Quit Smoking Information Articles & Tips

The paparazzi had a feast when news broke out that people saw the First Daughter Jenna Bush smoking marijuana in Austin, Texas last March 31, 2008. Being the perfect example of irony, she is not apparently going behind bars. She was not even arrested and there are no talks that she will be incarcerated for the allegation of the Enquirer that she was smoking pot. Add to this the allegation by the That 70s Show star Ashton Kutcher that the twins Barbara and Jenna smoked pot in his house.

Marijuana, as everyone knows, is a derivative of the plant Cannabis Sativa and is either ingested or smoked in its dried form. Known in many different names such as doobie, pot, and ganja, this plant has been used by humans since god-knows-when. It was used by different tribal groups and clans as part of rituals and medicinal purposes. The use and sale and even possession of the plant is banned in the United States. People contest that marijuana has medicinal properties especially for patients suffering from depression because marijuana has an upper effect. It alleviates moods and makes an individual have that happy feeling. However, many health government authorities around the world are yet to approve this proposition. Even if this is approved, marijuana will not be used as it is but only its broken down components. There are chemical contents which may really serve as medicine. If taken as it is in dried from, whether ingested or smoked, marijuana has destructive effects in the mental and physical well being of a person. Unlike cigarettes, marijuana does not cause lung cancer because it kills dying cells before they even become cancerous.

Going back to Jenna Bush smoking, the news broke after two unnamed friends claimed that Jenna came over their house to smoke pot. It is argued that since these sources are not named, the newspaper’s claim is not trustworthy, especially for high profile allegations such as this that involves the President’s daughter. George Bush, being the commander of a global scale drug war, is not answering questions regarding the allegation. There is another allegation and claim by actor Ashton Kutcher that he saw the twins Jenna and Barbara smoking marijuana in his house when he hosted a party. Apparently, the White House will not comment on these allegations.

Whether Jenna Bush smoking pot is true or not, what matters is the serious implication of the presence of marijuana to the American youngsters. Then usage of marijuana poses 41% greater risk of developing psychosis as opposed to non-users. It is enough the media has enough psychosis going on, let alone add up others who have nothing to do with them. The meat of the matter here is that the government should be on an all-out war against drugs. And that should also make civilians and all citizens responsible. In effect, movements against smoking marijuana, and smoking cigarettes for that matter, should receive adequate support. Marijuana has chemical content that induce physical harm and addiction. And dependence on the substance will only pose threats to society.

If there should be a role model to anyone about smoking, singer-songwriter Robin Gibb should be it. Not that he does not smoke, because he smokes just about two or three sticks per day. Robin Gibb smoking is rarely seen in private and even public life. Born in 1949, Robin Gibb soared to popularity as part of the international pop band sensation Bee Gees. Although Robin Gibb may have been tied with drug problems, it has never really been a big issue after it was resolved. It was his brother Maurice who had issues in drugs which eventually lead to his death in 2003.

Going back to smoking—and all along you thought I will yap about Robin Gibb. Smoking has been one of oldest issues that society has been trying to circumvent. Anti-smoking campaigns abound and yet there is really no visible sign that the number of smokers will ever decrease. Aside from the personal health problems that tobacco intake will bring, smoking also contributes badly to the well-being of other individuals who unsuspectedly inhale second-hand smoke which smokers blow out. Smoke also adds to the total pollution caused by carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide released in our environment by cars and factories that emit poisonous gases in the atmosphere.

Smoking cessation campaigns are backed up by several non-profit organizations and even the government. So do not wonder why there is a surgeon general’s warning on your cigarette pack. This is mandatory for all tobacco and cigarette manufacturers as part of the government’s active participation in the smoke cessation campaign. There is a need for more advocates who will support this worthy cause not only in terms of financial support physical involvement. The support which a lot of people can provide is that they stop smoking themselves.

Quitting may be a challenge but with the adequate support offered by family, relatives, and friend, it is not at all impossible. Although statistics show that only 3% have the likelihood of success in quitting out of sheer will power, the figure is not so bad if we look at it by literal count. There are many non-profit organizations that can help and provide support to those who are willing to stop smoking. They offer clinical advice, group therapy, and other methodologies to quit smoking that will best suit the needs of the individual based on his lifestyle.

