Quit Smoking 

For A Healthier Life….Quit Smoking

• Tobacco dependence is a real public health problem which warrants serious attention. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, there are approximately 1.1 billion smokers in the world, which represents about on-third of global population aged 15 years and older.

• Cigarette smoking is the second major cause of death in the world, and fourth most common risk factor for disease worldwide.

• Tobacco dependence has been classified as a behavioral disorder in the World Health Organization (WHO) international Classification of diseases. Experts in the field of substance abuse consider tobacco dependence to be as strong or stronger than dependence on such substances as heroin or cocaine.

• It has been said that smoking low-tar cigarettes “light and mild” is less harmful and it is a stage in the process of stopping smoking. In fact, “low-tar” cigarettes have no advantages over regular cigarettes, because smoking is driven by a need for nicotine. Smokers consciously or unconsciously regulate their intensity of puffing and the volume of smoke inhaled in order to achieve their desired nicotine dose.

WHAT'S IN CIGARETTE SMOKE?
Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, including 43 known cancer-causing (carcinogenic) compounds. These include nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, as well as formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and DDT.

Nicotine: Nicotine is highly addictive. Smoke containing nicotine is inhaled into the lungs, and the nicotine reaches the brain in just six seconds.
Nicotine is a lethal poison, even it is taken in small doses it acts as an addictive stimulant to the brain. Nicotine hardens the blood vessels around the heart, brain and other areas, which leads to heart attacks and strokes.

Tar: Tar is a sticky, black residue containing hundreds of chemicals, many of which are considered carcinogenic. As a cigarette is smoked, the amount of tar inhaled into the lungs increases, and the last puff contains more than twice as much tar as the first puff.

Carbon monoxide: it's the most poisonous and deadly component of cigarette smoke. It reduces the ability of the red blood cells to deliver oxygen to tissues, causing the greatest potential damage to the heart, and brain.

HOW HARMFUL IS SMOKING?
The dangers of tobacco, both for smokers and non-smokers who inhale smoke produced by other, have been well documented scientifically. There is strong scientific evidence that smoking is related to more than 25 diseases and conditions. Fortunately, most of these start to reverse after a smoker quits smoking. Sometimes the benefits of quitting begin in a matter of hours.

  Health Risk:

All smokers are at extra risk for

• Coronary heart disease (e.g., heart attacks)
• Peripheral vascular disease (circulatory problems)
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol (LDL)
• Cancer (lung, oral, pancreas, skin kidney, and urinary bladder …etc.)
• Stroke
• Respiratory problem
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Emphysema
• Pneumonia
• Influenza (the "flu")
• The common cold
• Peptic ulcers and Chronic bowel disease
• Tooth decay (cavities)
• Gum disease
• Osteoporosis
• Sleep problems (falling asleep inappropriately and/or frequent waking)
• Cataracts
• Thyroid disease

  Female smokers are at an extra risk for 

• Cancer of the cervix (womb)
• Menstrual problems
• Fertility problems
• Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)

  Health Risk for Children
• Pneumonia
• Bronchitis
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

In addition to various diseases, smoking also causes the skin to wrinkle and create the appearance of premature aging. Smoking also reduces the sense of smell and taste.

SECOND HAND SMOKE
Second-hand smoke results from the "side stream" smoke that comes from the burning tip of a cigarette and the "mainstream" smoke that is exhaled by the smoker.
Exposure to second-hand smoke is a widespread problem that affects people from all cultures and countries. This exposure occurs throughout ordinary situation in daily life: in homes, at work and school, on playgrounds and public transport, and in restaurants –etc. literally everywhere people go.

How does second-hand smoke affect health?
Non-smokers who breathe second-hand smoke suffer many of the same diseases as regular smokers. Heart disease deaths as well as lung and nasal sinus cancers have been causally associated with second-hand smoke exposure. Second-hand smoke also causes a wide variety of adverse health effects in children including bronchitis and pneumonia, development and exacerbation of asthma, ear infections. Exposure of non-smoking women to second-hand smoke during pregnancy reduces fetal growth, and postnatal exposure of infants to second-hand smoke greatly increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Tobacco smoke also causes immediate effects such as eye and nasal irritation, headache, sore throat, dizziness, nausea, cough, and respiratory problems.

Children's vulnerability to second-hand smoke is a particular concern, both for medical and ethical reasons. Children's lungs are smaller and their immune systems are less developed - which make them more likely to develop respiratory and ear infections triggered by second-hand smoke. Because they are smaller and breathe faster than adults, they breathe in more harmful chemicals than an adult would in the same amount of time.

 Are well-ventilated non-smoking sections the answer?
No. Although good ventilation can help reduce the irritability of smoke, it does not eliminate its poisonous components. When smoking sections share ventilation with non-smoking areas, the smoke is dispersed everywhere. Smoking sections only help protect non-smokers when they are completely enclosed, have a separate ventilation system that goes directly outdoors without re-circulating air in the building.

If you have tried to quit smoking, it is the time
Quitting smoking is not easy, but it can be done

Good Reasons for Quitting

Quitting smoking is one of the most important things you will ever do to improve your health.

When you quit,
• Your body starts to repair the damage you've done
• Your body oxygen level returns to normal,
• Circulation improves
• Lungs work much better
• Your risk of serious disease goes down

When Smokers Quit—The Health Benefits Over Time
• 8 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops and oxygen level rise to normal level.
• 24 hours after quitting: Your chance of a heart attack decreases.
• 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases up to 30%.
• 1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease.
• 1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.
• 5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker.
• 10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decrease.
• 15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker's.

There are plenty of good reasons to Quitting smoking

The Challenge of Giving Up

If at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again. That's the recommended course of action for smokers who have made the decision to break the habit

Keys for Quitting
• Set a quit date.
• Change your environment.
1.Get rid of ALL cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.
2.Don't let people smoke in your home.
• Review your past attempts to quit. Think about what worked and what did not.
• Once you quit, don't smoke—NOT EVEN A PUFF!
• Tell your family, friends, and co-workers that you are going to quit and want their support. Ask them not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out.
• Talk to your health care provider (for example, doctor, nurse, health educator … etc.)
• Drink a lot of water and other fluids.
• Practice exercise to reduce your stress and distract yourself from urges to smoke.
• Ask your health care provider for advice any medication needed.

Withdrawal Symptoms and Activities That Might Help