Smoking and Quitting Smoking (cont.)
Why should someone quit smoking?
Quitting smoking makes a difference right away in the
way you feel. You can taste and smell food better. Your breath smells better. Your cough goes away. These
benefits happen for men and women of all ages, even those who are older. They
happen for healthy people as well as those who already have a disease or
condition caused by smoking.
Even more importantly, in the long run, quitting smoking
cuts the risk of lung cancer, many other cancers, heart disease, stroke,
and other lung or breathing (respiratory) diseases (e.g.,
bronchitis, pneumonia,
and emphysema). Moreover, ex-smokers have better health than current smokers.
For example, ex-smokers have fewer days of illness, fewer health complaints, and
less bronchitis and pneumonia than current smokers.
Finally, quitting smoking
saves money. A pack-a-day smoker who pays $4.00 per pack can expect to save more
than $1,408 per year! What's more, it appears that the price of cigarettes will
continue to rise in coming years, as will the financial rewards of quitting.
What are the steps in quitting?
First, one can do certain things to get ready to quit. Then, there are other
things to do on the day of quitting. Finally, one can do things to help oneself
to remain abstinent. (This is the hardest part.)
Getting ready to quit smoking
- Set a date for quitting. If possible, plan to have a
friend quit smoking with you.
- Notice when and why you smoke. Try to find the things
in your daily life that you often do while smoking (such as drinking your
morning cup of coffee or driving a car).
- Change your smoking routines: Keep your cigarettes in
a different place. Smoke with your other hand. Don't do anything else when you
are smoking. Think about how you feel when you smoke.
- Smoke only in certain places, such as outdoors.
- When you want a cigarette, wait a few minutes. Try to
think of something to do instead of smoking. For example, you might chew gum
or drink a glass of water.
- Buy one pack of cigarettes at a time. Switch to a
brand of cigarettes that you don't like.
Next: On the day you quit smoking »
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