Nicotine is one the most addictive substances on the planet. It can be found in the tobacco leaf and is one of only two recreational drugs to be legally sold throughout most of the world. Whether you have a 5 a day or 40 a day addiction, if you feel stressed and anxious when you miss out on your fix, you are an addict. Your body already needs so much to function properly. Let’s make you motivated to cross this one from your list.
#1 Smoking Causes Lung Cancer
It is widely known that smoking causes lung cancer. In the UK it is the second most common form of cancer and 8 out of 10 cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking. Imagine what it must feel like: a cough that doesn’t go away, doesn’t get any better and only has one conclusion: death.
#2 The cost of smoking is around a quarter of the minimum wage (UK)
The average smoker is spending around £3,000 ($4,346) a year on cigarettes. This is before we consider other costs that one doesn’t usually consider; repainting your house because of nicotine stains or special toothpaste for removing nicotine stains. How about that bit of tech that’s ready to go on eBay? There is a reason people advertise “from a smoke free home”. How much do you think you spend on all those lost lighters in a year? Chewing gum? Deodorant?
#3 The addiction in itself is a disease
An addiction works on two levels, physically and psychologically. Physical symptoms from withdrawal can include hot sweats, increased hunger, itchiness and a dry mouth. The psychological traits of the addict can be so much more devastating. Morals and ethics go out of the window for the addict. That is not to say that people with substance addictions are immoral or unethical, it simply means that these principles do not exist whilst in the grip of anxiety and hyper sensitivity.
The person can act in a way that a cornered animal would act and do anything for survival. This is the problem the smoker has when they run out and are desperate for a fix, it is fight or flight, the body and the mind are screaming the same thing “I need this fix, I will die if I do not get it!”. Fortunately there are a range of therapies designed to help with this initial stage and if you can manage the first 30 days, your chances of success are more than tripled.
#4 Passive smoking is hurting those around you
So your health and your wallet don’t convince you? How about your family and friends? Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals and linger around for a lot longer than you can see. Passive smoking increases the chances of cancer, angina and coronary heart disease in adults. If that doesn’t ring some alarm bells, the next page will.
#5 You are making the children around you suffer the most
Passive smoking around children increases the chances of developing asthma, doubles the risk of cot death and increases the chances of bronchitis and pneumonia. Kids are way more likely to start smoking if their parents do, or if someone they look up to does. The younger they start the harder it is to stop, and the more aggressive the illnesses that stem from smoking can be. The longer one smokes, the bigger the chance of dying from it.