Although Robin Gibb smoking seems an absurd idea, it is not at all unlikely. As he claimed, he just smokes an average of three sticks per day. Sometimes, none. If this is doable by a star who is constantly under pressure, then it is not impossible for normal individuals who live normal lives everyday. The best advice that doctors can provide is to quit smoking cold turkey. This means you should quit smoking without the necessity of gradually decreasing the intake of tobacco. Just stop it abruptly. According to researchers, there is a 90% success rate among all who attempted to stop using this approach.

Adult smoking cessation-a campaign to stop smoking-is widespread in a global scale in an attempt to convince smokers of the impending health problems that they have in old age. This includes advertising campaigns, smoking restrictions in several areas, and government back-up in terms of placing stern warnings on the very packaging of cigarettes. There are studies that show percentages or statistics of people who have successfully stopped or quit smoking using different methodologies. According to these studies, only three percent are likely to be successful in quitting by sheer will power. And this is also dependent on the number of years the person has smoked. The reason behind this is because addiction to nicotine has become part of the physiological system of man; it is not psychological anymore.

The focus of adult smoking cessation campaigns is on the personal well-being of smokers. The environmental concern only serves as an add-on. Many researchers claim that stopping smoking in early adulthood may add up to ten years in the life expectancy of individuals and up to three years for people who stop smoking at the age of 60. It is also noted that many quit-smoking programs show individuals what happens to their bodies on a day-by-day basis. This way, quitters will have proper expectations to the physical, behavioral, emotional, and physiological changes that they may experience during the withdrawal.

It is understood that several attempts at adult smoking cessation proved futile. Many adults go back to smoking after several days. The issue here is that they do not receive adequate support from families and peers. They also do not receive medical advice from a professional who has expertise on quitting. As a result, they are left practically helpless in trying to combat the withdrawal symptoms that they experience.

The short-term symptoms may be difficult to combat if quitting is done alone without any financial, especially moral, support for someone trying to quit. People who try to quit normally experience depression and anxiety. The feel restless and have difficulty concentrating. The mental and cognitive functions are affected so as physical systems. There is a noticeable increase in appetite and mouth sores may also develop. The person trying to quit will also notice that he will gain weight soon. In terms of behavior, quitting may result to frequent irritable behavior not commonly present in the same situation when smokers are still having their normal dosage of nicotine.

Approaches in adult smoking cessation vary. Many people advise that quitting cold turkey or abruptly stopping the habit is a very effective approach to quitting as opposed to approaches that use medication and nicotine replacement. There are other approaches like becoming a club member and sharing best practices with other individuals who are also quitting. There are also counselors that can provide medial advice.

Adult smoking cessation has led many to live normal and healthy lives. The benefits of quitting are endless. It is never too late to quit, as opposed to common mentality that if a person is old, there are little or no gain at all.

There is no question that smoking has little or no benefit at all. Harmful smoking effects can lead to serious physical ailment and even death. Other than respiratory tract infections and cardiovascular diseases, people fail to realize that smoking also causes several disorders and diseases in the digestive system. People then need to be aware that if the digestive system is affected, it will pose the same risk to human life as it does when the heart is seriously impaired.

One effect that is all too common is heartburn. This sensation is felt if acidic juices from the stomach move to the esophagus. When a person smokes, the chemicals of the tobacco cause the esophageal valve to weaken. If this happens, the valve has no strength to push back acids that are going the wrong way. The liver is also at stake when a person smokes. Everyone should know how liver is important in straining bad chemicals from the body. The liver is responsible for cleaning toxins and straining harmful chemicals from drugs that we take in.

Crohn’s Disease is another risk that smokers invite with this bad habit. Crohn’s disease occurs if the lining of the intestines are inflamed. This results to severe abdominal pain and diarrhea and will lead to the necessity of surgery. Crohn’s disease may show its symptoms are all parts of the gastrointestinal tract, which means there may be visible inflammation from the mouth down to the anus. There is no known medical solution or surgical solution to cure Crohn’s Disease. Other than this, gallstones may be developed and we have to emphasize here that gallstones, which is normally associated to kidney failure, will also require surgery for them to be removed.

