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Cigarette Smoking
Nicotine is a powerful and addictive drug found in cigarettes and other tobacco products. Nicotine provides many desirable mental effects to include improved concentration, more energy and an increased sense of self-control. The temporary relief of these symptoms however, should not be traded for the physically damaging health effects of smoking such as heart disease and cancer. Smoking interacts with other risk factors to significantly increase the risk for coronary heart disease and is the number one cause of preventable deaths in the United States.
How Does Smoking Damage the Heart?
Inhaled tobacco smoke reduces the amount of oxygen available to your heart which can result in chest pain during physical exertion. Smoking also causes your arteries to narrow and increases the buildup of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. Smoking is responsible for 87% of lung cancer cases and causes the majority of emphysema and chronic bronchitis cases. Nearly a half million people die each year as a result of smoking. Additionally, smoking is the biggest risk factor for sudden cardiac death in which smokers have 2-4 times the risk of nonsmokers.
Smokers suffer adverse effects from cigarette smoke, but secondhand smoke also causes cancer, respiratory infections, and asthma. Children are especially affected by secondhand smoke, worsening the symptoms of asthma. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that up to 1 million children have aggravated symptoms due to secondhand smoke.
Who is at Risk?
Anyone that uses tobacco is at risk for cardiovascular disease and many other chronic health conditions. Nearly 80% of those who use tobacco begin before age 18, with the most common age of initiation at 14-15 years of age. Additionally, the prevalence of smoking is highest among those living below the poverty level.
Tobacco Facts
- There are more than 4,000 new smokers each day, more than half are youth.
- 13,500 deaths each day are the result of tobacco.
- Half of children are exposed to second-hand smoke at home.
- 10.3% of women and 47.5% of men smoke.
Facts from the World Health Organization
Quit Smoking
The majority of smokers are not successful the first few times they try to quit. Don't view unsuccessful cessation as a failure, but rather a learning process; a time in which new skills and knowledge are acquired. According to the World Health Organization, one year after quitting smoking, the risk of heart decreases by 50 percent. There are a number of effective strategies that assist smokers in quitting. Here are just a few:
- Stress Management. Many people smoke to relieve tension, stress, and to help them relax. Learn positive ways to manage stress such as relaxation or meditation.
- Physical Activity. Physical activity has many of the same psychological effects as smoking including an increased sense of control, improved ability to relax, more restful sleep, and an improved ability to cope with stressful situations. Find several activities that you enjoy and incorporate them into your daily schedule.
- Nutrition. Start taking control of yo
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