Quick search/navigation:
- Why should I quit smoking?
- Is Passive smoking dangerous?
- What happens if I don't completely quit smoking?
- What are the withdrawal symptoms of smoking at the time of quitting?
- Why do smoker experiences dizziness while stopping smoking?
- By quitting smoking, can i regain my health to normal?
- Does the new drug 'Zyban' help to remove nicotine from the body? Are there any side effects after taking such medication?
- Why quit smoking during Pregnancy?
- I am addicted to nicotine. How can I quit smoking?
- Why do I still crave for a smoke even though I have stopped smoking? How can I curb these cravings?
- I am trying to quit smoking now. However, I have frequent cravings, which I suppress by eating.
As a result, I gain some weight. How will I overcome these cravings?
- How can I help someone who wants to quit smoking? How long does it take to overcome
the cravings for a smoke and the withdrawal symptoms of quitting?
- Does quitting of smoking have any effect to fertility?
- What is the long-term effects of smoking?
- Is smoking addictive?
- Are low-tar cigarettes safe for smoking?
- Do filters reduce the dangers of cigarette smoking?
- What effect does methanol have on cigarette smoke?
- Will I still be at risk if I puff the cigarette without inhaling the smoke?
- What happens if a woman smokes during pregnancy?
- What is "passive" smoking and why is it harmful?
- Is passive smoking harmful to young children?
- Is there any point in quitting if I have already been smoking for so many years?
- What is the best way to quit smoking?
- What are the normal reactions after you quit?
- How do I deal with the urge to smoke?
Why should I quit smoking?
You should quit smoking for two good reasons:
- Better health and
- Financial Savings
Every cigarette contains over 4000 types of chemicals, of which 400 are
poisonous and 40 are cancer-causing. Here are some of the chemicals contained in a cigarette:
Nicotine:
Causes addiction and withdrawal symptoms upon cessation. It stimulates the brain so that the
smoker feels alert at first. However, eventually, it dulls the brain and senses.
Nicotine causes the release of adrenaline, which makes the heart beat faster and work harder,
hence the need for more oxygen to carry on pumping. Nicotine also makes blood clot more readily,
increasing the smoker's risk of heart attack.
Carbon monoxide:
A dangerous gas found in car exhaust smoke. It replaces as much as 15% of the oxygen which would
normally be carried by the red blood cells, so the smoker's heart, which needs more oxygen, gets even lesser.
This is dangerous for people with heart or lung disease. It also makes the smoker suffer from shortness of
breath and lack of stamina. Carbon monoxide damages the inner lining of blood vessels and increases the
deposit of fat on the walls of these vessels, causing blockages. This increases the risk of heart attack.
Tar:
Used to cover surface of roads. Many cancer-causing substances are found in tar - the particles in cigarette smoke.
Some of these are benzo (a) pyrene, nitrosamine and B-napthylamine, cadmium and nickel.
Acetone:
Paint stripper.
DDT:
A pesticide which kills mosquitoes and ants.
Arsenic:
White ant poison and used by many famous murderers.
Cadmium:
A chemical found in car batteries.
Formaldehyde:
Used to embalm dead bodies.
Ammonia:
An active ingredient in floor cleaners.
Hydrogen cyanide:
A poison used in gas chambers.
Naphthalene:
A killer ingredient found in mothballs.
Polonium-210:
A radioactive substance.
Vinyl chloride:
Chemical used to make plastic.
Smoking is as addictive as taking drugs like heroine and cocaine.
It is also associated with many serious health problems.
Smokers are at a significantly higher risk of getting many types of
cancers and other serious illnesses. Examples include lung cancer, heart
diseases and chronic bronchitis (acute inflammation of the bronchial tubes).
There are immediate health benefits when you quit. If you quit NOW, your body
begins to repair the damage done by the tobacco, your lung function will improve
up to 30% within three months of quitting, and your risks of getting heart attack
and cancer decrease significantly. With improved health, you will also save on
medical expenditure.
Other than financial savings in this area, you will also save a lot in terms of
the amount of money that would otherwise be spent on cigarettes. So quit smoking NOW,
for better health and greater savings!
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Is Passive smoking dangerous?
The environmental tobacco smoke that passive smokers inhale puts them at the same health risks as smokers.
Depending on the amount of exposure to tobacco smoke (such as living in the same household as a smoker),
they may suffer from irritation to the eyes, runny nose, sore throat and headache.
