Smoking Cessation

The following is an Editorial Resource from YourTotalHealth.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Reviewed by: Timothy Yarboro, MD

Question:

I know smoking isn't good for my lungs or heart, but are there other health benefits from quitting?

Answer:

Smoking damages nearly every part of the body. So it shouldn't be surprising that it's the nation's leading preventable cause of death, costing 430,000 lives per year in the U.S. alone, according to the American Lung Association.

Aside from heart disease, stroke and lung diseases including lung cancer, it contributes to many other cancers, such as those of the mouth, throat, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder and cervix. By quitting you lower your risk for all of them. But there's more! Smoking is also a risk factor for gum disease, stomach ulcers, gastric reflux, diabetes, several eye diseases, pregnancy complications and miscarriage, early menopause, osteoporosis, liver disease, kidney disease, depression, dementia and other disorders. That's why public health experts believe that if you smoke, quitting is the single most powerful action you can take to improve your health.

Question:

What are the costs of smoking?

Answer:

Cigarettes alone cost the average smoker $1,600 a year, the American Cancer Society estimates. It costs the United States about $157 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Question:

But my smoking doesn't really harm anyone else, right?

Answer:

Just the cardiovascular disease caused by secondhand smoke kills 37,000 to 40,000 people a year, according to the American Heart Association. Add to that about 3,400 fatal cases of lung cancer in adult nonsmokers every year, plus other lung problems, according to the American Cancer Society. Children of smokers are more prone to a host of problems ranging from asthma to learning difficulties. In fact, secondhand smoke is responsible for over 150,000 lung infections and 750,000 middle ear infections in children each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Question:

How about if I switch to smokeless tobacco, bidis, clove cigarettes, cigars, a pipe, or "light" cigarettes?

Answer:

Chewing tobacco and snuff can cause horrific oral cancers, as well as dental problems and other health woes. Bidis (hand-rolled unfiltered flavored cigarettes made in India) have even more tar than American cigarettes. Clove cigarettes, unbeknownst to many who use them, also contain tobacco. And smokers who switch to low-tar and "light" cigarettes, research shows, often puff more deeply or more frequently. Cigars and pipes might be less risky than cigarettes but are still dangerous, the American Heart Association warns.

Question:

Wouldn't it take years before I see any health improvements from quitting?

Answer:

No, the benefits—including improved blood pressure, heart rate and circulation—begin on the very day you quit, and continue to grow for many years to come.

Question:

I've smoked for decades and am getting on in years. Isn't it too late for me to quit?

Answer:

The earlier you quit, the greater the benefits, but quitting at any age will improve your health.

Question:

I tried to quit once but failed. What good will it do to make another attempt?

Answer:

Most smokers require several tries to quit for good. Think of your previous attempts not as failures, but as partial successes, which helped prepare you for your eventual "quit for good" experience. The trick is to prepare, try to stick to your quit-smoking plan and learn from any lapses.

Question:

Why is it so hard to kick the habit?

Answer:

The addictive substance in cigarettes is nicotine, a chemical found in tobacco. Back when Dr. C. Everett Koop was surgeon general, he famously compared the addictive powers of nicotine to heroin and cocaine.

Question:

Aren't cigarettes these days safer than they used to be?

Answer:

To the contrary. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health discovered that the amount of nicotine in most cigarettes increased an average of almost 10 percent from 1998 to 2004.

Question:

What do cigarettes contain besides nicotine?

Answer:

Tobacco smoke contains 4,000 chemicals, including at least 250 known to be harmful, the National Cancer Institute says. The chemical residue, known as "tar," includes poisons such as arsenic and cyanide.

Question:

What will boost my chances of quitting?

Answer:

Ask your doctor for help. Experts say that even a brief counseling session with a healthcare professional will increase your odds. Inquire about ways to address behavioral as well as psychological issues. Options include counseling, support groups and nicotine replacement therapy or other medication. Often a combination of approaches works best. Medication will boost your chances of quitting by 50 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.

Question:

But won't I get fat if I quit?

Answer:

Increased appetite is common, but the federal government's Smokefree program says the average ex-smoker gains only 4 to 10 pounds. Some people gain more, but some don't gain any weight. If you do add some pounds, health experts emphasize that this side effect can be overcome with exercise and meal planning and that the countless health benefits of quitting are far more significant.

What's Next: A Closer Look: Helpful Resources

• Feeling Better
  
• What Works
  
• Getting Ready
  
• Quit Day (& Beyond)
  
• Secrets of Success

Review date: 01-16-2008