General Statistics On Cigarette Smoking

People smoke for different reasons.  Some do it as a form of stress release, to some a form of socialization.  To some it is their way of rebelling against their superiors, to some it is an addiction.  But whatever reasons a person has to make them start smoking, it is important that one knows the basics about cigarette smoking.  Let's begin with general smoking statistics:

l Approximately one-third of the adult male population worldwide smokes tobacco in different forms.
l Smoking-related medical conditions kill one out of ten adults around the world, which may be summed up to an estimated four million deaths per year.  It has been predicted that by the year 2030, if the current fatality trending continues, tobacco smoking will claim the life of on in every six people.
l A very frightening fact:  every eight seconds, someone dies from tobacco usage.
l About fifteen billion cigarettes are sold on a daily basis – that makes about ten million every minute.
l Among the different World Health Organization (WHO) regions, the western Pacific region that covers east asia and the pacific has the highest smoking rate, with almost two-thirds of men smoking.
l The tobacco market is controlled but a few corporations – American, British, and Japanese multinational conglomerates.

Here are some smoking statistics on the youth:
l All around the world, about one in five young teenagers between the ages of thirteen and fifteen smoke.
l It is scientifically proven that an approximated fifty percent of people who started smoking at an early age continue to smoke for fifteen to twenty years.
l It has been estimated that about a quarter of the youth population in the western Pacific region will die from smoking.

Here are some health-related statistical data on smoking:
l About half of long-term smokers will pass away from cigarette smoking.  It has been said that a stick of cigarette cuts away at least five minutes of life on average – it is just about the same duration of time needed to smoke a stick of cigarette.
l Smoking is the single largest preventable cause of diseases and early deaths.  It has been reported to be a primary factor in cardiovascular disease, stroke, and chronic lung disorders.  It can also cause cancers of different organs in the body like the lungs, kidneys, larynx, esophagus, and bladder.
l There are more than four thousand toxic and/or cancer causing chemicals present in tobacco smoke.
l It has been recorded that at least one-fourth of all deaths caused by heart disease and about three-fourths of world-wide records of chronic bronchitis have been linked to cigarette smoking.
l Smoking-related medical conditions cost the United States more than a hundred and fifty billion dollars every year.

Here are some trivial facts on smoking and its advertisements:
l A recent survey found that roughly eighty percent of American advertising executives from top agencies do believe that cigarette ads makes smoking more appealing or socially acceptable to the youth.
l Cigarette advertisements often connect smoking to sexual attractiveness, success, adult sophication, adventure, and self-fulfillment.

After reading about all these smoking statistics and facts, ask yourself before you light up your first cigarette:  Is it really worth it?

General Information On Smoking

In the sixties, when the hippies ruled the world, cigarettes were available just about anywhere, and they can smoke pretty much anywhere they please – even in hospitals!  Different advertisements of cigarettes filled the streets as well.  But nowadays we're more aware about the different effects smoking can bring.  It has also come to a point where smoking is prohibited in public places, and cigarette packets are required to include fair warning about their product's ill effects.

Here are some basic information about smoking:
1. Smoking is one of the most common forms of recreational drug abuse.  Smoking, once started on, is a hard habit to break.  This is thanks to a substance called nicotine which is found in tobacco leaves.  Nicotine, like heroin and other addictive narcotics, make the mind and body quickly get used to it that it does not feel normal without it.
2. Nine out of ten tobacco and cigarette smokers taste their first puff before they reach the age of eighteen.  And most adults who have started smoking in their teen never thought they would get hooked on the habit when they started.  This is the same reason why they advise that it is easier not to get started on the habit.
3. Smoking increases a person's risk of developing heart diseases like heart attacks and stroke.  It also increases the chances of having different forms of cancer like lung cancer, throat cancer, and cancer of the mouth.  It may give a person lung problems like bronchitis, and emphysema.
4. Smokers are more likely to be absent from work than non-smokers, and their illnesses tend to last longer.  This means smokers may incur more medical costs because they see physicians more often.  They also have a tendency to be admitted to the hospital more often and for longer periods of time as compared to those who do not smoke.
5. Smokers have a lower survival rate after surgery than non-smokers.  This is because cigarette smoking may also affect the body's immune system, which may cause delayed would healing, and reduce immune response.  And because the immune response is reduced, there is a great probability that complications may come up after surgery.
6. Periodontitis, a serious gum disease which may lead to tooth and bone loss, may also be caused by cigarette smoking because it smoking affects the body's natural ability to fight off infection and repair damaged tissues.
7. Smokers have a higher chance at developing peptic ulcers, which can be located in the stomach and the duodenum, as compared to people who do not smoke cigarettes.  If peptic ulcers are left untreated, this condition may be fatal.
8. Aside from serious medical conditions, smoking may also give a person bad skin.  This is because smoking restricts blood vessels, preventing oxygen and other nutrients from getting to the skin.
9. Cigarette smoking may also leave a person with bad breath.  And if it becomes persistent, it may develop into a condition called halitosis.
10. The smell of stale smoke lingers and sticks to a smoker's clothes and hair.  And it is pretty difficult to remove.