Peptic ulcer is also one major effect smoking has with the digestive system. Peptic ulcer is characterized by an open sore in the stomach lining. This lining is also known in the medical world as duodenum. To date, there really are no known cause if ulcer but there are many possible culprits, among which is smoking. According to research, there is no direct relationship between smoking and ulcer. This means that smoking alone does not cause the ulcer. However, the harmful effects of smoking cause other systems to break down and thus fail to battle ulcer.

It has already been established that people who smoke are killing themselves softly. There is no question that the life expectancy of people who smoke is greatly reduced than those who do not. It is also statistically measured that about half of male smokers will die of illnesses related or brought about by smoking.

The harmful smoking effects to the body are practically endless. There is not much research being done yet to prove and disprove that other deadly ailments are connected to or associated to smoking. It has also been proven that second-smoke is just about as dangerous as regular smoking. People should always remember that smoking effects are not only limited to the heart or cardiovascular system but also to other internal organs and even behavior and cognitive development.

The more you want to avoid those dreaded harmful smoking effects, the sooner you should quit smoking. In fact, you should quit smoking now!

Quit Smoking. Everybody seems to be giving this advice to anybody who cares to listen, even to those who do not bother about it at all. We have been hearing this word for so long that the very word seems to have lots its real importance. It has been rightly said that if you harp on something for long enough, people become immune to it and they start ‘seeing through’; what we call seeing but not observing. It is akin to the child who gets scolded regularly. Initially he would be wary of doing something wrong for fear of being scolded, but becomes immune when scolded continuously. Too much is not always right!

Come to think of it, why should we quit smoking at all! I know that smoking is not a totally bad thing, as has been made out to be. Had it been so, hundreds and thousands of people would not have been involved in manufacturing cigarettes. And it does feel good to have the aroma seep over you, relaxing you and taking you to a high, making you forget all the pressure of daily life though, only for short durations.

The beauty of cigarette smoking is only up to the time when you limit yourself to smoking for enjoyment purposes; to get relief from the built up tension or the one odd time when you want to smoke just for the sake of smoking (remember the first time you smoked a cigarette – how wonderful the feeling was!). For all its beauty and feel-good factor, smoking does start getting you when you cross the line between smoking for enjoyment. It then starts getting into your lungs, your blood pressure and slowly the whole body system. It is then you should consider quit smoking.

Once you continue smoking beyond the permissible limits, no amount of exercise and balanced diet is going to help you. All the intake of the most nutritious fruits and vegetables will not be able to counter the ill-effects of continuous smoking. It has a long list of demerits and disadvantages; the most damaging is lung cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, the number of deaths from smoking is more than 400,000 per year in US alone. More than 40,000 die in UK each year. The figure would be much more if you combine data from other countries as well. These figures are not something you can ignore; you may very well become part of these statistics if you are one of the heavy-hitters.

Deaths due to smoking do not happen in a day. Nature gives out ample warning signals to us before the final act. Cardiovascular diseases, bronchitis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD in addition to the dreaded lung cancer are some of the warning signals in the form of diseases. It is up to you to pay heed to them and quit smoking today. Quitting smoking will also make you richer by saving your hard earned money.

Getting a good health is one of the major benefits of quitting smoking. Soon after you quit smoking for good, your blood pressure and pulse will get back to normal. The oxygen levels (low till you keep smoking) get back to normal level. The carbon monoxide is kicked out from the blood. Slowly and slowly the lung, till now huffing and puffing to perform even routine functions, starts getting back to doing easily what it has been always doing. As a result, breathing becomes much easier and all the respiratory problems start easing out. It becomes much easier to exercise and be in a healthy condition.

A major benefit of quitting smoking is the increased level of your confidence, apart from the benefits to your health. And do not forget the savings from not smoking. Just calculate the savings for a year if you were smoking 20 cigarettes a day. Once you know that you can get rid of this addiction, you become aware that you can achieve anything which you put your heart on to.

Now is the best time to quit smoking. So stop smoking, and quit smoking. And this can be a great help in your quest for quit smoking.