Reasons to Quit Smoking , Quit Smoking Benefits and Tobacco Statistics

This section will help you get started with a solid quit smoking program. Start with your reasons to quit smoking, and also read about the benefits you'll enjoy when you quit smoking. Benefits of smoking cessation begin within just 20 minutes of the last cigarette. The tobacco statistics section includes information about smoking-related illnesses and world-wide smoking facts and figures.

5 Key Reasons to Quit Smoking
All smokers harbor the secret hope that they will be spared the disease and death that follows nicotine addiction. We tell ourselves we’ll quit in time and somehow dodge the bullet that smoking is. But with four million people dying every year due to tobacco use around the world, the odds aren’t in our favor.

Why Should I Quit Smoking?
Making a list of reasons for quitting is a good first step towards successful smoking cessation. What are your reasons?

I Quit Smoking Because...
70 out of every 100 people who smoke wish they didn't, yet they go on smoking. Why? Because nicotine is an insidious addiction. It weaves its way into the very fabric of our lives, attaching itself to every activity and every emotion we have, until we think that, without our cigarettes, we won't be able to funtion properly or enjoy our lives.

Quit Smoking Role Models -- My Quit Smoking Role Model
For many of us, one person in our lives was a role model in some way that inspired us to quit smoking.

Am I Too Old to Quit Smoking?
Older smokers often think it's too late to quit smoking. They worry that the damage from cigarette smoking has already been done to their health, and quitting tobacco won't do them any good. Not so!
Nicotine Addiction Makes Us Settle For Less
Smoking changes us, and those changes happen gradually, over a long period of time. In fact, the personality shifts we experience due to nicotine addiction are so subtle, most of us don't realize our cigarettes are responsible for them.

Quit Smoking While You Are Young
From Kerri: "We have the choice to make for ourselves. This is not a dress rehearsal, this is the only YOU you will ever get. Do you want to purposefully risk cutting it short or live a long life full of excitement, freedom and loved ones?"

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Quit Smoking While You're Young

When I was a smoker, I had every excuse in the book to continue to be one, but my favorite one to pull out of my hat was my youth. I would say, "My uncle Arthur smoked from the time he was 16 to the day he died at age 80. My aunt Del has been smoking since she was a teenager. Nothing is going to happen to me now, only during the BAD part of my life, the end part!"

So I continued to smoke. I LOVED to smoke. It was a huge part of my social life, my alone time, my escape. But being an active young person with a family, my limitations were becoming more and more painfully apparent. I couldn't chaperone field trips. I couldn't go to more than one store and bring my kids. I couldn't go to the movies. I couldn't race my kids down the street or even toss a Frisbee for any length of time. Not only that, my circle of friends didn't really smoke anymore, so I found myself either sneaking or just turning down evenings out for fear of being the "odd man out".

Then one day, my son heard me coming home from Happy Hour with my co-workers. I was greeted with,

"I knew you were home mom. I recognized your cough."

At 31, I had recognizable cough. A nagging and obvious cough is not a natural occurrence for a 31-year-old woman.

I did finally make the leap into freedom on January 8th, 2004. I started reading more and more into other people's stories, finding myself fixating on others who were my age. I found a library of them at whyquit.com. There is Noni, who died at 33, when her son was only months old. Her husband celebrated their child's first birthday without her. She was a victim of small cell lung cancer.

In her 30's ????

Impossible.
It must have been a fluke, bad genes, just one of those things.
Unfortunately not.

Then there was the story about a 34 year old father who died of lung cancer, leaving his little boy without a father. A tough guy; a construction worker, who had smoked since he was 14, reduced to a mere shell of a man.

Yet another story is about a woman by the name of Barb Tarbox. Barb tells a tragic tale of smoking to fit in as a teenager, never thinking anything bad would happen, especially while she was young. Barb got lung cancer at 41 and was suddenly faced with having to cause enormous pain to her daughter, leaving her without a mother - watching her suffer while she died.

What drove me to write this was a chance meeting I had the other day with a 31 year old woman who shares the same name as me. Talk about spooky fate. Kery was just diagnosed with the early stages of emphysema. She HAS to quit if she is to have a chance at life. She is MY AGE! She has 3 children. Emphysema could suffocate her to death right in front of them. It's not cancer, it's another lung disease this time.

