PREVENTIVE MEDICINE 25, 100–101 (1996)ARTICLE NO. 0034

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A Message from Preventive Medicine and Your Physician

Smoking: Some New Reasons to Quit

MORE REASONS TO QUIT SMOKING REASONS PEOPLE GIVE NOT TO QUIT

If you are still smoking—despite all the pressures Given all the problems that smoking causes, whyto stop—you should be aware of some new reasons to don’t all smokers just quit? There are many reasonsquit. For years, smokers have known that cigarette they give for continuing, but the only ones that countsmoking increases their risk of lung cancer, heart in your case are the specific ones that apply to you.disease, and stroke. And most pipe and cigar smok- So take a look at the list below and see which onesers know of their increased risk for cancer of the lip, apply to you. Then ask yourself if it isn’t time to quitmouth, and throat. But research has revealed many smoking now.other problems related to smoking that you should

I Cannot Quit. I Have Tried Many Times Beforebe aware of if you choose to continue smoking.and FailedBlood vessels in the heart are not the only ones

affected by smoking—vessels throughout the bodyAlmost everyone who quits smoking for good goesare affected, too. For example, narrowing of the ar-

through a few unsuccessful attempts first. But, in-teries in the legs can cause pain when you walk, andstead of treating these experiences as personal fail-blockage of arteries in the head and neck can resultures, they use them as learning experiences to in-in a stroke.crease their chance of success the next time around.Lung cancer is not the only type of cancer smokingIf you have quit before and resumed smoking, try tocan cause. The chemicals that smoking puts intoremember why you relapsed. Then prepare yourselfyour bloodstream can cause several other kinds ofbetter this time for the same kinds of pitfalls. Thecancer as well, including cancer of the bladder, stom-more you prepare, the more likely you are to succeedach, cervix, kidney, and pancreas.the next time around.And damage to the lungs does not end with cancer.

Smoking also causes scarring of lung tissue, whichI Am Addicted to Nicotine and Cannot Functionleads to emphysema, a crippling lung disease usu-

without Smokingally found only in people who smoke. Smokers arealso more likely to get lung infections like pneu- About 35% of all smokers are addicted to nicotine,monia. but more and more of them are quitting success-

Organs throughout the body are affected by smok- fully—thanks to the availability of nicotine with-ing. Smoking increases the risk of cataracts, osteopo- drawal therapy (the nicotine patch and nicotinerosis (bone thinning), and stomach ulcers. Even the gum). This treatment allows your body to withdrawskin is not immune to the effects of smoking—smok- slowly from its dependence on nicotine, and it doesing can cause early wrinkling. so without any of the cancer-causing chemicals and

Smoking can also affect fertility: Women who tars that are in tobacco smoke. If you are addictedsmoke have more difficulty getting pregnant than to nicotine, using nicotine patches or gum will notnonsmokers, and men who smoke have lower sperm guarantee your success in quitting. But, if you usecounts than men who do not smoke. Pregnant them correctly, they will double your chance of suc-women who smoke increase their risk for delivering cess over the ‘‘cold turkey’’ approach.prematurely and for having low-birth-weight babies.

If you already have children and smoke, you are I Would Quit, but I Am Afraid of Gaining Weightincreasing their risk of ear and lung infections. Youalso increase the likelihood that they will smoke. It is true that many people gain weight after quit-One smoking parent doubles the risk that a child ting smoking, but the average amount of weight gainwill smoke; if both parents smoke, the risk is four has been greatly exaggerated. Studies show thattimes greater. about one-third of quitters gain nothing and the av-

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erage person who quits smoking gains only about 5 with every cigarette you smoke, and you may neverlbs. What’s more, if you start an exercise program say you smoke for pleasure again.at the same time you stop smoking, you probably

THE REAL REASONS TO QUIT SMOKINGwill not gain any weight at all.

Some people quit smoking because they finally be-I Cannot Handle the Stress in My Life withoutgin to fear the consequences of continuing. That isSmokinga good reason to quit, but not the only reason. Here

Some people use smoking as a way of relieving are some reasons why you should quit now.tension and coping with stress, but it is usually not Your risk of heart attack will drop dramatically.the best way to cope with stress. The relief generally The longer you stay quit, the lower your risk of alasts only for minutes, and the problems that create heart attack. After 2 to 4 years, your risk will actu-the tension remain. There are many better ways to ally approach that of a nonsmoker.manage stress and relieve tense feelings, including Blood vessels elsewhere in the body benefit asrelaxation techniques and exercise. The relief lasts well. By quitting, your chances of suffering a strokemuch longer with these methods, and there are none falls greatly, as does your risk of harming the vesselsof the unpleasant side effects that go along with in your legs.smoking. Over 15 years’ time, your risk of developing lung

cancer will fall to nearly that of a nonsmoker. YourI Like to Smoke; I Smoke for Pleasurechances of dying of other types of cancer will drop

For some people, smoking is a source of pleasure— as well.mostly because they smoke without really thinking Women who stop smoking before pregnancy orabout it. If you smoke because you think it ‘‘feels during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reducegood,’’ try this exercise the next time you light up: their risk of having a low-birth-weight baby.Concentrate 100% on the act of smoking. Focus all Former smokers live longer than people who con-of your attention on the sensations you feel as you tinue to smoke. For example, people who quit smok-draw the smoke down through your mouth and ing before age 50 have only half the risk of dying inthroat and into your lungs. Try to actually feel the the next 15 years of people who continue to smoke.smoke as you hold it in your lungs and then notice So, isn’t it time for you to quit? If you are con-what it does to the tissues lining your throat and cerned at all about your ability to quit successfully,mouth as it passes back out again. Do this exercise ask your doctor for help now.

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