Dangers of Smoking

Quitting - See results in 15 Years or 20 Minutes

2005-05-10T05:22:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I attended University of Delaware's Relay for Life. It was a great time and they had a record turnout. Together, we all raised a total of $185,000!!! This really made up for the fact that I only got 1.5 hours of sleep, but it was great seeing everyone come together to fight one of the deadliest diseases out there.

Around the track they had a bunch of different booths set up, providing people with information on cancer screenings, ways to fight cancer, and, not surprisngly, there was a cessation booth for those smokers interested in quitting. While visiting this set up, I noticed that they had a list of the healthy benefits of quitting, broken down into a timeframe, showing how you can benefit anywhere from 15 years from now, to 20 minutes. I thought that I would share this with you in hopes that it may provide even more of an incentive for people to quit.

20 Minutes
Blood presure drops to normal, pulse rate drops to normal, and body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal.

24 Hours
Chances of a heart attack decreases.

48 Hours
Nerve endings start regrowing, and ability to smell and taste is enhanced.

2 Weeks to 3 Months
Circulation improves, walking becomes easier, and lung function increases up to 30%.

1-9 Months
Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decreases. Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection. And the body's overall energy level increases.

1 Year
Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a nonsmoker.

5 Years
Lung cancer death rate for average former smoker decreases by almost half, stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5-15 years after quitting, risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus is half that of a smoker's.

10 Years
Lung cancer death rate similar to that of a nonsmoker and risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases.

15 Years
Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker.

After seeing all the great benefits of quitting, and knowing that it's never to late to reduce the harmful effects of smoking, why would anyone not want to quit?

I'm not certain, but I'm pretty sure this information was provided courtesy of the American Cancer Society. Check out their website for more information.

Tips for Quitting

2005-05-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

I received a newsletter in the mail the other day from my insurance carrier, Coventry Health Care, called Preventive Health Measures for Women. Inside the newsletter was a section on smoking and it had some very useful tips for quitting that I thought I would share with you:

*Tell others that you're quitting
*Adopt a buddy for support
*Avoid places where smoking occurs
*Get rid of your cigarettes, lighters, matches, and ashtrays
*Set a quit date
*Spend time with non-smokers

I think these are some really great ideas for those of you thinking about quitting. I especially think the tip to stay away from places where smoking occurs is a smart plan. I would imagine the temptation to light up increases ten fold when surrounded by other people smoking. And since Delaware has the indoor smoking ban, this shouldn't be too hard to do (or at least for you fellow Delawareans).

I also think it's a great idea to have a support buddy. This way you don't have to feel like you're doing this all by yourself, you'll have someone there to help you through it.

When considering whether or not to quit, just keep in mind that quitting smoking at any age automatically reduces your risk of disease almost immediately; a comforting thought to both you and your loved ones.

Quit Smoking, Save Money

2005-04-27T18:40:00.000-07:00

I passed a billboard today that said that if you smoke one-and-a-half packs of cigarettes a day for 5 years, it will cost you 8,842 dollars! That's ridiculous. Imagine all the things you could've bought with that amount of money. So if the poisons you're inhaling isn't enough of an incentive to quit, how about all the money you can save?

I think the billboard was courtesy of the Delaware Health and Social Services Division of Public Health, which provides the Delaware Quitline, a program for state residents who want to quit smoking.

Fact

2005-04-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

1 cigarette contains:

* 50 cancer-causing chemicals

AND

* 3,950 poisons

This just has disaster written all over it. Why in the world anybody would want to inhale this is beyond me...

Anti-Inflammatory Drugs May Reduce Risk of Oral Cancer

2005-04-20T18:29:00.001-07:00

A study was recently performed that shows that taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like aspirin or ibuprofen) may help cut the risk of smokers developing oral cancer. In the study, smokers who took the drugs were 65% less likely to develop oral cancer than those who did not. It's also belived that these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may reduce the risk of gastrointestinal cancer, esophageal and gastric cancer, and colorectal cancer as well. I'm sure this will come as great news to current smokers, although an even easier solution might be to quit all together.

Click here if you would like to read the complete article from MedicineNet.com.

Cigarette Butt Sold At Auction

2005-04-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

According to Scotsman.com, a Scottish news site, a cigarette butt was recently auctioned off in New Zealand. What makes this cigarette butt so special? It was reportedly the last butt smoked before a new smoking ban went into effect in the country. Why anyone would want to buy a cigarrette butt is beyond me, but it sold for 3,080 pounds. This all sounds a little on the bizarre side to me...

