1. Why They Call Them Cancer Sticks
We all know smoking is bad for us, but do you really know how bad? The American Lung Association says that nicotine, the drug that causes the addiction to the cigarettes, reaches the brain faster than drugs administered in your vein. There are over 4,800 chemicals in cigarette smoke including cyanide, a known poison, and 69 of those chemicals are known to cause cancer. The simple fact is we don't know all the potential chemical reactions and interactions that happen in the body because there are just too many chemicals to study them all.
2. Smoking Second Hand
Second hand smoke is said to be responsible for over 20,000 adult non-smoker deaths annually, and is the cause of over 7000 childhood hospitalizations per year. Children exposed to their parent's second hand smoke are more likely to get ear infections and lower respiratory infections. The saddest statistic is that there is an increase of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in these children, as well.
3. Take My Money, Please
The American Lung Association says that smoking related lung disease and other smoking related diseases costs the US over $167 billion every year just in health care costs. However, this is only part of the costs of smoking. The tobacco companies make plenty of money on the sales of their addictive product. With the costs of a pack of cigarettes rising, a smoker who smokes a pack and a half a day is handing about $1,200 a year over to the tobacco companies. The good news is the FTC estimates there will be a decline in cigarette sales, about 2.5% each year.
4. Commit to Quit Smoking
Since nicotine is so addictive, how do you quit? Your doctor can help. Many nicotine replacement products, such as patches and gum, are available over the counter, and certain inhale-able replacement products are available by prescription. If you need help quitting, the first stop might be your doctor's office. Like any drug, these nicotine replacement products also come with side effects, but if they help you finally kick the habit, they could be worth the risk.
5. Call in Reinforcements
The folks at the American Lung Association (ALA) want to help you kick the habit. The ALA has several tools to help you commit to quit, such as a reasons to quit chart, which you fill in and post on your refrigerator to serve as a reminder of why not to light one up. They know how hard it is to quit, so they've made a ton of their resources available to you. You can even reach a health care professional dedicated to helping you at (800) 548-8252. You can also email your question via their website at www.lungusa.org.
