By
the Health Education and Promotion Division,
Ministry of Health
"Smoking is bad", it stains your teeth, causes premature wrinkles, makes your hair and clothes smell, lowers your physical stamina and on top of all that, it's a waste of money. In fact, if you are a smoker, you have a 25 per cent chance of dying before the age of 60. Globally1.25 billion people or one-fifth of the world's population are smokers.
Smoking causes 25 different life-threatening diseases and is responsible for one-third of all cancer disease. It is also a major contributor to the development of bronchitis, asthma, high-blood pressure, increased cholesterol, heart attack, diabetes, and infertility.
This is a major concern as current trends predict that in the next 30 years, over 100 million people will die from tobacco related illnesses exceeding the death toll from AIDS, tuberculosis, automobile accidents, maternal mortality, homicide and suicide combined. (WHO, World Health Organization).
In an attempt to control tobacco use, many countries have implemented taxes, raised warnings and put up laws to control the sale and consumption of tobacco. While the changes in policy and legislation have been successful in reducing the number of smokers, 72 per cent of all smokers still live in developing nations and this number is expected to rise to 85 per cent by 2025. Tobacco is a silent killer and 500 million of all the people alive today will die because of this deadly habit.
What's in a cigarette?
Cigarette tobacco typically contains 1-3 per cent nicotine. When tobacco is burnt, nicotine is vaporised and enters the smoke, attached to tiny particles of tar. About 40 per cent of cigarette smoke is tar. Inhaled smoke carries the mixture of tar and nicotine deep into the lungs where 90 per cent of the nicotine is readily absorbed into the bloodstream.
There are many ingredients in tobacco smoke especially in the tar, in which over 4,000 thousand chemical compounds have now been detected, 43 of which are proven to cause cancer.
The contents of the smoke depend on the type of tobacco and the way it is burnt. The last third of the cigarette produces more tar and nicotine then the first two thirds together. Filter cigarettes first introduced in the 1950's have about 60 per cent of the tar yield of non-filter cigarettes.
In addition to the many organic chemicals in tobacco smoke there are also various gases such as carbon monoxide and other biologically active gases (such as oxides of nitrogen and hydrogen cyanide), and various heavy metals, including cadmium and lead, some of which are present in radioactive form. Some of these ingredients of smoke act locally, in the mouth, throat, larynx, trachea or lungs, where they are deposited. Others are absorbed from the mouth or lungs into the bloodstream and may then act on tissues throughout the body.
The four major components of tobacco smoke
1. Nicotine: Has many pharmacological actions, especially as a cardiovascular stimulant and within the central nervous system. It affects the body's metabolism and increases the concentration of high density lipids (bad cholesterol) and glucose in the blood. Nicotine is one of the most powerful poisonous substances known; an injected single drop causes death within a few minutes.
2. Cancer producing substances (Carcinogens): The occurrence of cancer is increased by factors that predispose or promote development during the stages of carcinogenesis. Since cigarette smoke is a rich chemical cocktail, containing about 60 known or suspected carcinogens it is no surprise that smoking seems to affect all stages of cancer development. Some of the chemical substances found in cigarette smoke include tar, arsenic, ammonia, methanol, arsenic, lead, mercury and cyanide, most of which are well known poisons.
3. Irritant substances: An immediate effect of inhaling tobacco smoke is constriction of the bronchial tubes. Regular smoking impairs the action of the cilia lining the bronchial tube. These hair like cilia normally move in a coordinated fashion to clear mucus secretions up into the throat; inhaled dust and bacteria are thus continually removed from the healthy lung. Smokers have to rely on their 'smokers cough' as a substitute for this normal self-cleaning mechanism. The cells lining the lungs and throat are unable to function properly as the chemicals found in the tobacco smoke paralyse them.
4. Carbon monoxide and other gasses: Upon absorption into the blood, carbon dioxide (CO) attaches rapidly and tightly to the red blood cells and thus preventing the amount of oxygen available to the body. Smokers on one pack a day have twice the normal amount of carbon dioxide in their blood throughout most of the day. Carbon dioxide is a toxic gas and a lack of available oxygen will increase the risk of circulatory diseases.
Benefits of Quitting
If you are a smoker and thinking about quitting, remember your body will benefit the minute you stop;
In 2 hours- nicotine will not be present in the blood.
In 6 hours- your heart rate and blood pressure will reduce slightly.
In 12-24 hours- the body will release Carbon Monoxide and your stamina will improve because increased lung efficiency.
In 2-3 days- You will feel fresher and your sense of taste and smell will greatly improve.
In a few days after- Your respiratory systems cleaning mechanism has begun to re-activate itself, you will notice increased phlegm when you cough.
In 3 weeks time- Your lungs are functioning better and exercise is getting easier.
In 2 months time- Circulation in your body organs and extremities has greatly improved and you begin to experience a feeling of overall well-being.
In 3 months time- Your lungs are now functioning normally, sperm production has resumed to normal levels and there are fewer mutations. The risk of infertility for males has gone down.
In 12 months time- The risk of dying suddenly as a result of heart attack or stroke has been reduced by 50 per cent less than those still smoking.
In 5 years time- The risk of death as a result of heart attack or stroke is now the same as a person who does not smoke.
In 10-15 years time- The risk of dying from diseases such as lung cancer is now the same as a person who has never smoked.
10 steps to "Quit Smoking"
Congratulations for making a positive choice, below are a few steps that can help you become tobacco free.
Step 1: Be specific by deciding how you want to quit. You can stop smoking immediately or by gradually reducing the number of cigarettes. Choose a specific date and reduce the number of cigarettes smoked a few weeks in advance if you plan to stop immediately.
Step 2: Get support from your friends and family, try to get a few friends to quit with you. Get your friends who smoke to co-operate by not smoking near you or to tempt you with cigarettes.
Step 3: Throw away all cigarettes and smoking implements such as lighters, pipes, ash trays and anything else you associated with smoking.
Step 4: Take one day at a time and praise yourself every time you overcome an urge to smoke.
Step 5: Think Positive. Believe that you are someone who does not smoke and if someone offers you a cigarette tell them, 'No thank you, I don't smoke'. Remember you can choose not to smoke.
Step 6: Fight the temptation to smoke, As a person who has just stopped smoking you will feel irritated, anxious, angry and sometimes vulnerable, all of which are withdrawal symptoms of nicotine. These symptoms will only last a few weeks and remember that every time you succeed in not smoking you are one step closer to becoming tobacco free.
Step 7: Save all the money you normally use to buy cigarettes and use it to buy yourself something special when you are truly free of tobacco. This will normally take anything from 6 months to a year.
Step 8: Watch your figure, an increase of body weight may be experienced because your appetite is not suppressed anymore. Eat food that is low in carbohydrate and drink lots of water. Exercising 30 minutes a day can help keep you fit and trim. Exercise will not only make you look better but can also distract you from the temptations of smoking.
Step 9: Get professional help, if needed, meet with your doctor to get some advice and a check-up at the same time.
Step 10: Don't give up if you fail. If you fail try and try again. Remember there are no benefits from smoking and it is a danger to your health.
Commonly asked questions:
Quitting is not easy and the only way to stop is to not give up. Many of the people who try to stop smoking are faced with many challenges, below are some of the answers to commonly asked questions:
1. Won't I gain weight if I stop smoking?
Not everyone who stops smoking gains weight.
Average weight gains are small for people who do gain (2-5kg).
Don't diet now- there will be time once you are an established non-smoker.
Exercise is an effective technique to cope with withdrawal and to avoid weight gain.
Avoid high calorie snacks. Vegetables and fruits are good snacks.
The health risk of smoking is far greater then the risk gained from a small weight gain.
A small weight gain will not hurt your appearance. Smoking causes yellow teeth, bad breath, stale clothing odour and possibly wrinkled skin.