Article Shows Link Between Peter Jennings Smoking Habit and Lung Cancer

2005-04-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

Many people seem to have a hard time believing that smoking had anything to do with Peter Jennings lung cancer (which is an easy misconception considering he quit 20 years ago). For those of you non-believers, there is an interesting article that I found on MedicineNet.com that may change your minds. I recommend reading the article, but here are some of the major points:

- about 87% of lung cancer cases are caused by smoking, and 40% - 50% of new cases may occur in former smokers.
- smokers are 10 to 15 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers
- smokers die an average of 10 years sooner than non-smokers
- 50% - 70% of those who started smoking at an early age will die from the habit, 25% in middle age
- the survival rate for lung cancer is only 15.2%, and eventually 90% of lung cancer victims will die from the disease

This article may seem somewhat depressing, but it does provide some good news, which I have previously mentioned: quitting by the age of 50 cuts the risk of dying from smoking in half, and quitting at age 30 almost completely eliminates the risk. I'd say now sounds like the perfect opportunity to quit, and I'm sure Peter Jennings would agree.

Phillip Morris Offers Help To Those Interested In Quitting...

2005-04-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

I was out with one of my smoker friends the other night when I noticed something interesting on the back of her pack of cigarettes. There was a little booklet that read "If you decide to quit smoking..." Phillip Morris had put together a little pack of information for those who are interested in quitting smoking. I have to give them credit for trying to reach smokers while they are actually smoking. The program is called Quit Assist and provides excellent resources for anyone who is ready to quit. My only complaint is that it was so hard to get the booklet off the pack of cigarettes that it ripped in half. There's just something a little shady about that, but I have to give them credit for trying...

Peter Jennings Diagnosed With Lung Cancer

2005-04-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

For those of you who still need proof that smoking is dangerous, it was announced yesterday that Peter Jennings has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Even though Jennings quit smoking 20 years ago, it still wasn't enough. And sadly, smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, smoking being the culprit in 8 out of 10 lung cancer cases. Jennings shouldn't lose hope, many people with this disease are able to fight it and win. For now, he will be receiving chemotherapy for the next several months, continuing to broadcast when he feels up to it. I feel for him as he battles this disease, as well as everyone else going through the same thing. I have a friend who lost a mother to lung cancer last month and can only imagine what it feels like. Please don't let this happen to you. If you don't want to quit for yourself, then quit for those who love and care about you and will be there for you as they helplessly watch you fight a disease that could have been prevented from the start.

Delaware Quitline

2005-03-26T14:10:00.000-08:00

For all those people who are interested in quitting smoking, or know people who should, the state of Delaware has an excellent resource called The Delaware Quitline.

They provide:
- motivational support from a smoking cessation specialist
- referral to a local pharmacist
- a guidebook from the American Cancer Society
- and the possibility of receiving vouchers for patches and gum

Not only do they offer a great set of resources, but they're also responsible for those cool billboards you see driving down 95, like "Give Your Butts the Boot."

If you're a smoker looking to quit, I would definitely recommend looking into this. Why go it alone if you have people there to help?

Possible In-Door Smoking Ban in Philadelphia

2005-03-17T12:30:00.000-08:00

I was watching the news this morning on CBS 3 and saw a story about how Philadelphia is considering enforcing a new in-door smoking ban. The ban would make smoking illegal inside all bars and restaurants in the city, and any business that chooses not comply will be fined $300. I for one am thrilled about this idea. I love going to Philly but hate smelling like a cigarette when I leave. It would also be nice to not have bloodshot eyes and a runny nose as a result of being around all the smoke. The City Council was suppossed to take a vote today, but it looks like the vote will now take place sometime after Easter. I'll be sure to keep you posted as to how this one turns out.

Secondhand Smoke Facts

2005-03-13T17:24:00.000-08:00

According to the American Cancer Society, in the United States alone, secondhand smoke is responsible for:
-Between 35,000 and 40,000 deaths from heart disease in non-smokers
-3,000 lung cancer deaths in non-smokers
-150,000 to 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in children younger than 18 months
-Other respiratory problems including coughing, chest discomfort, and reduced lung function

Click here for more information on secondhand smoke.

Study Shows Link Between Smoking and Leukemia

2005-03-11T20:17:00.000-08:00

When I was checking out Google News earlier today, I came across an article in Forbes Magazine about a new study about the dangers of smoking during pregnancy. It seems that the tobacco in cigarette smoke can actually change the genetic makeup in the fetus, increasing the child's risk for leukemia.

I know a little boy with leukemia and I'm sure that if his parents could have prevented his condition in any possible way, they would have. I can't imagine how painful it would be to find out that your child has leukemia and then to find out that you caused it because you just had to smoke while you were pregnant.