If they continue to be exposed to second-hand smoke, they have a higher chance of developing
lung cancer, heart attack and lung infection, severe attacks in people with asthma,
bronchitis, colds and allergies, and heart disease.
What happens if I don't completely quit smoking?
If you reduced the number of cigarettes you smoke per day, the damage to your health
will be lesser than that when you smoked a greater number of cigarettes. However, you
should also note that one cigarette alone can increase your risk of suffering bad health
effects or shortening your life expectancy.
Quitting gradually or cutting down the number of cigarettes smoked per day is often an
effective method for quitting. But there are some disadvantages of gradual quitting, as
compared to quitting once and for all. Below are some examples of the disadvantages:
- Cutting down over a longer period of time can make the experience of quitting more difficult
than it need be, or it may become a way of putting off quitting altogether. An important step
to quitting smoking completely is to select a quit date and stick to it.
- The effort required to stick to a limited number of cigarettes per day, for example five cigarettes,
if a person is used to smoking more, may be a lot greater in the long run than the effort required to
quit once and for all. A person who quits completely works hard at their quitting for a few weeks while
the person who tries to keep their smoking rate down works hard forever.
- No matter how many cigarettes a smoker smokes each day, they are still putting themselves at
risk of developing health complications such as, cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, throat, lung,
stomach, kidney, pancreas, bladder and cervix (in females). Also they put themselves at risk of
having a heart attack at a younger age, stomach ulcers, amputation because of blocked arteries,
infertility and impotence, just to name a few.
If you wish to stop smoking gradually, you should try to quit within two weeks. The reason is
that the longer you take, the harder it is to quit. Also, considering that half of all lifetime
smokers die from a smoking related disease, it is best for smokers not to just cut down the amount
they smoke but to stop smoking completely.
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What are the withdrawal symptoms of smoking at the time of quitting?
Following are the withdrawal symptoms of smoking during quitting:
- Coughing.
- Cravings.
- Tingling sensations and numbness.
- Tension and irritability.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Altered sleep patters and tiredness.
- Headaches.
- Light headiness.
- Change in appetite.
- Slower heart rate.
- Stomach upsets.
It is important to note that such symptoms are also indications that your body is getting
rid of the toxins accumulated over the smoking years. The good news is that such symptoms
usually stop after a short while, giving you a healthier body and mind.
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Why do smoker experiences dizziness while stopping smoking?
For the first few weeks of quitting, smokers often experience a range of withdrawal symptoms,
but the good news is that such symptoms indicate that the body is returning to its normal state of health.
When you quit, your body starts to clear itself of the toxins collected from the cigarette smoke.
Oxygen supply increases and circulation improves. Your experience of dizziness may be due to the
fact that your brain is getting more oxygen now than when you were smoking. However, to be safe,
you may like to have your condition reviewed by a medical doctor.
You may also seek help from a general practitioner (GP) or a pharmacist for
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), which will help to reduce your withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
By quitting smoking, can i regain my health to normal?
Once you stop smoking, you are working to remove toxins caused by the habit from your body.
As such, it is never too late to quit smoking. In fact, if one gives up smoking today,
his/her body will be free of nicotine within eight hours. Hence, in about a week, most of
the side effects from smoking will disappear.
With time, the body will slowly repair the damage done by the tobacco.
If he/she continues to stay away from cigarettes, the risk of getting smoking
related diseases actually decreases.
However, one must be aware that the long term effects of smoking can result in developing
many types of cancers and other serious illnesses such as lung cancer, heart diseases and
chronic bronchitis.
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Does the new drug 'Zyban' help to remove nicotine from the body? Are
there any side effects after taking such medication?
While nicotine in your cigarettes causes an imbalanced release of brain chemicals responsible
for the cravings and withdrawal symptoms, Zyban works by maintaining a consistent level of these
brain chemicals, thus preventing you from experiencing the cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
As with all medications, there will be certain mild and temporary side effects that a small
percentage of users will experience. The main side effects of Zyban are being unable to sleep and dry mouth.
If you experience these or other side effects that you feel are associated with Zyban,
consult your doctor immediately. Smokers with a previous history of fits or head injury should not
take Zyban too. The estimated cost of one Zyban tablet is $2.10. It has to be prescribed by a doctor.
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Why quit smoking during Pregnancy?
Since a mother and her foetus have connected blood systems, cancer-causing chemicals such as tobacco
can pass through the placenta, the tissue and blood vessels which nourish the baby. As a result, it can
then travel through the umbilical cord and into the body of a developing baby. Hence when you smoke during
pregnancy:
- You could have a miscarriage or stillbirth.
