Smoking

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in our society… BUT according to a 2006 NHIS survey and the American Heart Association 23.5% men and 18.8% of women in the US are smokers.  The true cost of smoking is higher than you might think…

Guess What?!

  • STRESSED?—new research links smoking with significantly higher-than-normal stress levels. 
  • BUTTS—cigarette butts are the #1 LITTERING PROBLEM in the US because it takes 10-15 years for 1 butt to decompose.
  • BAD TEETH—smoking reduces blood flow to the gums and cuts the supply of vital nutrients. It can also reduce vitamin C levels by half!  Not only will you have bad breath and teeth, but your risk of catching colds will increase.
  • BANS—since the smoking bans in 2004 there has been a 30% decrease in HEART ATTACKS in Massachusetts. 
  • YOU’RE BEING MANIPULATED—since 2000 cigarette companies have increased their advertising in youth-oriented magazines, especially for the three brands most popular with youth – Marlboro, Camel and Newport
  • SHORTENED—MALE smokers lose an average of 13.2 years of life and FEMALE smokers lose 14.5 years of life because of smoking.
  • GOOD NEWS!—ex-smokers enjoy a better quality of life, fewer illnesses from cold and flu viruses, better self-reported health, and reduced rates of bronchitis and pneumonia.
  • $$$$—Smokers pay more for insurance, lose value of homes and cars, and pay more for teeth and dry cleaning!  Smoking a pack a day can cost $2,555.00 a year! 

Mark Twain said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times."

How to be a QUITTER:

  • CRAVE JOURNAL—write down when and why you smoke to find your triggers and patterns to prepare for your fight against the urge.
  • QUIT DATE—pick a quit date to begin smoking cessation.
  • TRIGGERS!—what are the places and people that remind you to light up?
  • SUPPORT—tell the family and friends your QUIT GOAL to enlist their support, you don’t have to do it alone.
  • BLOG—blog about it! Talk with your peers who are doing it too on QuitNet or TryToStop.org

Need more information? Check out these helpful resources:

  • TryToStop.org—community, outreach and prevention, simple to use
  • QuitNet – blogging about quitting

 

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SMOKING AND ITS HARMFUL EFFECTS? WANT TO HELP YOUR FRIENDS DEAL WITH SUCH ISSUES? WANT TO SPREAD AWARENESS REGARDING SMOKING AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR BODY?

Check out Smoking Quick Facts

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