Why quit?

Your Health Everyone knows that smoking can cause lung cancer, but few people realize it is also a risk factor for many other kinds of cancer as well, like cancer of the mouth, voice box (larynx), bladder, kidney, pancreas and cervix. Smoking increases the risk of respiratory diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Smokers have twice the risk of dying of heart attacks, as do non-smokers. And smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles. Smoking also causes premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath, clothes and hair to smell bad, and nails to turn yellow. For women, there are unique risks. Women over 35 who smoke and use "the pill" (oral contraceptives) are in a high-risk group for heart attack, stroke, and blood clots of the legs. They are more likely to have a miscarriage or a lower birth-weight baby. Your reasons for quitting might include some of the following benefits: People who quit smoking live longer than those who continue to smoke do. After 15 years off cigarettes, the risk of death for ex-smokers returns to nearly the level of persons who have never smoked. Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung cancers, heart disease, stroke, chronic lung diseases, and respiratory Illnesses. Ex-smokers have fewer health complaints, better self-reported health status, and reduced rates of bronchitis and pneumonia. Women who stop smoking before becoming pregnant or during the first trimester of pregnancy reduce their risk of miscarriage or of having a low birthright baby to that of women who have never smoked. Cost: The prospect of better health is a major reason for quitting, but there are others as well. Smoking is expensive. It's not hard to figure out how much you spend on cigarettes: multiply the number of packs you smoke per day (be honest) by the cost per pack. Then multiply by 365 days per year. The number may surprise you. Now multiply that by the number of years you have been smoking and the number will probably astound you. Multiply the cost per year by 10 (for the upcoming ten years of smoking) and ask yourself what you would rather do with that much money. Do you really want to continue burning up your money with nothing to show for it except possible health problems? Social Acceptance: Smoking is less socially acceptable now than it was in the past. Most workplaces have some type of smoking restrictions, and some employers prefer to hire non-smokers. Landlords, also, may choose not to rent to smokers. Friends may ask you not to smoke in their houses or in their cars. Public buildings, cinema halls, offices, AC rooms are largely smoke-free. Like it or not, finding a place to smoke can be a problem. Health of Other family members: Smoking not only harms your health but the health of those around you. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (also called passive smoking or second hand smoke) includes exhaled smoke as well as smoke from burning cigarettes. Studies have shown that environmental tobacco smoke can cause lung cancer in healthy non-smokers. It is also associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and low-birth weight infants. Babies and children raised in a household where there is smoking have more ear infections, colds, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems than children from non-smoking families do. Environmental smoke can also cause eye irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Setting an Example: If you have children, you want to set a good example for them. When asked, nearly all smokers say they don't want their children to smoke, but children whose parents smoke are more likely to start smoking themselves. You can become a good role model for them by quitting now.