- Your baby could be born too small or too soon.
- Babies born too small may have breathing and other health problems.
- Your baby could have learning and behaviour problems later in childhood.
- Your baby is at an increased risk of death from a condition known as "sudden infant death syndrome".
This illness causes a baby who seems healthy to die without any warning.
Studies have also shown that when a non-smoking pregnant woman breathes in passive smoke,
it will also affect the unborn child. Hence, it is important for both the pregnant woman
and her significant others, e.g. spouse, to quit smoking so as to reduce the risk of their
baby being affected. Both parents should seek to create a smoke-free environment for the new
born baby to ensure that he/she does not suffer from many short and long-term health problems.
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I am addicted to nicotine. How can I quit smoking?
You can seek help from a doctor or a pharmacist for Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
which comes in the form of a nicotine patch or nicotine inhaler.
A nicotine patch can help to lessen the withdrawal symptoms and cravings
you may experience when you quit. This in turn may help to make the attempt to
quit smoking successful.
Nicotine patch delivers a regulated and medicated dose of nicotine, without all the other
dangerous chemicals. The nicotine passes through the skin into your body to help reduce your urge to smoke.
This helps you deal with your smoking habit and psychological dependence on the cigarette.
Such patches are available over the counter at pharmacies. The recommended duration of therapy is ten weeks.
For more information on this treatment, visit a pharmacy or a doctor. If you consider the cost of smoking over
a ten-week period, you would find that nicotine replacement therapy is less expensive than continuing to smoke.
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Why do I still crave for a smoke even though I have stopped smoking? How can I curb these cravings?
Many people form links between their daily activities and smoking. As such, your daily lifestyle may
trigger urges to reach for the cigarette. There are some suggested coping actions which you may find
useful to help you avoid habitual smoking:
- Change your daily routine to break your habit and pattern. For example, instead of smoking after meals,
get up from the table and brush your teeth or go for a walk.
- Munch on healthy snacks like fruits, cucumber, carrot or celery, in place of cigarettes when the urge comes.
- Beware of every cigarette you smoke. Ask yourself if you really need this cigarette every time you light up.
- Look for other ways to relax after a meal such as watching TV, listening to soothing music or reading a magazine.
When you experience an urge to light up after a meal, always remind yourself of the reasons why you stopped smoking
in the first place. Whether it was because of the money you would save each year by not having to buy cigarettes or
the enormous health benefits you would reap by not smoking, never lose sight of your reasons regardless of the cravings.
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I am trying to quit smoking now. However, I have frequent cravings, which I suppress by eating.
As a result, I gain some weight. How will I overcome these cravings?
Congratulations on your decision to quit smoking. On average, people who quit smoking gain about 10 pounds.
You are more likely to gain weight when you stop smoking if you have smoked for 10 to 20 years or smoked one
or more packs of cigarettes a day. Although you have gained some weight after you quit smoking, you have actually
taken a big step toward a healthier life. In fact, the health risks of smoking are far greater than the risks of
gaining weight. A normal, healthy person would have to gain close to a hundred pounds in order to equal the
health risks associated with smoking.
Many ex-smokers use a combination of coping actions to help them quit smoking and eating is very commonly used.
This explains the weight gain upon quitting. You can control your weight while you quit smoking by making healthy
eating and physical activity a part of your life.
For instance, you can munch on fruits or vegetable sticks instead of a chocolate bar each time you crave for a cigarette.
Stock your kitchen and office with healthy, low-calorie snack foods, such as carrot and celery sticks, air-popped popcorn,
dry cereals, or crackers. However, do go easy on snack foods. View them as aids to help you get beyond the craving to smoke.
Other things that you can use to put in your mouth include toothpicks, plastic straws and sugar-free sweets.
If you find that you tend to eat more at meals after you have quit smoking, drink a glass of water before and during the meal.
Chew your food well, eat slowly, and concentrate on how much better food tastes now. Doing so should make you feel fuller and
prevent you from eating more than you need.
Remind yourself that you have done extremely well so far in fighting your urge to smoke again. With willpower, a well-balanced
diet and a suitable exercise regime, you will shed the weight that you have gained in a few months' time.
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How can I help someone who wants to quit smoking? How long does it take to overcome
the cravings for a smoke and the withdrawal symptoms of quitting?