Before you start smoking, think it over and ask yourself: “Do I really want all these medical conditions to affect me?”  This may as well help you decide whether or not you're going to light that first stick or not.

Free Stop Smoking Patch Myths

Many ex-smokers explorers have heard or used stop smoking patches. Many ex-smokers explorers have read at least once adverts for a free stop smoking patch. However, the truth is that there is no such thing as a free stop smoking patch.

The good news is that nicotine patches are not that expensive. Of course, their price depends on the brand and the store you are buying them from. Another price factor is the number of the patches you are using per day and for the whole treatment period. Some people do not need that many patches, as their addiction is not that strong. Heavy smokers may need stronger nicotine patches and more frequent change of the patches.

You may not be able to get a free stop smoking patch, but what you can get is a good deal. There are many online shops that sell stop smoking aids and their prices are usually much more affordable than the prices in the regular shops. Moreover, online drug stores have regular promotions – for example, you may be able get a free stop smoking patch if you buy a specific product.

Another thing to consider carefully is what to do if you do come across a free stop smoking patch offer. Be very carefully before taking and using such product and make sure it is genuine. It might be a fake patch and not have the desired effect, let alone that it may contain harmful substances to danger your health.

Finally, some good news for all ex-smokers. You may not be able to get a free stop smoking patch or any free stop smoking product. What you can have free however is a lot of information and support.

The internet can provide you with hundreds of pages to show you the whole picture of nicotine addiction as well as hundreds of ways to help you quit smoking. It can offer you many online discussion and support groups where you can meet and communicate with people in your situation, share your thought offer and receive support.

If you are not an internet savvy, you can still get hold of a lot of free support – there are many ex-smokers groups (similar to the Anonymous Alcoholics Groups) where you can receive advise and support through the smoking cessation journey.

Free Quit Smoking Advice

If you are trying to quit smoking but are working on a restricted budget, there are a number of free quit smoking programs available to you. You can also consider trying a habit replacement method to help you quit smoking. If you are truly ready to kick the habit, you might discover that it is easier than you imagine it is going to be. It seems as though the paramount ways to quit smoking involve a lot of will power, if you are ready to quit smoking, you may have just enough to get yourself over the smoking hump. Free quit smoking programs can give you that extra push.

All personal breakthroughs begin with a change in beliefs. Anthony Robbins Free quit smoking Programs

There are numerous free quit smoking programs that are offered through non-profit organizations. For example, the American Cancer Society offers a variety of online programs for which you can sign up. They will send you a lot of hand-outs regarding the harmful nature of smoking, and you can peruse all of their quit smoking tips. The American Cancer Society has done plenty of research regarding the effects of smoking, so their literature can be extremely motivating, specially if you are already beginning to feel the negative effects of smoking. The American Cancer Society will also send you smoking free videos that supply support and quit smoking times when you are trying to quit, and they often sponsor quit smoking support groups and twenty-four hour quit smoking hotlines. These services can supply just what you need to finally end your stretch as a smoker.

Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory. General George S Patton

The American Heart and Lung Association also provides a diversity of free quit smoking programs. Much like the American Cancer Society, the sponsor support groups and offer free hotlines manned by accomplished counsellors who can help you if you are about to plunge of the wagon. They also offer quit smoking tips online, and they can suggest to you affordable quit smoking aids that will help you on your journey toward better health.

It is important to note that...

There are also a variety of free quit smoking methods that you can use to help cut down on your cigarette cravings. For instance, toothpicks area an excellent replacement for cigarettes. You can draw out a toothpick every time you want a cigarette, chewing on it will help to keep both your hands and your mouth busy. Even though this is no substitute for high-priced nicotine replacement quit smoking products, you will find that it is a helpful way to keep your mind off of smoking.

Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory. General George S Patton

Even with a limited budget, there are still many free quit smoking methods that can help you to quit smoking. One really great way to reduce your smoking it to read a variety of research studies that discuss the effects of smoking. The more you know about what is going into your body, the less likely you will be to carry on to relish the act of smoking.

Free Help to Stop Smoking

One of the most common reasons to deny quitting smoking is the cost of the stop smoking aids. Many smokers find silly excuses like what it is going to cost to use the stop smoking products, the cost of the laser or acupuncture therapies, let alone the cost of behavior treatment.

Well, we have news for you – you can find and receive free help to stop smoking.

The first free help to stop smoking resource is of course the internet. There are hundreds of articles dedicated to smoking cessation, all offering free advice, tips, and techniques. Online discussion groups dedicated to smoking cessation is another form of free help to stop smoking. These groups are attended by people just like you – all trying hard to stop smoking completely, sharing their problems and tricks for overcoming their nasty smoking habits. Believe it or not, you need this kind of support much more than expensive medications or behavior therapy programs with famous shrinks.

The second free help to stop smoking thing you can do, is just outside your apartment. You may not know but people who spice up their lives with more sports are less likely to start smoking at all. On the other hand, smokers who introduce sports to their lifestyle are more likely to stop smoking. Sport helps cope with the cessation symptoms and the cravings. Even smokers who are not attempting to quit smoking confess that after a session at the gym they simply do not desire a cigarette.

The beauty of sports is that you do not need to go to an expensive gym, nor attend a costly fitness program. The parks and walking sideways are free for everybody so you can start with long walks or daily jogging sessions. Try to spend the weekends outside, even if this outside is the nearby park.

Finally, the last free help to stop smoking idea; and it is simply this. You can get most free help to stop smoking by yourself. After all, the whole cessation process depends on your will, determination and motivation. If you feel uncertain that you want to quit or you are show weakness in the face of the first serious craving, than nothing can help you.

Since you do not have a magic wand, just work closely on your character, life routines and habits. You will soon discover that your smoking addiction has most to do with your lifestyle than with you personally. If necessary change your daily habits and stop visiting the places where you can (or which prompt you to) smoke. Instead of going to a nigh club with your smokers friends, enjoy a walk n the park with your mother; substitute your morning coffee with tea, etc.

There are certainly more and more interesting free-help-to-stop-smoking tips out there – just browse the web or ask your ex-smoker friends.

Five Reasons Why You Should Stop Smoking, Now!

If you are reading this article it means that you have already thought about stopping smoking. The first step in quitting a habit or in changing your life is to take a firm determination or a vow to yourself that you are going to do something. However, in order to take this first step you have to be convinced that it is the right thing to do. If you need some more reasons why it is time to do something about your smoking habit, here are five things to consider:

1. You can live longer if you stop smoking now

According to a study in the British Medical Journal, quitting smoking now could add 7-10 years to your life. No one can be sure that he or she will be alive tomorrow. Anything can happen, due to circumstances beyond our control. Despite this, we should do whatever we can that is within our control to live a long and happy life. You can’t prevent yourself from being injured in an earthquake, but you can prevent yourself from dying due to a smoking related illness.

2. Smoking is no longer cool

Many people begin smoking due to peer pressure or for other social reasons. At one time it was fashionable or “cool” to smoke, but that is no longer so. With study after study confirming the harmful effects of smoking, the tide has turned. It is becoming quite difficult to smoke in public areas and smoking is viewed as a nuisance by the society at large. If you began smoking to be “in”, take a look around and you will see that the times have changed. Keep up with these changes and quit smoking now.

