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Writer's pictureJody Johnson Godfrey

Why do we still pollute ourselves...and others?

We have been aware now, for a number of years, of what smoking (nicotine) does to our bodies as well as the damage it causes to those of us who have never smoked…if we are near it, much.

 

Not sure how to develop a responsible conscience on this subject since it hasn’t seemed to happen, yet, other than to force teenagers to watch a video of an autopsy on a lung cancer victim. The ball truly has been dropped on the campaign against smoking.

 

Here are some interesting study results on this nasty habit:

 

1) Tobacco kills, at least, half its users.

2) There are more than 1 billion smokers in the world.

3) Half of today’s smokers were hooked by the age of 18.

4) Nicotine is highly addictive, and people will smoke purely to keep from going through withdrawal.

5) Each day, kids numbering in the 4,000s from age 12 to 17 are having their first cigarette.

6) Nearly 37% of girls will smoke during pregnancy.

7) In 2004, middle school age smokers were NOT asked for ID prior to purchasing tobacco, and it IS considered a “gateway” drug.

8) Tobacco use in adolescence is associated with a range of unhealthy behaviors as in fighting, carrying weapons, and engaging in high risk sexual behaviors.

9) Early age smokers are more apt to develop a severe addiction than those who started later (as adults).

10) One study showed that kids who saw numerous actors smoking in movies were nearly three times as likely to start the habit as the teens who weren’t exposed to movies where actors smoked.

 

Smoking increases the risk for 15 different types of cancer. When most people are fully aware of the dangers of smoking, why and how do we still have so many smokers?

 

Many who take the first puff have no intention of making it a lifelong habit as they just don’t understand how addictive it is. Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of cancer. Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce stated that “We know that there are certain groups in the population that are more likely to smoke inclusive of people in deprived areas, people with mental health issues and the LGBTQ community.”

 

As you decide to give it up, water is your friend. Water can help flush out toxins and chemical residue (nicotine) from your body. It may take a while, depending on how long you have smoked. Try drinking six-12 cups of water per day; this can also boost your energy levels which is important especially if you relied on nicotine to keep you alert.

 

Some tips to help you stop smoking are:

 

·       Adjust your medicine: visit all doctors to make sure your dosages don’t need alterations.

 

·       Do what you can to improve your home AND work environments.

 

·       Distract yourself as often as is needed with pleasant thoughts or activities.

 

·       Find safe substitutes for cigarettes.

 

·       Listen to what your smoke urges say to you, then talk back!

 

·       Ride the waves of health/wellness blogs.

 

·       Tell all your healthcare professionals what you are doing so they can encourage and support you.

 

All of these tactics to help deal with urges have been shown to help people quit. You can always practice them before actually quitting. For more information and help, call 1-800-QUIT- NOW. A quit coach can help you with these and also give additional tips. This is all free and confidential.

 

On your own, you may want to google “herbs that aid in smoking cessation.”

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