basically encompasses chronic bronchitis and emphysema. This is really a slow killer because the condition can drag on and on, limiting your every move. Daily activities become insurmountable hurdles as your lung function deteriorates. Here are some more numbers from the trusty CDC. Smoking increases your chances of dying from COPD by 12 to 13 times. Once you have emphysema, smoking cessation will not reverse the condition. It will, however, slow down the decay of the lungs and prevent the symptoms from becoming more and more acute.
- Your Finances: Another great reason for smoking cessation! We all know that smoking is expensive. Just how expensive is it? Let’s put it down on paper. If you smoke 1 pack a day at $6.75 per pack (some places are less while some states like NY are much more than that) you are spending $47.25 per week. How much would you save if you stopped smoking? Well you would save $2460 a year. Few smokers associate their habit with real numbers. Nearly $2500 a year is a substantial cost and reason enough for many to seriously consider smoking cessation. There are more financial considerations to be conscious of. If you are a smoker, your premiums for life insurance will be higher than if you did not smoke. Interestingly enough, your home owners insurance can also be higher if you are a smoker. The insurance company figures that there is a higher probability of starting a fire and therefore reflect that risk in higher premiums.
As you can see smoking cessation will have a very positive impact on your health, your future quality of life and your finances. Nicotine is a highly addictive toxin that wreaks havoc with your life. What is worse is that the effects are slow and cumulative which makes them easy to ignore. The end results though are devastating. Hopefully this article has solidified some of the threats that are posed from cigarettes by changing your perception from “smoking is bad for you” to more tangible repercussions.
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