Smoking is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke is breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream. Most commonly, the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which have been rolled into a small square of rice paper to create a small, round cylinder called a “cigarette”. Smoking is one of the most common forms of recreational drug use. Smoking generally has negative health effects, because smoke inhalation inherently poses challenges to various physiologic processes such as respiration. Diseases related to tobacco smoking have been shown to kill approximately half of long-term smokers when compared to average mortality rates faced by non-smokers.

HEALTH EFFECTS

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Lung cancer
• Throat cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Bladder cancer
• Gum disease
• Yellow teeth
• Eye disease
• Ulcers
• Skin problems like psoriasis
• Greater risk of injury and slower healing time
• Asthma
• Smoking damages blood vessels and can make them thicken and grow narrower
• Blockages caused by smoking can also reduce blood flow to your legs and skin
• Emphysema and chronic bronchitis
• Oropharynx cancer
• Cervix cancer
• Colon and rectum cancer
• Esophagus cancer
• Preterm (early) delivery
• Stillbirth (death of the baby before birth)
• Low birth weight
• Sudden infant death syndrome
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Orofacial clefts in infants
• Mood stimulation
• Anxiety and irritability
• Early menopause
• Dull sense of smell and taste
• Bronchitis
• Platelet aggregation

SYMPTOMS OF CIGARETTE ADDICTION

• Smoking more than seven cigarettes per day
• Inhaling deeply and frequently
• Smoking cigarettes containing nicotine levels more than 0.9mg
• Smoking within 30 minutes of awakening in the morning
• Finding it difficult to eliminate the first cigarette in the morning
• Smoking frequently during the morning
• Finding it difficult to avoid smoking in smoking-restricted areas
• Needing to smoke even if sick and in bed

REASONS WHY PEOPLE START SMOKING

• Stress relief
• Pleasure
• Social situations
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Just for trying
• Peer pressure
• Have parents or friends that smoke

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

• Dizziness (which may last a day or 2 after quitting)
• Depression
• Feelings of frustration, impatience, and anger
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Trouble sleeping, including trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and having bad dreams or even nightmares
• Trouble concentrating
• Restlessness or boredom
• Headaches
• Tiredness
• Increased appetite
• Weight gain
• Slower heart rate
• Constipation and gas
• Cough, dry mouth, sore throat, and nasal drip
• Chest tightness
• Feeling more hungry or gaining weight
• Having trouble thinking clearly and concentrating

WHY SHOULD A PERSON QUIT SMOKING?

• Lower heart rate and blood pressure
• Less carbon monoxide in the blood
• Better circulation
• Less coughing and wheezing

QUIT SMOKING

• Get rid of all your cigarettes. Put away your ashtrays
• Change your morning routine. When you eat breakfast, don’t sit in the same place at the kitchen table. Stay busy.
• When you get the urge to smoke, do something else instead.
• Carry other things to put in your mouth, such as gum, hard candy, or a toothpick.
• Reward yourself at the end of the day for not smoking. See a movie or go out and enjoy your favorite meal.
• Tell your friends and family members about your decision to quit smoking, and ask for their support.