I have been one of the lucky ones. I don't know if I would have been one of the tragic stories above or if I would be blessed with a long life like my Uncle Arthur. What if I wasn't? Would I want to be the one to sit my young children down and explain to them that they were going to have to find their own way in the world because I was dying due to a poison I couldn't resist?

I quit smoking 18 months ago. I find the sheer freedom of it exhilarating. And because I quit young, I have the rest of my life to do WHATEVER I want, breathing with ease the whole time, without slavery, living my long life the way I CHOOSE, not chained to an addiction. I can run, I can swim, I can be as active or as inactive as I want. I gave myself ME back and I have my whole life to enjoy that feeling.

I still have to worry if I quit in time, but not nearly as much as I would worry if I waited another 10, 20, or 30 years to quit. The thing about this addiction is that it doesn't just lose its grip eventually. Quitting is a choice you HAVE to make. It will cling on even while you are dying of cancer. Bryan, as mentioned above, smoked up to 1 week before he died. He gave himself only one week of freedom.

We have the choice to make for ourselves. This is not a dress rehearsal, this is the only YOU you will ever get. Do you want to purposefully risk cutting it short or live a long life full of excitement, freedom and loved ones?

It CAN happen to you. You always think it's on the other side of the fence, but not this time. Cigarettes do not kill a specific group of people. No one is immune to the hazards of tobacco...not celebrities, the young or the old. Even non-smokers exposed to second hand smoke are at risk.

Love this life you've been given. Love yourself. Appreciate the fact that others love you and don't play Russian roulette with yourself.

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Am I Too Old to Quit Smoking?

I've smoked for most of my life. Is it worth it for me to quit smoking now?

You have every reason to quit smoking now. Though you've smoked for years, the benefits you'll enjoy when you quit smoking will begin within 20 minutes of your last cigarette, and continue for years to come. You will reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke and cancer. Your circulation and lung function will improve. If you have chronic bronchitis or emphysema, quitting will help to arrest further damage from happening. You'll feel physically better, have more stamina and energy, and your self-esteem will soar!

It's never too late to quit smoking.

Are older smokers more likely to stay off cigarettes once they quit?

Yes. Once they quit smoking, older smokers are more likely to quit for good than younger smokers. Older smokers often begin to experience physical symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing which signal the damage smoking causes. They've also spent years developing a loathing for the habit they now feel chained to. Once an older smoker quits, along with improved health, there is also often a feeling of relief and gratitude. And that feeds long-term success.

Why do older smokers get tired and short of breath so easily?

Smokers, especially those over 50 years old, are more likely to feel tired, have shortness of breath, and experience a persistent cough.These symptoms often signal the onset of COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Because COPD is usally slow to develop, it doesn't bother most people until they've been smoking for many years.

Is smoking a major risk factor for heart attack among adults 60 years of age and older?

Yes. Smoking is a major risk factor for four of the five leading causes of death.They include:
Heart disease
Stroke
Cancer
COPD
For adults 60 and over, smoking is a major risk factor for six of the top 14 causes of death. Older male smokers are nearly twice as likely to die from stroke as older men who do not smoke. The odds are nearly as high for older female smokers. Cigarette smokers of any age have a 70% greater heart disease death rate than do nonsmokers.

Can quitting smoking help people who have already suffered a heart attack?

Yes. The good news is that quitting smoking does help people who have had a heart attack. It reduces the chance of another attack, and in some cases, ex-smokers can cut their risk of another heart attack by half or more.

Do most older smokers want to quit smoking?

Yes! Most smokers, even younger ones want to quit smoking. What keeps them from quitting? Fear of being irritable, nervous and tense. Fear that nicotine withdrawal symptoms will be more than they can manage. Fear that life will be boring without their smokes. Not good reasons, any of them, but nicotine addiction clouds a person's thinking. Once free, people usually look back and wonder why they didn't quit sooner. The discomforts associated with smoking cessation are all temporary. Education about what to expect and having a support system in place can make the quitting process doable and even enjoyable.

Do older smokers tend to smoke more cigarettes than a younger smoker?