The first few days and weeks after quitting smoking are usually the most difficult; this probably
accounts for some quitters' bad temper. During this period, it is very important for you to provide
the necessary support and encouragement. A person has a much better chance of staying a non-smoker
if they have sympathy and support while quitting.
When people quit smoking, they often feel a range of different withdrawal symptoms such as craving
for cigarettes, irritability, headaches, tiredness, tingling in hands and feet, as well as coughing.
Craving for cigarettes is the most common symptom. The body craves nicotine after a person quits and
needs time to adjust to not having the constant stimulation from nicotine, which is an addictive drug
found in cigarettes. The good news is that most withdrawal symptoms disappear within a few weeks and
most of the withdrawal symptoms occur because the body is returning to its normal state.
If the quitter is having a difficult time coping with the withdrawal symptoms, you may advise him/her
to seek help from a doctor or a pharmacist for Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). NRT helps to reduce
the withdrawal symptoms and cravings which may help to make his/her attempt to quit smoking more
successful.
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Does quitting of smoking have any effect to fertility?
Smoking has always been a health hazard that is totally preventable. Staying healthy will help increase
a couple's chances of conceiving. A study conducted by the Institute of Health Sciences, University of
Oxford, shows that women who continue to smoke close to the time of conception take significantly longer
to become pregnant than women who have never smoked or have stopped smoking a year before the time during
which they attempt to conceive.
It is also important to note that the time taken for the body to recover from the ill effects of smoking
varies for every individual, depending on a person's eating habits, lifestyle, stress level, age and
genetic attributes, etc. However, there are also many other reasons which may affect a couple's fertility
rate and it would be better for you and your husband to consult a gynaecologist for professional advice.
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What is the long-term effects of smoking?
Long-term effects of Smoking are as follows:
- Lung cancer:: 90% of lung cancer deaths in Bhutan occur among smokers.
- Heart disease:: Studies have shown that approximately 40% of deaths due
to heart disease before the age of 65 years are related to smoking.
- Emphysema and chronic bronchitis:: Smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis.
Smoking narrows the air passages and destroys the air sacs where gas exchange takes place.
It makes breathing difficult. A healthy non-smoker uses about 5% of his energy to breathe
but a person with chronic emphysema uses 80% of his strength just to breathe.
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Is smoking addictive?
Cigarettes contain nicotine which is just as addictive as heroin or cocaine. It only takes
10 seconds for nicotine to reach the brain where it acts, making both your body and mind dependent.
You can become addicted after smoking just a few cigarettes. You find yourself wanting to smoke more
and more to keep up the level of nicotine in your body. If you don't smoke, unpleasant withdrawal
symptoms appear (e.g. dizziness, tiredness, tingling in the hands, headache), and that is why giving
up smoking takes more effort than many people realise.
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Are low-tar cigarettes safe for smoking?
They contain the same number of poisonous chemicals as ordinary cigarettes. And, because smokers
are addicted to nicotine, they either inhale harder or smoke more of these cigarettes. In the end,
the amount of tar and nicotine they take into their bodies is about the same as if they had smoked
ordinary cigarettes.
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Do filters reduce the dangers of cigarette smoking?
Cigarette filters may trap part of the tar and nicotine but they do not remove any poisons from the smoke.
What effect does menthol have on cigarette smoke?
Menthol only changes the taste of the smoke. It doesn't make the smoke less dangerous.
Will I still be at risk if I puff the cigarette without inhaling the smoke?
- YES, many of the chemicals in the cigarette smoke (including nicotine) can be absorbed through
the mouth and nose. Nicotine is even absorbed through the skin.
- The smoke that you blow out stays in the surrounding air and when you take your next breath,
it goes straight into your lungs.
- Many smokers inhale without realising it as they puff.
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What happens if a woman smokes during pregnancy?
- Many of the poisons in the cigarette smoke are absorbed into the bloodstream.
When a pregnant woman smokes, these chemicals pass from the mother into the baby's blood.
- The baby of a woman smoker may be born underweight, premature or dead.
- Babies of mothers who smoke are more likely to die in the first year of life.
If they survive, they have a greater risk of lung infections as well as poor physical
and mental development.
- Studies show that even when a pregnant woman doesn't smoke, the smoke that she breathes
in from her husband's cigarettes can affect their unborn child. Both parents need to give up
smoking early in pregnancy if they want to reduce the risk of their baby being affected.
What is passive smoking and why is it harmful?
A passive smoker is anyone who breathes in smoke from another person's cigarette.