It's one thing if you want to hurt yourself, it's another if you hurt, or even possibly kill, someone else. I hope this study encourages pregnant mothers to think twice about smoking in the future.

Careless Smoking Causes Fire

2005-03-06T18:46:00.000-08:00

I was talking to my mom today and she was telling me that there was a really bad fire back home this past week. Apparently someone had been smoking in bed and then fell asleep igniting a fire at 1 a.m. that resulted in the need for 3 fire companies to be called to put out the blaze at this apartment complex. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the fire, but those that lived in the building had to temporarily find somewhere else to live. I do realize that it was probably more carelessness that caused the fire than the actual smoking, and had this person had common sense, it probably wouldn't have happened, but had this individual not been smoking in the first place, this situation could have been avoided entirely. I think this is just another excellent reason to avoid lighting up all together.

Good News for Longtime Smokers

2005-03-02T17:53:00.000-08:00

Once people have been smoking for a certain number of years, many say that there is no reason for them to quit because they feel they've already done the damage and there's nothing they can do at this point. Well, I was reading The News Journal and I came across an article titled, "More Good Reasons To Stop Smoking," and it seems that even longtime smokers can still reap the benefits of quitting, despite how many years they've been going at it.

A previous study showed that someone who had smoked for 15 years and then quit still had the ability to live the same number of years as non-smokers. Further, people who chose to quit smoking before turning 35 still have a good chance of living the same number of years as someone who has never smoked.

And although the average amount of years taken off of the average smoker's life is 10, smokers who quit before the age of 50 seem to save themselves 5 years by taking only half that time off of their lives.

Ideally, people should try to avoid lighting up in the first place, but this research shows that quitting can be very beneficial and literally a life saving move.

World Wide Anti-Smoking Pact Goes Into Effect

2005-02-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

As of today, the World Health Organization's anti-smoking pact, which was developed and approved in 2003, will finally be enforced in 57 countries around the world. The pact was designed to help reduce the number of deaths that result from smoking each year (currently an overwhelming 4.9 million). The pact, which is referred to as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, will give participating countries 3 years to put strong warning labels on cigarette packages and 5 years to ban all advertising. The treaty also encourages members to increase the tax on all tobacco-related products and to reduce the exposure to second-hand smoke.

Although the treaty was able to enroll 57 countries, there are over 100 others who have signed the pact but have delayed actually having it officially ratified. This is currently the case in the U.S. It seems that we have signed the treaty, but it hasn't quite made it's way into the senate as of yet. Some believe that this is because of pressure from the tobacco industry to drop the pact altogether. Knowing this treaty could have a detrimental impact on business, tobacco companies around the globe are doing what they can to prevent this potential bill from going into effect.

It would definitely be wise for the U.S. to ratify the treaty; however, I'd say that this country is already working hard to crack down on the tobacco industry and has already put some of these initiatives into practice. For instance, tobacco companies are not allowed to advertise on television and more anti-smoking ads pop up everyday. Additionally, cigarette packages here already have warning labels about potential health risks associated with smoking. And many states have started a clean indoor act making it illegal to smoke in indoor public places. However, ratifying the treaty would only help in the fight against smoking and would move the U.S. another step in the right direction.

I think that the fact that so many countries are willing to join this fight is a phenomenal thing. Trying to prevent people from smoking and encouraging current users to quit is something that the government should be extremely involved in and hopefully this pact will help prevent the annual number of tobacco-related deaths from hitting the projected 10 million in 2020.

Visit the World Health Organization for additional information.

2005-02-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

When recently asked what I was passionate about, I realized that I've been so busy lately that I haven't had time to really be passionate about anything. A few days later I was hanging out with some friends when they told me they had to go outside for a smoke, I suddenly remembered something that I am truly passionate about: trying to help people quit smoking. I've known quite a few smokers in my life and have seen first hand some of the dangers that go along with it. I've known people who have lost loved ones to smoking and know people very close to me who have gotten cancer or other illnesses because of the habit. I all of the sudden remembered that I have spent a lot of energy trying to convince those that I care about to quit smoking. I know its selfish of me, but I love some of these people dearly and would like to know that they're going to be around for awhile. It was then that I decided that I should create a blog and dedicate it entirely to educating people about the dangers of smoking and hopefully in the mean time I'll be able to help people realize that maybe smoking isn't such a good idea after all.

I thought it might be helpful if I occasionally post a few little facts about smoking and reasons for why people should quit. This seems like a good one to start out with: About half of all Americans who continue to smoke will die because of the habit. That's 1 out of every 2 people...kinda crazy when you think about it...