7 Reasons You Need to Quit Smoking Today

Is smoking really all that bad for you? Sometimes smokers, particularly young ones, get the feeling that the government is just out to get them, raising taxes and passing laws that prohibit smoking in public places. They say that it's just politics, that smoking is really not all that harmful. Well, the truth is that smoking is one of the most deadly habits you can acquire. Quitting today can make a big difference in your life expectancy, regardless of your age. Read on for seven compelling reasons to quit ASAP.

1. Quitting today can reduce your risk of cancer substantially. Lung cancer is the first type of cancer we generally think of in connection with smoking, but it is not the only one affected. Smoking increases a person's risk of other forms of cancer, too, including uterine cancer, pancreatic cancer, and cancers of the mouth and lips. Virtually any form of cancer can be linked with bringing tobacco smoke into the system through the lungs.

2. If you want healthy lungs, it's important to breathe clean air and not bring smoke into them. Respiratory diseases such as chronic lung obstruction are greatly exacerbated by cigarette smoking. Emphysema is also strongly correlated with smoking.

3. If you want a healthy heart and a healthy cardiovascular system, you need to stop smoking. Coronary heart disease is two to four times more prevalent among smokers than nonsmokers. If you smoke, you're also twice as likely to have a stroke. The blood vessels are also negatively affected by cigarette smoke, causing peripheral vascular disease, which is a narrowing of the arteries.

4. If you happen to be a woman in your childbearing years, there is the safety of your children to consider. Babies of smokers are more likely to die of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) than babies of nonsmokers. Smokers tend to have smaller babies, premature babies, and more cases of stillbirth.

5. Smoking can interfere with calcium uptake and bone density. Older women who smoke are more likely to fracture a hip than those who have never smoked.

6. Maybe you don't care how much smoking hurts your own health, but what about that of others? Second hand smoke has been correlated with lung cancer and heart disease in household members who live with smokers but don't smoke themselves. Children are particularly vulnerable to the ravages of other people's smoking.

7. If all the health issues associated with smoking don't convince you, think of your pocketbook! Smoking is an expensive hobby with taxes on cigarettes rising all the time. Surely there would be a more satisfying way to spend that money.

Quitting smoking today can greatly improve your outlook and life expectancy. The earlier you can quit, the better. Best is if you never start. If you have children and you smoke, think of the example you are setting for them. Statistics say that about one-fourth of all children live with a smoker. Young people lack the understanding to keep from starting smoking because of the long term risks. They are far more likely to try it, and when they try it young, they are more likely to get addicted. Your best bet in every way is to make every effort to quit smoking as soon as possible.

For more information and resources on how to quit smoking visit: http://www.stopsmokingcritique.com/

Article source: http://goarticles.com/article/7-Reasons-You-Need-to-Quit-Smoking-Today/319326/publish

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