2. I don't have the willpower to stop smoking.
More then 3 million Americans break their nicotine habit every year.
Not everyone is successful the first time but many people are successful after several attempts.
Gain support from family and friends, inform your friends and family that you have stopped smoking. Better still get your friends who smoke to quit with you.
3. I only smoke low tar/ light cigarettes, so why should I stop?
There is no such thing as a safe cigarette.
Most smokers just inhale deeper or more frequently to compensate for low nicotine level in these cigarettes.
4. Is it better to stop cold turkey or over a period of time?
There is no "best way"
Most successful former tobacco users stop "cold turkey" (stopping immediately and not touching a single cigarette).
5. What about insomnia?
Many tobacco users report having problems sleeping after they stop. If these symptoms are related to nicotine dependence they should disappear within 2 to 3 weeks.
6. Why do I cough more now that I've stop smoking?
About 20 per cent of former smokers report an increase in coughing after they stop. This is a temporary response thought to be caused by an increase in the lung's ability to remove mucus, so it actually represents recovery of the lungs defence mechanism.
7. Now that I've stopped can I use tobacco occasionally?
No, Nicotine addiction seems to be triggered quickly in most former users. Don't risk becoming hooked again.
8. Will my body recover from the effects of smoking?
Some of the damage may be permanent, such as loss of lung tissue in emphysema.
Other functions are recovered, such as the lungs ability to remove mucus.
The increased risk of heart disease is halved in the first year and approaches that of non-smokers in about 5 years.
The increased risk of lung cancer diminishes and approaches that of a non-smoker in 15 to 20 years.
9. Should I tell people I'm trying to stop?
Yes, you should enlist the support of family, friends and co-workers.
10. What should I do if I get the urge to smoke?
Some people relieve cravings by chewing sugar free gum, sucking on a cinnamon stick, or eating a carrot stick.
Craving for cigarettes are a normal part of withdrawals.
Most cravings last for only a few minutes and then subside.
Cravings become rare after a few weeks.
Use nicotine gum if prescribed.
11. When I don't use cigarettes, I feel restless and can't concentrate.
These are normal symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.
These symptoms are most acute in the first 3-4 days after stopping.
These symptoms will disappear after a few weeks.
12. What other withdrawal symptoms will I have?
Some people will have few or no symptoms of withdrawal.
Other common symptoms will include anxiety, irritability, mild headache and gastrointestinal problems such as constipation.
A few people experience all of these symptoms.
Like other symptoms, they are all temporary.
13. I'd like to use nicotine gum, but I'm afraid I'll become addicted to it.
A small percentage of people do use nicotine gum for longer then 3-6 months recommended.
Most people are able to gradually reduce without discomfort the amount of nicotine gum they use, until they stop completely.
Nicotine gum does not damage the lungs or the lining of the mouth and nicotine itself is not known to cause cancer, so it is less harmful then smoking or using smokeless tobacco. Tobacco contains many dangerous chemicals.
Overcoming the mental challenges of quitting
If you experience any of the following;
1) Unable to concentrate
Take a short break.
Get out of the office and go for a short walk.
Lighten your workload a few days after you quit smoking.
Do light exercise.
Share your feelings with your family or friends.
2) Unable to sleep
Avoid drinking coffee or caffeine based drinks.
Exercise so that you will feel tired and sleep easily.
3) Difficulty waking up in the morning
Take short naps during the day if needed.
Go for a walk in the morning.
Change your daily routines.
4) Feeling anxious or depressed
Begin doing exercise you enjoy or have always wanted to learn how to do.
Take up a hobby that you enjoy.
Steps you can take if you are offered a cigarette.
Refuse politely so that you do not offend anyone.If you feel pressured, give an excuse and leave the place or avoid the person offering cigarettes.
Inform your friends that you have made a decision to quit smoking and that you have a desire to quit.
Remind yourself why you want to quit and what benefits you will gain from quitting.
Good luck!
Remember, don't give up and try again if you fail the first time.
Source: Weekend, June 20, 2009
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