Smoking is the most lethal source of toxicity a society is exposed to. Each single cigarette contains over 7000 chemicals that are toxic to the body and facilitates onset of cancer. What causes addiction is nicotine.
Adversely affecting health and singlehandedly causing 90% of all deaths related to lung cancer, smoking is the most significant cause of dyspnea-inducing diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema (COPD). Smoking also increases risk of mortality in the aforementioned diseases in comparison to those who do not smoke.
Smokers also face increased risk of heart attack and paralysis as well as 30 times more susceptibility to cancer of mouth, tongue, larynx, pancreas, bladder, kidney, prostate and cervix.
Risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, delivery of an underweight baby and infertility is increased among the smoking female population. Infertility and impotency risks are higher among smoking males as well.
In conclusion, 1 out of every 3 smokers dies young.
Why is Quitting Difficult?
Within 10 seconds after inhaling cigarette smoke, nicotine absorbed by epithelial cells in the cheeks reaches the brain. Addiction develops in a very brief period of time.
The addiction nicotine induces is of psychological as well as physical nature. When a break is taken from smoking and the amount of incoming nicotine is reduced, the body sense lack thereof. This cycle fuels addiction.
Upon quitting, one may experience restlessness, short temper, constipation and difficulty focusing for approximately 3 weeks. Withdrawal symptoms are bound to emerge in 2 out of every 3 people.
The difficulty associated with quitting is a direct result of nicotine addiction. It does not have anything to do with one’s personal traits.
Passive Smoking
Smoking affects not only smokers themselves, but also those in their periphery. Every cigarette lit is harm dealt on yourself and those who share the same environment with you.
Passive smoking is described as inhalation of a mixture of smoke that is exhaled by the smoker and produced by combustion of tobacco products. As this smoke is not filtered by the cigarette itself but directly dissipates into the air, it is four times more toxic than the smoke inhaled by the smoker. It therefore increases risk of respiratory diseases, lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases among passive smokers.
Passive smoking impacts mostly children.
Quitting smoking before and after your child is born is and will continue to be beneficial for both you and your child.
If you quit before your child is born:
You effectively prevent your child from being exposed to harmful substances in cigarette smoke. This increases nutrition and oxygen transmitted to your child, reducing risk of premature delivery or mortality and ensuring better chance of normal birth at expected weight.
If you quit after your child is born:
Your child is exposed to reduced risk of common cold and other respiratory diseases or sudden infant death syndrome.
When you quit, efficiency of your respiration increases, you look better and your body gains more energy. Not to mention that you set a correct example for your child.
How To Quit?
Out of every 100 smokers, 70 wish to quit, yet only 5 of them manage to do it without support and 30 will succeed by using medical supplements.
This ratio increases significantly thanks to our medical support and motivational meetings.
Conducting motivational meetings weekly for the duration of the first month and monthly for the following 6 months, we tailor your personalized quitting plan.
You can benefit from the following services at our Smoking Cessation Policlinic: