Smoke-free inside
First, congratulate yourself. Just reading this article is a huge step toward becoming tobacco free. Many people don't quit smoking because they think it's too hard to do. They think they'll quit someday.
As a global effort to free the world of tobacco smoking, the World Health Organisation (WHO)
has declared May 31 as "World No Tobacco Day". This year, the focus is on motivating individuals, groups and companies to create and enjoy 100% smoke-free environments.
Equally alarming is the fact that hundreds of thousands of people who have never smoked die each year from diseases caused by breathing second-hand tobacco smoke.
So help your near and dear ones in creating cleaner and healthier environment for everyone.
What can I do?
Think of one place you use regularly and make it smoke free! It could be your home , your car, your office, or a cafe or restaurant you like to go. It might be a private place, just for you, a place you share with family and friends, or even a public place. Do what you can to make your environment smoke-free. Speak to others and spread the word!
Ø Unlike the adults, young children do not have the choice! Ensure they live in a smoke-free environment!
Ø Stopping smoking at any age increases your life expectancy!
Ø The adolescent seeks to display his new urge for independence with a symbol and cigarette are such a symbol since they are associated with adult hood and at the same time adults seek to deny them to the young
Environmental Tobacco Smoke(ETS)
o ETS contains thousands of chemicals including 43 known carcinogens
o ETS irritates the eyes, nose and throat
o Long term exposure can increase the risk of lung cancer by 10-30 percent
o increased risk of coronary heart disease and meningitis
o Aggravation of bronchitis, asthma and allergies
o Headaches, dizziness and sickness
o Increased chances of ear infections and higher risk of 'cot death' in children/babies
Reasons to Quit :
o Your health
o Your family
o Your kids
o Your environment
Tips on quitting the Smoking:
o Identify the triggers that make you smoke
o Pick a quit date, plan it out properly and stick to it
o change your attitude towards smoking and your life style
o Take it one day at a time
o Keep a calendar and mark off each smoke-free day
o Pair up with another quitter for support
o Throw away any remaining cigarettes
o Carry chewing gum and drink lots of water
o avoid situations where you might be tempted to smoke
o Keep track of all the money you save
o Don't feel guilty if you slip up - learn from the mistake
o One of the most natural ways to help one quit anything, is to find a support group. Family and friends are your first line of defense (especially those friends – who would pull a cigarette out of my mouth and stomp on it, then crush the pack of cigarettes in the hand!). After that, finding others who either are in the same struggle as you, (or have struggled in the past and overcome it) is your second best hope.
O Think about your triggers. You're probably aware of the situations when you tend to smoke, such as after meals, when you're at your best friend's house, while drinking coffee, or as you're driving. These situations are your triggers for smoking — it feels automatic to have a cigarette when you're in them.
o Think positive - you CAN do it!
The Dangers of smoking
o Smoking is the second major cause of death in the world and it is the single most preventable cause of death and disease in society today.
o Smoking related-diseases cause about five million deaths worldwide per year.
o Half of the people that smoke today will eventually die from smoking.
o Over 80 per cent of all lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking. Active smoking also causes mouth, throat, esophageal, gastric and other cancers.
o Smoking causes vascular and heart diseases, leading to heart attacks, death, stroke, coughing, asthma-related symptoms and dysphnoea (shortness of breath).
o Smoking increases the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, premature babies, stillbirth and osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) in women.
· Addiction to the four-inch-fire-stick and to breathe in till the end of it and you lose your sexual pleasure for good in lieu to the pleasure of smoking.
· Cigarette smoke contains about 4000 chemicals, most of which are supposed to damage the vascular system. The most dangerous chemicals are carbon monoxide, nicotine, and butadiene, causing thousands of deaths and millions of heart attacks, arthritis and impotence.
· Smoking couples can take up to 20-30% longer than non-smoking couples to conceive.
o Smoking is addictive.
External Links :
o http://www.who.int/
o http://www.health.com/
o http://www.truth.com/
o http://www.whyquit.com/
o http://quitsmoking.about.com/
Tobacco free Initiatives in countries :
1) Tobacco free Europe :
O http://www.euro.who.int/healthtopics/HT2ndLvlPage?HTCode=smoking
2) Tobacco free Eastern Mediterranean Region
O http://www.euro.who.int/healthtopics/HT2ndLvlPage?HTCode=smoking
3) Tobacco free Western Pacific Region
O http://www.wpro.who.int/health_topics/tobacco/
4) Tobacco / Smoke free England from 1st july 2007
O http://www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/
Benefits of Quitting :
o In 20 mins - blood pressure and pulse return to normal, circulation improves
o In 8 hours - blood oxygen levels increase to normal, chances are of heart attack begin to fall
o In 24 hours - carbon monoxide leaves the body, lungs start to clear out mucus and debris
o In 48 hours - body is now nicotene free, senses of taste and smell begin to improve
o In 72 hours - easier breathing, increased levels of energy
o In 2 to 12 weeks - circulation improves throughout the body, walking and exercise gets easier
o In 3-9 months - lung efficiency increases by 5-10%
o In 5 years - risk of heart attack fall to almost half
o In 10 years - risk of lung canceer falls to almost half, risk of heart attack falls to the same level as someone who has never smoked
Ø Children who grew up with parents who smoke are much likely to start themselves!
Ø Wolrd No Tobacco Day observed on 31st May
Ø Tobacco and poverty are inextricably linked.
Smoking is injurious to health says Saif Ali Khan. Read here about his decision to quit smoking
http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=18775
· Stop smoking start living
· When you stop smoking, your body will be free from 4,000 poisonous chemicals and start to heal itself. You will be amazed by how quickly your health will improve.
· Warning : Smoking is injurious to your health.
Reward yourself if you quit smoking. As you already know, quitting smoking isn't easy. Give yourself a well-deserved reward! Set aside the money you usually spend on cigarettes. When you've stayed tobacco free for a week, 2 weeks, or a month, purchase books, pens or clothes for some poor kids from that saved money and get that bright smile on their face, buy yourself a treat like a new CD, book, movie, or some clothes. And every smoke-free year, celebrate again. You earned it.
You can keep this momentum building…
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SHAKIR
