Great American Smokeout: Why You Should Quit
In the U.S. 42.1 million people smoke and people with a mental illness are twice as likely to smoke. Most likely you know that it’s a dangerous habit, but did you realize cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US? Smoking is responsible for about 1 in 3 cancer deaths. Millions more live with serious illnesses that are caused by smoking. And don’t forget that secondhand smoke kills too; more than 41,000 deaths each year are the result of secondhand smoke.
November 20th is the Great American Smokeout and the American Cancer Society is challenging all smokers to quit using tobacco. Although quitting is hard, there are good reasons to do so – the health benefits are immediate. Within 20 minutes your heart rate and blood pressure drop, within 12 hours the carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal and within 1 year the increased risk of coronary heart disease is half that it was when smoking. If you succeed in kicking the habit for 15 years or more, your risk of heart disease is the same as a non-smoker.
Why is it so hard to quit?
Nicotine, the chemical in cigarettes, causes people to become addicted. The more you smoke, the more your body and brain get used to the chemical and then you start to need nicotine to feel normal each day. When you don’t get nicotine you may experience withdrawal symptoms including:
- Feeling down or sad
- Having trouble sleeping
- Feeling irritable‚ on edge‚ grouchy
- Having trouble thinking clearly and concentrating
- Feeling restless and jumpy
- Slower heart rate
- Feeling more hungry or gaining weight
Source: Smokefree.gov
Although these symptoms may be uncomfortable, they are not dangerous and usually will start to disappear within a week.
Another reason it is hard to quit is smoking often becomes part of a person’s daily routine and social life. Certain places, feelings or activities can trigger the urge to smoke. Perhaps you always smoke when you talk on the phone, when you drive or when you have your morning cup of coffee. If that’s the case it’s important to find a healthy way to deal with the triggers.
Tips for Quitting
You’re ready to quit, but where do you begin? There are tons of free resources and programs available to help you quit. The American Cancer Society and Smokefree.gov are great places to start. Some states, like New York, even offer free services to help you quit.
What about e-cigarettes?
Electronic cigarettes, also referred to as e-cigarettes, are growing in popularity. Many people view them as harmless since they release vapor instead of smoke. However, they still contain nicotine and as well as other chemicals and since e-cigarettes aren’t regulated there is no way of knowing how much nicotine is in one. They also haven’t been proven to help people quit and there is growing concern that they may lead kids to begin smoking regular cigarettes.