The volume of medical research supporting the facts that smoking contributes significantly to coronary heart disease, other cardiovascular diseases and cancer is evidence that cannot be rationally ignored. While according to the American Heart Association ( Smoking Cessation : 24 June 2010), since 1965, more than 49 percent of all adults who have ever smoked have quit, an estimated 46 million Americans continue to smoke. As late as 2004, the Surgeon General’s Report (The Health Consequences of Smoking: 24 June 2010) concluded that tobacco smoking remained the number one cause of preventable disease and death and the third leading cause of death overall in the United States.
The American Heart Association (Smoking Cessation) says that more than four out of five cigarette smokers want to quit. The organization reports that each year about 1.3 million smokers do manage to quit. With the new and more effective clinical treatments for tobacco dependency available today, the American Heart Association says that 20 to 40 percent of those who give up cigarettes are able to quit smoking and stay off cigarettes for at least one year.
Smoking Cessation Withdrawal
As Mark Twain once observed, “Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times.”Quitting smoking and staying quit is extremely hard to do for many smokers. The reason is because of the addictive properties of nicotine, a drug found naturally in tobacco. According to the American Cancer Society (Guide to Quitting Smoking: 24 June 2010), nicotine is as physically and emotionally addictive as powerful drugs like heroin and cocaine.
Nicotine causes pleasant feelings that make those who smoke want to continue and even smoke more. The drug also acts as a type of central nervous system depressant that helps some people cope with stress, fatigue or boredom. As with addictions to any powerful drug, when a smoker attempts to quit there are according to the American Cancer Society, some powerful withdrawal symptoms that develop.
- dizziness
- depression, feelings of frustration, impatience, and anger
- anxiety, irritability
- sleep disturbances, including having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and having Bad dreams or even nightmares
- trouble concentrating, restlessness or boredom
- headaches
- tiredness
- increased appetite, weight gain, constipation and gas
- cough, chest tightness, dry mouth, sore throat, and nasal drip
Withdrawal affects the smoker both physically and mentally. Some symptoms last only a few days and others can last for several weeks. Many smokers start smoking again to relieve the discomfort associated with the symptoms.
Smoking Cessation Aids
Today there are a wide variety of smoking cessation products and programs that can help smokers deal with both the physical and mental aspects of withdrawal and help them to successfully give up smoking. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), aimed at the physical aspects include patches, gum, lozenges, nasal sprays and extended time-release anti-depressant medications. All have proven to be more effective for some people than simply trying to quit cold turkey but it must be remembered that pharmaceuticals address only the physical part of the addiction.
Help with the mental part of the smoking habit is available from a number of sources. Formal smoking cessation program support groups, telephone counseling and support groups made up of family and friends have all shown to be beneficial in helping smokers to quit. Studies show that NRT is much more effective when a those attempting to quit also address the mental aspect of the habit.
Smoking Cessation Benefits
According to the American Heart Association (Smoking Cessation), within one year of quitting cigarettes, the excess risk of coronary heart disease caused by smoking is cut in half. After 15 years of not smoking, the risk of coronary heart disease is similar to of people who never smoked. Between five and 15 years of stopping, the risk of stroke for former smokers drops to that of people who never smoked. Male smokers who quit between the ages 35 to 39 add an average of five years to their lives. Females in the same age group who quit add three years. Even men and women who quit at ages between 65 to 69 statically increase their life expectancy by one year.
Quitting smoking is not easy but it can be done. Stopping smoking cuts substantially the risks of coronary heart disease, other cardiovascular diseases like strokes and cancer. Aside from the obvious health benefits, given the substantially higher taxes imposed on tobacco products by local, state and the federal government, cigarettes have become prohibitively expensive. Quitting just makes good economic sense.
Larry Darter - Larry Darter is a freelance writer and published author with three books to his credit. He is a graduate of the Univ. of Central ...