3. Set a good example for your children or people who look up to you

If you know that becoming a smoker was a mistake, then you should make sure that your children or friends who look up to you do not follow in your footsteps. The best way to teach others is by example. If your children or family see that mom and dad or their older brother and older sister do not smoke, then they will be less likely to start smoking. So, think about the example you are setting, and do whatever you can to change your life style.

4. Improve your athletic performance

If you like to play sports then you already know that endurance is very important. Smoking interferes with your breathing and your body’s capacity to absorb oxygen. If you want to improve your athletic performance and increase your endurance, then it is time to put down your cigarettes.

5. Don’t pass on smoke and harm others around you

Even if you are the only one who smokes in your house, your smoke is harmful to your non-smoking loved ones. Second-hand smoke has been proven to be the cause of disease in non-smokers and that is the main reason why smoking is now being banned in public places. While the new non-smoking laws will help to protect the public at large, you can protect your closest family and friends by making a personal decision to stop smoking

There are lots more reasons to quit smoking, but just think about these five reasons and make a decision that you are going to do whatever it takes to stop smoking. It could be a decision that will help you to live a long, healthy and happy life.

Find Out Why You Feel The Withdrawal Symptoms When You Are Trying To Quit Smoking

“No problem, I could quit anytime I want to”. That is the case for many smokers who believe they can quit anytime they want to as though they believe they had a magic switch to turn the nicotine off.

But when you ask them why they are not quitting, it would as if of a sudden, they’re mind starts to get creative and could punch out 101 excuses. Sounds familiar right? The reality is...

Smokers Are Addicted And Need Preparation Before Quitting!

This is because nicotine and chemicals when introduced into our body greatly affect our biological system. Smokers need preparation for quitting are because of the withdrawal symptoms.

Nicotine is a stimulant drug of which its effects where both simulation and relaxation may be felt. You see when we smoke, our body gets used to a certain alteration of conditions in our body. The brain gets used to these certain alternation very quickly even before we can notice it.

Now, there’s a new balance in the brain due to those alterations. When the timely dose of nicotine or whatever chemicals as a result of smoking is not channeled towards the brain, the brain gets upset. Hence we feel uncomfortable with different people enduring different symptoms.

Some of the withdrawal symptoms include:

• Cravings to smoke
• Irritation
• Anger
• Insomnia
• Dry mouth
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Inability to Concentrate
• Headache
• Cough
• Sore tongue and/or gums
• Sleep Disturbances
• Sore throat
• Constipation, gas, stomach pain
• Tightness in the chest

Some ways that could help you with the withdrawal symptoms are:

• Wait
When it is time for you to smoke again, just wait a little while before you decide whether you want to smoke again just for about 3 to 5 minutes time. During this time of waiting, take 10 deep breaths slowly, relax yourself, also relaxing your shoulders.

• Drink Plenty Of Water
This is to help you fight off the cravings

• Become A Part Of A Community
Discuss with someone your feelings about quitting smoking. The easiest way to do that online is through forums. Exchange ideas, opinions and solutions. You’ll be surprised the insights you’ll gain through this experience.

• Exercise
I cannot emphasize how important this is, exercise is suppose to boost up your energy so that you have better preparation to fight the cravings.

• Get sufficient sleep
An excerpt from "Sleep: Essential for Optimal Health" by Drs. Robert Goldman and Ronald Klatz.

"Don't slight sleep. It's when you're tired that you tend to overwork. When you're rested you can finish the work without strain and still have energy and time left over for the rest of your life. Research shows that workers who get less than six hours of sleep a night are prone to costly accidents, poor concentration and poor performance.  Without sleep depression, anxiety and anger increase.

The quality of sleep is just as important as number of hours. If you have trouble sleeping, try going to bed earlier, before 10:00. This usually creates a deeper sleep. Prepare for deep sleep by avoiding TV and computers in the evening."

So when you get more rest, the likelihood for the need for cigarette is reduced.


• Relaxation
Perform some night rituals such as reading a book before you go to bed or meditation to help you and your body to relax.