Cigarette Smoking and What You Should Know
Despite decades of warnings from both doctors and the government, almost 25 percent of Americans still smoke cigarettes on a regular basis. A large number of people have quit smoking since the government first reported a relationship between cigarette smoking and lung cancer in 1964, but many people continue to smoke cigarettes and thousands of young people start smoking monthly.
Do you enjoy smoking but are not ready to quit?
Why do people smoke? Simply put, it’s enjoyable. Nicotine releases dopamine in the brain, and dopamine affects the brain’s pleasure centers. People smoke because it feels good. They keep on smoking because nicotine is addictive. After a short time of smoking, the body begins developing withdrawal symptoms if the smoker attempts to stop smoking.
Here are a few things to take into account if you are contemplating quitting smoking:
1. Smoking is expensive. A pack a day habit can cost more than $1500 each year.
2. Cigarette smokers lose an average of 3 more work days per year because of illness than nonsmokers.
3. Smokers take more time to heal from illness or surgery than nonsmokers.
4. Smokers pay more for health insurance than nonsmokers.
5. Smokers frequently have difficulty doing exercises due to shortness of breath.
With all of these things and more as disadvantages to cigarette smoking, why don’t more people give up? Simple – it’s difficult to stop. Each person reacts differently to nicotine. Some people are more “hooked” than others, making it harder for them to quit. Long time smokers have the routine of continuously having something in their mouth or hands, and such routines are challenging to break.
Smoking facts and what you MUST KNOW
New advances has made it possible for people who smoke to wean themselves from cigarettes in different ways. Nicotine gum and patches are available at most drug stores. These solutions help sustain a continuous dose of nicotine in the smoker’s bloodstream, making it unnecessary for them to smoke in order to receive their nicotine fix. E cigarettes have been developed, which provide an inhalable mist that contains tobacco flavor and nicotine, but no smoke. These products are battery operated and can provide the smoker’s need for nicotine without producing the smoke, tar, or carbon monoxide that come from regular cigarettes.
Ultimately, the decision to give up smoking or not rests with the individual smoker. The motivations for quitting are well documented, and any smoker who cares about their health and well being should think about either quitting or cutting back. Obviously, counseling help is readily available from a number of sources too, so that smokers can be encouraged to quit by talking to others who have quit.
If you want to quit smoking cigarettes, it is possible. If you still require the nicotine, there are non-smoking alternatives available to you.