Older smokers usually do smoke more than younger people. They are also more likely to smoke brands of cigarettes that have high nicotine levels.

If a person has smoked for 30 or 40 years, will they be able to successfully quit? 

Yes. The longer a person smokes, the less appealing it becomes. And, as mentioned above, older smokers are more inclined to quit smoking permanently. They may have smoking-related symptoms that make denial of the damage smoking causes impossible. Thanks to the healing powers of the human body, many long-term smokers will notice significant improvements once they quit.

Do many older people smoke?

One out of five adults over the age of 50 smokes cigarettes. That amounts to more than 11 million smokers in the United States - a quarter of the nation's 43 million smokers. Approximately 25% of the U.S. population still smokes.

Are lifelong smokers more likely to die of a smoking-related illness?

Yes. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and the leading cause of death caused by smoking. Smoking is hard on the heart. Smoking also increases the risk of dying from lung cancer or emphysema, along with numerous other smoking-related diseases. The risk of dying from lung cancer is much higher for smokers than nonsmokers: 22 times higher for men, and 12 times higher for women.

If you still smoke...

Quit now. Every day you dedicate to this habit steals more of your life from you and from those who love you. Don't fall for the misguided thinking that it's too late for you to quit smoking. That's nicotine addiction talking - what's called junkie thinking. It's never too late to quit smoking. As soon as you put down that last cigarette, the benefits begin.
Quit now!

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I Quit Smoking Because...

The Reasons We Quit Smoking

By Terry Martin, About.com Guide Updated May 11, 2009

According to the Centers for Disease Control, upwards of 70 percent of all smokers want to quit smoking.

Think about that....70 out of every 100 people who smoke wish they didn't, yet they go on smoking. Why? Because nicotine is an insidious addiction. It weaves its way into the fabric of our lives, attaching itself to every activity and every emotion we have, until we think that, without our cigarettes, we won't be able to function properly or enjoy life.

Making that decision to finally put down the cigarettes and call a halt to smoking is, for most people, the result of something dramatic - either an event or emotional angst. It's the final straw that makes us say "No More!"

Kerri, a moderator at the About.com Smoking Cessation Forum asked members to share what that final straw was for them by completing the sentence: I quit because...

Here are their answers.
I Quit Because...

"I never wanted to have to tell my 2 boys that I had cancer." WonderWoman/Kerri

"After 47 years of smoking, I chose life and freedom over fear of failure." Blossom62/Betty

"My breathing got really bad." Dadmont/Gaylene

"I was afraid of living my last years/months attached to an oxygen tank, fighting for every breath." Annabanana/Anna

"I didn't like the look of fear in my children's eyes every time I lit up." Cathomas86/Christine
I Quit Because...

"I was diagnosed with smoking related Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and my breathing was bad." JillyAnderson/Jilly

"I love my ten month old daughter and want to see her grow up and be able to lead her in the right direction in life." Antz06

"I watched my dad die...smoking still...dragging around that oxygen tank." Sue2006/Sue

"I nearly died, aged 43 years and 2 weeks old, from a stroke and brain hemorrhage on 21st June 2005." BrewSTAR/Paul

"I took a look at my gorgeous teen age son and realized that if I did not quit smoking I would not be around to see him grow up, get married, and have children of his own." CurlyBaggins/Patty
I Quit Because...

"My gums were starting to look horrible and I hate bad teeth!" KimLondon

"The anxiety (fear) that I wouldn't quit in time got harder to live with than quitting was to do." AbQuitSmking/Terry

"I was really scared I would not be in time to save myself from some form of smoking related cancer." Luisa1958/Luisa

"I hate wrinkles and smoking causes more of them." LiAudra

"I want to be in control, not some cigarette." GrammaJamma/Jan
I Quit Because...

"I had a precancerous nodule on my vocal cords removed." PollyEliza/Polly

"I like being able to breathe and don't want to end up in a hospital bed with lung cancer thinking that I could have done something to prevent it." Ab_StLouis/Richard

"I quit because I was so tired of being an addict. Just a waste of time, energy, health, money...on and on." WendysQuit/Wendy

"I couldn't even walk up 9 steps without wheezing and coughing." Stacie77

"I want to be the best me I can be and how could I do that while poisoning my body?" StarSadie/Cindy
How would you finish the sentence, "I quit because...."?

