Smoking, as everyone knows, is injurious to health. Then why do people smoke? Smoking is responsible for various kinds of health problems like stroke, heart disease, cancer, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and many others. In the U.S, smoking is considered to be the number one preventable reason for death. Many people who are realizing the side effects of smoking are trying hard to get rid of this habit. Though youngsters do not take the issue seriously they should be educated more on the harmful effects of smoking. They have to be motivated greatly to quit smoking. When they come to know about the real dangers associated with smoking, there are chances that they quit the habit. Here are 10 reasons to quit smoking.
1. The smell of smoke
No one likes the smell of smoke. Most of the smokers however are aware of the smell that arises from their clothes and other belongings due to smoking. Most of the smokers are sensitive to the smell of their breath too. According to some media campaigns, kissing a smoker is compared to licking an ashtray.
2. Smell and taste
Smoking subdues the senses often and the smokers are not able to taste the foods properly. Smoking diminishes the ability to smell and taste. Breathing the fumes of cigarettes creates a toxic effect to the senses. Though most of the smokers are aware that the foods do not taste like before, they can enjoy the foods if they quit smoking. Many smokers were able to quit the habit just for the sake of enjoying their food properly. They have felt that eating has become a totally new experience after quitting smoking.
3. Aging early
Another effect of smoking is premature aging. The texture of the skin changes and wrinkles appear on people who smoke regularly. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are certain biochemical changes in the body due to smoking. It reduces the amount of oxygen in the skin tissue and constricts the blood vessels. There is tar staining on the skin and hands of the smoker too. Some people even develop wrinkles around the mouth.
4. Social pressures
According to a study, smokers have been marginalized and have to moved to the fringes of the social networks. Most of them have agreed that they had to hide from others in order to smoke when they were in a group. The habit embarrassed and weakened many of them physically and emotionally. People around those smoking are more health conscious and feel highly inconvenient when there are smokers among them.
5. Finding a friend
Smokers who are on the lookout for dating advertisements usually confronted with the phrase, ‘no smokers please.’ it was difficult for them to find a mate in the competitive world. Apart from that most of the people who were looking for partners did not want to have mates who smelled like ashtrays. Smokers looked older than their actual age and were not preferred by the single counterparts.
6. Impotence
Not only does smoking makes it difficult to find a partner but also increases the chances of impotence. It affects the blood vessels and causes problems in erection too. Most of the scientific journals advice youngsters not to smoke because it makes them smell like an ashtray, cause impotence and nobody like to kiss a smoker. This is a message that is often used to educate the youngsters to keep away from smoking.
7. Increase in infections
Apart from the long term side effects of smoking there are certain other health risks too like cold and flu. Smokers are prone to infections more easily than others who do not smoke. They get frequent bacterial and viral infections. The cigarette smoke is known to paralyze the functioning of cilia that is responsible for preventing us from bacterial, viral and other infections. After quitting, the cilia begin to function normally.
8. Danger to others
The number of deaths due to secondhand smoke is also alarming. There are about 4,500 types of chemicals in a puff of tobacco smoke where about 40 of them are carcinogens. The secondhand smoke is also known to cause heart attack in people who are predisposed to the condition. The ingredients in the smoke are responsible for clotting of platelets and making it sticky. The risk of heart attack is increased greatly.
9. Effect on physical activity
Over time, smokers find it difficult to do simple activities like climbing the stairs and sports activities etc. Top players who have the habit of smoking may not be able t perform well. Smoking makes the heart and lungs to work harder.
10. Cost
Smoking is not only injurious but also expensive. The price of the packets depends on the locations. It can range from $5-10 per pack. When the cost of one is $5-10, think of the money spend on it annually. The smokers are wasting money and inviting a lot of health problems daily. If the money is saved it can be used for various other constructive purposes.
