The American Cancer Society says that smoking is one of the most preventable causes of death. Yet, some people are so addicted to smoking that they have difficulty quitting. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 46 million people in the U.S.smoke. Additionally, approximately 126 million nonsmokers are subjected to secondhand smoke each day and they are susceptible to the same cancers as the smoker.
Considerations
The American Cancer Society cites the ailments that smoking causes, such as vision loss, arthritis, chronic coughing, cancer of the mouth, peptic ulcers, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, kidney and liver damage.
Misconceptions
Smoke Free Kids-Peel Public Health is a website that explains some of the allure of smoking for young people is that they want a way to make themselves look cool. It is a way to establish an identity away from their parents and other kids their age. This website also states that young women are starting to smoke more because they believe it suppresses the appetite and they want to stay slim. Exercise and a healthy diet are what make you lose weight. Cigarettes actually create as much stress on your body as being more than 75 lbs. overweight.
Identification
According to the American Lung Association, cigarette companies target minorities, the young and women. African-American men have a higher percentage rate of developing cancer than their white counterparts. American Indians and Alaska Natives are among the country's top smokers in terms of percentage. It is so high--at 32.4 percent--that it is considered an epidemic. Hispanics fall behind African-Americans and Asians in how many actually smoke, but they too are quickly catching up. The percentage of Hispanics who smoke is at 15.8 percent.
Expert Insight
Quitting smoking can be very difficult, but not impossible. There are various websites--such as smokefree.gov--that can help you quit. Websites such as this offer: the opportunity to talk online to experts; tools to help you quit; information on topics related to quitting; help with depression and withdrawal; and suggestions on medicines that may ease the difficulty of stopping.
Nicotine Addiction
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse--nicotine, the main ingredient in cigarettes--is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and escalates the levels of the neurotransmitter, dopamine. Dopamine affects the middle part of the brain that controls reward and pleasure. There are other compounds within cigarettes that make it a highly addictive, like acetaldehyde. This compound may actually amplify the effect of nicotine. To protect your health, stop smoking immediately, warns the National Institute On Drug Abuse. And if you don't currently smoke, the groups adds, don't start.