Create your own list of reasons and carry it with you, adding to it as time goes by. Our reasons are as varied and unique as we are people, but they are all significant and powerful motivators.

If you haven't yet quit smoking, let the words on this page inspire you to make cessation a reality in your life too. We all have the ability to quit smoking successfully, and we all deserve a life that is free of addiction. Honor yours by thinking about your reasons and making your quit program the number one priority in your life. You'll never regret the decision to quit smoking.

Choose life!

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Why Should I Quit Smoking?

Make a List of Reasons Why You Want to Quit Smoking
By Terry Martin, About.com Guide Updated May 11, 2009

Most people who smoke wish they didn't. They live with a hatred for the habit they can't seem to do without. The fear of serious illness is usually there too, lurking in the background, and always that awful feeling of being powerless to quit.
Nicotine addiction does that to a person.

Smoker's Denial

As smokers, we live in denial about what cigarettes are doing to us. We have to, otherwise there would be no comfort in smoking, no relief...no pleasure.
Yes, we know that smoking causes cancer and emphysema - we know smoking kills and that we're playing roulette with our health. However, we also know that most smoking-related diseases take years to develop, so we tell ourselves we have time, that nothing will happen to us. Besides, the bad stuff always happens to other people anyway, right?

Right?

Wrong. With upwards of 5 million people dying on this planet every year from tobacco use, chances are more than good that we'll end up a tragic addition to those statistics if we continue smoking.

20 Shocking Tobacco Facts
Every additional year we invest in smoking compromises our chances for survival all the more.
Ready to Quit

Eventually, there comes a time for most smokers when the "smokescreen" starts to wear thin. And when it does, smoking loses its luster; its ability to soothe. Instead, smoking becomes a fearful, anxiety-ridden activity that has little to do with pleasure or relaxation, and we find ourselves thinking about quitting with every cigarette we light.
Quit Smoking 101 - A Free Email Course
The fact that you're here reading this article is a good sign. You're probably sick of smoking, and unhappy enough to be seeking out some help. Good for you, because when it comes to overcoming the addiction to nicotine, education is key. The more you understand about how smoking affects you and what to expect as you wean yourself away from it, the better prepared you'll be for success.
Why do you want to quit smoking?

What are the reasons behind your desire to quit smoking? Sit down with paper and pen, and list them out. Include every single thing you can think of, from the largest, most obvious of reasons, to the smallest.
I Quit Smoking Because...
My own 26 year addiction turned me into a person I didn't much like.
I was fearful that a smoking-related disease would catch up with me before I found a way to quit smoking. I was worried sick, so to speak.
I hated the smoker's cough and shortness of breath I had developed. I knew it was a sign of lung damage, and would only get worse the longer I smoked.
I hated the smell, the embarrassment, and the need. I especially resented the need. Nicotine dependency made me feel weak and helpless.
These were some of the first items I put on my own list of reasons, and it didn't take long to add a long line of other things I hated about smoking as well.
Think about the pros and cons of smoking as you compose your list, and when you're done, make a copy to carry with you. Add to it when more reasons come to mind, and read it when your resolve is at a low ebb. It will quickly help you get your priorites back in order and keep you on track with your quit program. Think of your list of reasons as a cornerstone in the foundation you're building for smoking cessation.

Patience!

Much of the process of release from nicotine addiction comes down to plain old practice. We taught ourselves to smoke one day at a time until it was interwoven into just about every activity in our lives. It only makes sense then, that we should allow ourselves the time it takes to retrain old habits into newer, healthier ones that don't involve smoking. Arm yourself with knowledge and support, and be patient. You'll grow stronger by the day.
Success always starts in our minds. Once we get our thoughts moving in the right direction, taking positive action comes more easily.

It's like a snowball rolling downhill. Channel your thoughts onto that sheet of paper, and you'll begin to gain momentum. Once you start the snowball rolling, you'll be amazed at what you can do to change your life for the better.

If you want to change your life, change your mind."

