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If the Word of the Guru is not strong enough to enforce the message of the
hazards of smoking, here are some facts and suggestions on giving
up. By Nicky, Courtesy of Harjinder Singh, UK
General Facts About Smoking.
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About 111,000 people die every year due to smoking or passive smoking.
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One person dies every 5 minutes from smoking related diseases.
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The NHS spend over four hundred million pounds each year on treating smoking
related illnesses.
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Cigarettes and other smoking materials are a very common cause of fires.
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Smoking materials account for almost 240 deaths every year.
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Out of 6,600 fires 40% are caused by smokers - that's 2,640 fires !
How Smoking Affects The Environment
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Each cigarette manufacturing machines uses 4 miles of paper per hour which
could be used instead for many other important things.
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Tobacco is the most widely grown non-food crop in 120 countries therefore
less land is available for food crop. Between 10 to 20 million people could
be fed if food crop was grown in its place.
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Burning tobacco is the main source of indoor pollution in the developed
world as it contains over 4,000 dangerous chemicals.
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One whole tree is needed to cure the tobacco for 300 cigarettes .
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Cigarette smoke generates contains two of the main gases related to the
greenhouse effect they are carbon dioxide and methane.
Why do People Start To Smoke ?
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The main reasons why the youth begins to start smoking are :
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Peer group pressure, feeling left out while friends smoke and trying to fit
in with the crowd.
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Stress at home, work, school or in general by getting fed up with things.
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Trying to attract attention, act cool or become popular.
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Calm down nerves.
How does Smoking Ruin You ?
Heart Disease - Nicotine raises blood pressure making the heart work harder
therefore it needs more oxygen which is cut down by carbon monoxide from
getting to the heart. This causes severe heart attacks.
Lung Cancer - This starts with a smokers cough producing lots of phlegm.
Chest infections and bronchitis begins causing the lungs to be destroyed.
Read more smoking facts.
How does Smoking affect non-smokers.
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Non smokers can suffer from passive smoking
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Non smokers can suffer from sore eyes, sneezing,, runny nose, headaches,
coughing, wheezing and hoarseness all due to OTHER PEOPLE'S smoke.
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Children of smokers have a very high risk of getting bronchitis, pneumonia
and other chest infections.
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Asthmatics have a high risk of getting attacks due to OTHER PEOPLE'S smoke..
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Non smokers have a high risk of getting lung cancer - due to OTHER PEOPLE'S
smoke.
Giving Up.
Over 11 million people have given up smoking in this country and 9 out of 10
gave up on their own without medical help. Over half of these people found it
easy whether they were light or heavy smokers. This is just one example of how
people have given up smoking in the past, if you smoke, then this might work
for you :
Prepare Yourself
Think about when you are most likely to smoke. Try and keep yourself occupied
at these times with something else and change your routines for a while.
Pick A Day
Pick a certain day for giving up when you will not be under stress and stick
to that day.
Stop
Give up on your chosen day and avoid even thinking about smoking.
Stay stopped
Continue one day at time, treat yourself to other things with the money you
would have used on cigarettes and see how much better and worth it, it is .
Each day without a cigarette is a success.
Advantages to Giving Up.
There are obviously many advantages to giving up smoking and a few of them are
listed. For example :
1. Having given up you will be free from pollution of tar, carbon monoxide and
many other poisons.
2. You will smell much more fresher and feel more fitter.
3. You will be free from worry about damaging your health .
4. you will also have extra money to spend on something more worthwhile..
5. You will become more popular with a lot more people.
Disadvantages to Giving Up.
NONE
The Side Effects
After giving up such a habit, there are bound to be some side effects, they
won't last long though:
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You may become irritable - an occasional mood change can be expected.
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You may not be able to concentrate and occasionally - especially in the
first few days, you may experience a lack of sleep.
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You may suffer from coughs, this is because your lungs are being cleaned and
getting rid of the phlegm.
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You may put on weight at first but this is soon lost.
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You get stomach upsets, diarrhea or constipation which cleanses out your
body and is only doing you good.
Don't be ashamed to admit that you have a bad habit. Your GP is available to
help you give up smoking. Giving up smoking requires an awful lot of will
power and commitment, it is not easy to give up such a habit and there are
people there to help you. The GP should be your first contact, he or she can
put you through to bodies and groups dedicated to giving up. The first step to
giving up is the mental decision that you want to give up, that is probably
the hardest part !
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