Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States which continues due to nicotine addiction. It’s no secret that smoking tobacco is bad for your health. According to the CDC, smoking cigarettes kills more than 480,000 Americans each year meaning that’s more than 1,300 deaths every day. More deaths than car accidents, alcohol, guns, and HIV/AIDS combined. And yet, 29% of adults in the US still smoke cigarettes. In fact, it’s the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
If you’re one of those 29%, this blog post is for you. So why do people continue to smoke? For many, it’s simply a matter of addiction. nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet. Once someone starts smoking, it can be very difficult to stop. Below, we’ll explore some of the dangers of nicotine addiction and why you should quit smoking. We’ll also provide some resources to help you quit for good.
The Dangers of Addiction
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance. In fact, tobacco use is ranked as one of the most difficult addictions to overcome. Once you’re addicted to nicotine, it’s hard to stop using tobacco products. According to the Mayo Clinic, only 4-7% of smokers are able to quit on their own.
Smoking cigarettes comes with a host of health risks. Short-term risks include difficulty breathing, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and headaches. Long-term risks include cancer, heart disease, stroke, and lung disease. In fact, smokers are two to three times more likely than nonsmokers to die from heart disease or stroke. Smoking tobacco is dangerous for your health in a number of ways. Here are just a few:
- Smoking damages your heart and your blood vessels. This increases your risk of developing heart disease, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease (a circulatory disorder that primarily affects your legs and feet).
- Smoking can also cause lung cancer by damaging the cells that line your lungs. In fact, smoking is responsible for about 90% of all lung cancer deaths in the United States each year.
- Smoking also increases your risk of developing other types of cancer, including cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix.
- Smoking also damages your bones and muscles by reducing blood flow and causing inflammation (swelling). This can lead to conditions such as osteoporosis (a condition in which your bones become weak and more likely to break) and rheumatoid arthritis (a condition in which your joints become inflamed).
- Smoking also contributes to erectile dysfunction (difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection), which can affect sexual performance.
- Smoking also interferes with fertility by damaging eggs in women and lowering sperm count in men. This can make it more difficult to conceive a child.
- Smoker’s also have an increased risk of suffering from cataracts (a clouding of the eye’s lens) and macular degeneration (a deterioration of the retina). Smoking also causes wrinkles and makes skin look older than it actually is.
- Finally, smoking puts you at greater risk for developing conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and emphysema (a lung disease that makes it difficult to breathe).
These are just some of the dangers associated with smoking tobacco. As you can see, there’s no part of your body that isn’t affected by smoking—and almost all of those effects are negative! So if you’re thinking about starting to smoke tobacco, think again—it’s just not worth the risk! Smoking is also extremely harmful to those around you. Secondhand smoke exposure can cause cancer and respiratory problems in adults and children alike—even if they never smoke themselves.
But addiction is not the only reason people smoke. Many people believe that smoking relieves stress and helps them relax. Others see smoking as a sign of maturity or adulthood. And still others start smoking because their friends or family members smoke. Whatever the reason, it’s important to understand the dangers of smoking tobacco before you start.
Why You Should Quit Smoking
It’s never too late to quit smoking and improve your health. According to the CDC, quitting smoking at any age can reduce your risk of premature death by up to 30%. And the sooner you quit smoking, the greater the health benefits will be.
Each year, about 38% of smokers try to quit for at least one day—and many are successful in quitting for good. If you’re ready to quit smoking but don’t know where to start, there are many resources available to help you including nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), counseling, and support groups.
The CDC has a helpful quitting smoking webpage that outlines all of your options and provides tips for staying smoke-free for good. If you’re not sure where to start or what method will work best for you, give them a call at 1-800-QUITNOW (1-800-784-8669). They can connect you with resources in your area so that you can start your journey toward better health today!
Conclusion
Consider this your official wakeup call: Smoking is extremely harmful to your health—and the health of those around you—in more ways than one. If you’re struggling with nicotine addiction and looking for resources to help you quit for good, visit CDC’s quitting smoking webpage or call 1-800-QUITNOW today!