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5 Reasons to Quit Smoking

1) Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., and the leading cause of death caused by smoking. The toxins in cigarette smoke cause plaques to form in the arteries, which leads to atherosclerosis, otherwise known as hardening of the arteries. Smoking is hard on the heart.
Smoking and Heart Disease - Statistics
Smoking and the Risk of Atherosclerosis

2) Stroke


According to the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, killing upwards of 150,000 people each year. For smokers, the risk of stroke is nearly 2-1/2 times that of nonsmokers.
Are You at Risk for a Stroke?
How a Stroke Changed My Life - Paul's Story

3) Lung Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 213,380 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed - and 160,390 deaths will occur - in 2007 from lung cancer in the United States alone.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women, and with 87 percent of all lung cancer cases involving tobacco, it is one form of cancer that is preventable.
All About Lung Cancer
Diagnosed with Lung Cancer - Cheryl's Story

4) COPD

Tobacco use is the number one cause of COPD (which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema), and quitting smoking is the best way to halt further damage. It's estimated that as many as 10 million Americans suffer from COPD, with upwards of 14 million others who may have it but are undiagnosed. In the United States, it was the fourth leading cause of death in 2000 and projections place it as the third leading cause by the year 2020.

Do I Have COPD?
Why You Don't Want Emphysema - Christine's Story

5) Oral Cancer

Oral cancer (mouth cancer) is included in a specific group of cancers called oral and head and neck cancer. It's estimated that 70 to 80 percent of all cases of OHNC are due to tobacco use and heavy alcohol consumption.

Oral Cancer Overview
Losing My Voice to Oral Cancer - Marlene's Story
There's No Time Like The Present...

If you're thinking about quitting, a good place to start is exactly where you avoided going in the past. Delve into the facts and figures about how destructive tobacco is. Learn exactly what you risk when you light up, day after day, year after year.

Don't be afraid to look at nicotine addiction head-on! It will help you shift your attitude away from thinking of smoking as a friend and allow you to see it for death trap it truly is.

Click here to Quit Smoking Expert

How to Quit Smoking Now: Fast and Easy

If you want to learn how to quit smoking quickly and easily, this article reviews a program that can help you.

You know that you need to quit smoking in order to feel healthier and live longer. No big secret, right? But many people don't know how to kick the nicotine habit. Many have tried and many have failed and become frustrated with the entire process. This article will introduce you to a program that will effectively teach you how to kick the habit for good.

If you want to feel healthier and live longer, visit this website to quit smoking now and forever.

The reason that smoking is such a hard habit to break is the fact that nicotine is an addictive substance. Most smokers have found that quit smoking tips like using nicotine aids or relying on sheer will power will not get the job done. It takes a complete overhaul of your thought processes to convince yourself that you don't need that next cigarette. The Quit Smoking Today program offers just such a technique.

The founder of the program, Rob Mellor, believes that the best way to quit smoking cigarettes is to use a form of psychotherapy known as neuro-linguistic programming. He has perfected this technique and tested it on more than 5000 smokers. His results have been compelling with more than 97% of his test subjects kicking the habit for six months or more. None of the subjects in his study used other types of quit smoking aids like gum, patches or medication.

The benefits of quitting smoking are far reaching. According to Mellor, within 20 minutes of kicking the habit, your blood pressure will return to normal. Carbon monoxide levels return to normal within eight hours. Your circulation improves after two months and your chance of a heart attack is cut in half after one year. Your risk of heart attack and stroke will match a non-smoker once you have been nicotine free for 10 years or more.

Then there is the money savings. Some who have quit smoking for good have gone on trips with the cash they saved on cigarettes. Some use the money to purchase gifts for the holidays. When you count up the dollars spent on cigarettes every week, it is easy to see a big financial benefit in getting help to quit smoking now.

If you want to learn how to quit smoking cigarettes, check out Mellor's online program. The techniques can easily be downloaded to an MP3 player or CD so you can get quit smoking help right at home. After just 38 minutes of listening to Mellor's proven methods, you can kiss those nicotine sticks goodbye for good. The program is easy to follow and offers a 60-day money back guarantee. There is simply no easier or more effective way to enjoy the many benefits of a cigarette-free lifestyle.

By Jenie Parletto

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