Happy and Healthy Smoke FREE!

[Thomas3.20.2010]

Most people, including health officials, are startled when the figures on smoking damage are put into perspective. For example, the number of people who annually die prematurely from smoking is estimated at 300,000. For comparison, annual automobile fatalities are estimated at about 55,000, overdose deaths attributed to barbiturates are estimated at about 1,400, and to heroin at about 1,750. Over 37 million people (one of every six Americans alive today) will die from cigarette smoking years before they otherwise would. If tobacco-related deaths were eliminated, there would be:

300,000 Americans each year who would not die prematurely

1/3 fewer male deaths from 35 to 59

85 per cent fewer deaths from bronchitis or emphysema

1/3 fewer deaths from arteriosclerosis

1/3 fewer deaths from heart disease

90 per cent fewer deaths from cancer of the trachea and lungs

50 per cent fewer deaths from cancer of the bladder

Whatsmore, quitting smoking has been shown to decrease back pain, relieve depression, and prevent many common anxieties.Some of the very "reasons" we smoke are relieved by quitting Nicotine Addiction!

Even more surprising are the effects of second hand and third hand smoke:

In children, secondhand smoke causes the following:

Ear infections

More frequent and severe asthma attacks

Respiratory symptoms (e.g., coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath)

Respiratory infections (i.e., bronchitis, pneumonia)

A greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

A higher percentage of behavior and autism

In children aged 18 months or younger, secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for—

an estimated 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia annually, and

approximately 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States.

Health Effects: Adults

In adults who have never smoked, secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and/or lung cancer.

Heart Disease

For nonsmokers, breathing secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system that can increase the risk for heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at especially high risk.

Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their heart disease risk by 25–30%.

Secondhand smoke exposure causes an estimated 46,000 heart disease deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.

Lung Cancer

Nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work increase their lung cancer risk by 20–30%.

Secondhand smoke exposure causes an estimated 3,400 lung cancer deaths annually among adult nonsmokers in the United States.

What about our beloved Household Pets?

Not only do your pets inhale second-hand smoke, but they can also lick up toxic chemicals, 

nicotine, tar and carcinogens that land on their fur after the smoke in the air settles, all of 

which can increase their chances of developing cancer. Furthermore, accidentally eating 

nicotine containing products, such as cigarette or cigarette butts, either at home or off the 

curb, can also prove to be very toxic to your pets (remember, nicotine is often used as an 

insecticide!).

Cats:

Cats are more susceptible than dogs to the detrimental effects of smoking when compared 

to their canine counterparts, who are washed more often and go outside more frequently. 

On top of breathing in carcinogenic smoke, cats also groom themselves by licking their fur, resulting in eating carcinogens from the smoke that settles on their body and the smoke particles that get trapped in their coats. As a result, cats in smoking households are most susceptible to cancers of the mouth, known as squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinomas are a particularly fast growing and deadly type of malignant cancer, and over 90% of cats diagnosed with cancer of the mouth will die in less than a year. The other consequence of second-hand smoking for cats is malignant lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes), another deadly form of cancer that kills 75% of cats within a year of diagnosis. Cats that are exposed to second-hand smoking are 2.5 times more likely to get lymphoma than cats from nonesmoking households. Moreover, your cat’s risk of developing lymphoma increases the longer and more you smoke. When compared to cats with no second-hand smoke exposure, the risk of developing lymphoma increases to 3 times (of the none-smoke-exposed cat) if the cat lives in a smoking household for more than five years. There is also a 3 fold increase in risk if the pet owner smokes more than a pack a day as compared to cats from none-smoking households. The second-hand smoke induced risks increases to 4 times that of a cat from a none-smoking household if there are two or more smokers in the house. Finally, it has been found that the constant smoke exposure can also make cats more prone to lung diseases and eye irritation, as well as cause wheezing, coughing, and hyperventilating. Cats can also become lethargic and depressed as a result of secondhand smoke exposure.  

Dogs:

Dogs are also subject to the damaging effects of second-hand smoke. Long-nosed dogs, such as collies, have been shown to be 2.5 times more likely to develop cancers in their nasal cavities as compared to long-nosed dogs in none-smoking households. It is believed that dogs with long noses have more nasal surface area, and carcinogens from the second-hand smoke they inhale deposit here and result in nasal cavity cancers. Dogs that suffer from nasal cancers usually do not survive more than a year.In contrast, short- to medium-nosed dogs, such as Bulldogs and Pugs, lack the long nose to help filter out the carcinogens from second-hand smoke. Instead, they respond to the carcinogens from smoke like the smokers themselves – it is more directly inhaled, resulting in an increased risk of lung cancer. Indeed, dogs exposed to second-hand smoke are 1.6 times more likely to develop lung cancer when compared to dogs from nonesmoking households.Dogs constantly exposed to smoke are also more prone to lung diseases and eye irritation, and second-hand smoke has been known to cause wheezing, coughing, and hyperventilating, as well as depression and lethargy. Dogs, like cats, will also lick their fur and are prone to the effects of ingesting carcinogens.known to cause wheezing, coughing, and hyperventilating, as well as depression and lethargy. Dogs, like cats, will also lick their fur and are prone to the effects of ingesting carcinogens.

Exotic Pets:

Exotic pets, such as birds, rabbits, and rats, have very sensitive respiratory systems, and many are extremely sensitive to any type of pollutants. As such, it is not surprising that they also suffer from the harmful effects of second hand smoking. Living in a smoking household has been linked to increased risk of lung cancer and pneumonia in exotic pets.