It has been shown that passive smokers suffer the same health risks as smokers.
Passive smokers may suffer from irritation to the eyes, runny nose, sore throat and headache.
If they continue to breathe in other people's smoke, they have a higher chance of developing
lung cancer, heart attack and lung infection. Passive smoking can also make the lungs work less efficiently.
Passive smoking can bring on a severe attack in people with: Asthma, Bronchitis, Heart disease, Colds and Allergies.
The smoke breathed in by the passive smoker may contain up to: 3 times more tar, 5 times more carbon monoxide,
3 times more nicotine, 50 times more cancer-causing chemicals than the smoke inhaled by the smoker through the
cigarette filter tip. But that doesn't mean smoking is less dangerous for the smoker. The smoker inhales far
more smoke from each cigarette than the people around him.
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Is passive smoking harmful to young children?
Yes, especially if their parents smoke at home. Following are the some effects:
- Growth and development of the lungs is slowed down.
- They are more likely to get coughs, cold and infections like pneumonia.
- Their asthma gets worse or they may even develop asthma for the first time.
- They get more ear, nose and throat problems (like laryngitis).
- They are more likely to become smokers by following their parents' example.
Is there any point in quitting if I have already been smoking for so many years?
Yes, there is. If you give up smoking today, your body will be free of nicotine within 8 hours. In about
a week's time, most of the side - effects from smoking will disappear.
With time, your body will slowly repair the damage done by the tobacco. If you continue to stay away from cigarettes,
your risk of getting smoking -related diseases actually decreases. It is never too late to stop.
What is the best way to quit smoking?
There is no single best way to quit smoking- different methods work best for different people.
But one thing all successful ex-smokers have in common is that they really wanted to quit.
Stop smoking at once (Cold Turkey): Going cold turkey means to stop smoking completely on a certain date.
This method works best. Most ex-smokers quit this way. Try this method first before going on to others.
Gradually postponing method: This method involves delaying the time you smoke your first cigarette a
little later until you go through the whole day without smoking. You can also delay lighting up by a
few minutes until you can do without a cigarette completely each time you have an urge to smoke.
Gradually reducing method: This method involves smoking fewer cigarettes each day until you are no longer smoking at all.
You can also smoke less of each cigarette every time you light up.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy: A nicotine patch can help to lessen the withdrawal symptoms you may
experience when you quit cold turkey. The nicotine in the patch passes through the skin into your
body to help reduce your urge to smoke. This helps you to deal with the smoking habit and psychological
dependence. Ask your doctor for more information.
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What are the normal reactions after you quit?
Difficulty in concentration or dizziness because your brain needs to get used to having more oxygen.
Cough and runny nose as your lungs get rid of all the dirt and germs that collected inside while you
were smoking. Strong craving for cigarettes for a week or two while your body gets rid of the nicotine.
Tingling sensations in your arms and legs as your blood circulation returns to normal. Not everyone gets these symptoms but don't lose heart if you do.
They will disappear in one or two weeks and they are really signs that you are getting better.
How do I deal with the urge to smoke?
Following are some solutions/suggestions:
- Get your family and friends to support and encourage you.
- Stay away from people, places and situations which might tempt you to smoke,
at least for the first few weeks after quitting.
- Avoid temptation by throwing away all cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays.
- Think of yourself as a non-smoker. Hang up "No Smoking" signs to remind yourself.
- Change your daily routine to break up your habits and patterns. For example, instead of smoking after meals, get up from the table and brush your teeth or go for a walk.
- Do things that require you to use your hands, like household chores, handicraft or gardening.
- Find something interesting to do at those times of the day when you used to feel like smoking. Keep yourself busy and active by taking up a new hobby.
- Nibble on healthy snacks (like carrot sticks or pieces of fruit) and drink plenty of water.
- Exercise regularly. Regular exercise relieves stress and makes you feel more energetic.
- Learn relaxation techniques like deep breathing Exercise and muscle relaxation to relieve tension and stress.
- If you miss holding a cigarette in your hands, use some other object instead- like a pencil, paper clip, coin or toothpick.
- Your doctor can prescribe a nicotine patch to help you to ease the urge to smoke. These are available at the smoking cessation clinics at certain polyclinics (see next page).
- Ask your dentist to clean the tobacco stains from your teeth so that you will look good. You won't want to dirty them again.
- Give yourself a reward for every week or month you stay smoke free. Use the money you save on cigarettes to buy yourself something you really want.
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