You know that smoking causes harm to almost every organ in your body. You might even understand that of the 250 potentially harmful chemicals in cigarettes, 50 of them are proven carcinogenic, or cancer-causing substances, according to the National Cancer Institute. However, the thought of quitting seems overwhelming -- so talk to your doctor about the many positive reasons to quit smoking. Somewhere in her long list of benefits is bound to be a compelling, motivating reason for you to take action.
Immediate Benefits
The American Cancer Society provides a list of immediate benefits of smoking cessation. For example, if your teeth are yellow, you can whiten your teeth now, and look forward to them remaining white. Your house, clothes and car will no longer smell like cigarettes. The food you eat will begin to taste better, and your sense of smell will improve over time. The yellowing of your fingernails and hands will go away. Additionally, common house chores won't leave you winded, you'll have more energy. And you'll have fresher breath.
Benefits Over Time
If you're cigarette-free for 15 years, your risk of coronary heart disease -- which was high while you were smoking -- is the same as someone who has never smoked, according to the American Cancer Society. Fifteen years is a long time, but there are other benefits occurring over that 15 years. For example, just one year after quitting, your coronary artery disease risk is cut to half of what it was while you were smoking. Five to 15 years later, your risk for stroke will return to that of a nonsmoker. Additionally, your risk of death from lung cancer is 50 percent of what it would be had you continued to smoke. Your risk of death from all other cancers linked to cigarette smoking decreases over this time period, too.
Benefits to Those Around You
Your smoking habit placed your friends and loved ones at risk. The National Cancer Institute provides statistics on the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. If you have children, their long-term exposure to secondhand smoke may have had profound effects on their respiratory systems. These effects include increased risk of colds, bronchitis and pneumonia. Ear infections also occur more commonly in children exposed to cigarette smoke. If your child has asthma, exposure to cigarette smoke may have caused the condition to worsen.
Secondhand smoke is a risk to adults, as well. Those living with you who were exposed to your smoke had a 20 to 30 percent higher risk of developing lung cancer. Additionally, secondhand-smoke exposure increased their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent. In fact, according the National Cancer Institute, those exposed to your secondhand smoke may have eventually been one of the 46,000 estimated deaths occurring yearly due to such exposure, notes the National Cancer Institute.
Economic Considerations
Smoking has become an expensive habit. According to the American Lung Association, if you are a two-pack-a-day smoker in the state of Kansas, your yearly investment in your habit is approximately $3,738 per year. If you live in New York, the same habit costs you almost $5,618 per year. No matter where you live, the fact remains that your decision to quit smoking is going to save you money.