There is no risk-free level of contact with secondhand smoke; even brief exposure can be harmful to health.

As Addicts, it's easy for us to turn a blind eye to all of these statistics. So let's talk about Happiness! Here are 10 reasons to quit that have nothing to do with Health but could contribute to your Happiness:

Your Mouth will Thank You! Quitting the habit could dramatically decrease your risk of dental problems like cavities and gum disease, and even more dangerous conditions like oral cancer, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HealthDay reported that compared with former smokers, smokers have a 1.5-times higher risk of developing at least three oral health conditions.

Your Sex Life Will Be Better! Here's a bedroom-related reason to quit smoking: studies have suggested a link between smoking and decreased sex drives for both men and women. Studies published in 2008 in the Journal of Sexual Medicine showed that nicotine can affect even nonsmoking men's and women's sexual arousal.

You'll Save Your Skin! If you want your skin to be at its best, then you're better off quitting cigarettes. WebMD points out that smoking affects skin tone, promotes sagginess and, of course, causes those wrinkles around the lip area. However, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery notes that just a month-and-a-half after quitting smoking, your skin will already begin to look better.

You'll Have More Locks! If you love your hair, maybe it's time to put the cigarettes down. Research has linked smoking with an increased risk of male pattern baldness.BBC News reported in 2007 on a Archives of Dermatology study, showing even after taking into account other hair-loss risk factors like age and race, heavy smoking (at least 20 cigarettes daily) raised the risk of baldness.

Your Mood Will Improve! Here's a pretty good benefit: Stopping smoking could make you a happier person, according to research from Brown University.Researchers there found that smokers were never happier than when they were quitting smoking, even if they went back to smoking afterward. The most illustrative — and somewhat tragic — subjects were the ones who only quit temporarily. Their moods were clearly brightest at the checkups when they were abstinent. After going back to smoking, their mood darkened, in some cases to higher levels of sadness than before.

You'll Have More Birthdays! Stopping smoking may help women live a decade longer than they would have if they had continued lighting up, according to a 2012 study in The Lancet. Researchers also found that the more the women smoked, the higher their risk of premature death, with even "light" smokers (those who smoked just one to nine cigarettes a day) having a doubled risk of death compared with non-smokers.

You'll Improve Your Pregnancy Chances! you're trying to conceive, one of the best things you can do is to quit smoking, research shows. NBC News reported that women smokers have a 60 percent higher chance of being infertile, compared with nonsmokers. Smoking is also linked to more spontaneous miscarriages, according to NBC News.

You'll Enjoy Food More! If you don't like bland food, then don't smoke, research suggests. A small 2009 study of Greek soldiers shows an association between smoking and "fewer and flatter" taste buds, according to a statement on the research. 

Your Colds Won't Be As Bad! Mild cold symptoms could take on a more serious form for smokers, according to a study from Yale University researchers. The findings, published in 2008 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, showed an overreaction of the immune systems of cigarette smoke-exposed mice when exposed to a virus similar to the flu. 

Quitting Smoking And Money Saving! There are numerous hidden costs associated with smoking that most people fail to consider. These costs are rarely examined when people talk about how much their smoking habit costs. Some of these costs arise due to higher payments associated with the risks of smoking while others result from a decrease in asset value due to smoking. All told, these hidden costs of smoking can increase the actual amount a smoker pays each year several times the cost of the cigarettes alone. When you come to realize that you may be spending close to $10,000 a year because of your smoking habit, this may be one more motivating force to kick the habit:

Life Insurance: Smokers have a greater risk of dieing at a younger age than non smokers and this risk is reflected in higher life insurance premium payments.

Health Insurance: Smokers have a greater risk of medical problems than non smokers and this risk is reflected in their medical insurance premium payments.

Health Care: Since smokers frequently have more medical problems than non smokers, they must pay more to take care of these problems.

Medications: More medical problems for smokers usually results more prescription medicine taken by smokers than non smokers. 

Home Owner's Insurance: Smokers have a greater risk of burning down their house than non smokers and this risk is reflected in higher home owner's insurance premium payments.

Value of the House: Smoking leaves a bad smell in a house thus decreasing the value to potential buyers.

Value of Your Possessions: Just as with the house, smoking leaves a bad smell to many of the items in your house thus decreasing their value.

Car Insurance: Smokers have a greater risk of getting into a car accident than non smokers and this risk is reflected in their car insurance premium payments.

Car Resale Value: Smoking leaves a bad smell in a car thus decreasing the value to potential buyers or when traded-in for another car.

Earn Less Money: Studies have found that smokers earn between 4% to 11% less money than their non smoking counterparts. 

Less Social Security / Pension Benefits: Since smokers earn less than non smokers, they receive less overall social security and pensions benefits than non smokers. 

Cost of Cleaning: Whether its the inside of their home, the inside of their car or their clothes, smokers have to spend more to keep things clean. 

Dental Care: Smokers spend more on dental care and special dental products than non smokers.

Lost Interest: All the extra money that smokers must spend means that money can't be saved resulting in lost interest.

When you look beyond the cost of the pack of cigarettes and incorporate all the other monetary costs associated with smoking, you begin to see smoking is a huge drain on ones personal finances.

So what's holding you up? Today is a Great Day to LIVE Happy and Healthy Smoke FREE!