Say No! To Cigarette....

Preventive Measure - Stop cigarette smoking

In general, chronic exposure to nicotine may cause an acceleration of coronary artery disease, peptic ulcer disease, reproductive disturbances, esophageal reflux, hypertension, fetal illnesses and death, and delayed wound healing.Tobacco, the vehicle of nicotine delivery, contains tar (numerous chemicals that cause a thick, sticky substance when smoked) and about 2,000 chemicals total. Tobacco and its various components have been associated with an increased risk for cancer of various body organs.

Effects of Nicotine

Nicotine has both stimulant and depressant effects upon the body. Bowel tone and activity increases along with saliva and bronchial secretions. Stimulation of the central nervous system may cause tremors in the inexperienced user, or even convulsions with high doses. Stimulation is followed with a phase that depresses the respiratory muscles. As a euphoric agent, nicotine causes arousal as well as relaxation from stressful situations.

On the average, tobacco use increases the heart rate 10 to 20 beats per minute, and it increases the blood pressure reading by 5 to 10 millimeters of mercury (because it constricts the blood vessels). Nicotine may also increase diaphoresis (sweating), nausea, and diarrhea because of its effects upon the central nervous system. Nicotine's effects upon hormonal activities of the body is also evident. It elevates the blood level of glucose and increases insulin production. Nicotine also tends to enhance platelet aggregation, which may lead to thrombotic (blood clot) events.

The "positive" effects of nicotine upon the body may also be noted. It stimulates memory and alertness, enhancing cognitive skills that require speed, reaction time, vigilance and work performance. As a mood-altering agent, it tends to alleviate boredom and reduce stress and reduces aggressive responses to stressful events. It also tends to be an appetite suppressant, specifically decreasing the appetite for simple carbohydrates (sweets) and inhibiting the efficiency with which food is metabolized. Peoples who use tobacco products frequently depend upon it providing these side effects to help them accomplish certain tasks at specific levels of performance.

The addictive effects of tobacco have been well documented. It is considered mood and behavior altering, psychoactive, and abusable. As a multisystem pharmacological agent that is voluntarily administered, tobacco is believed to have an addictive potential comparable to alcohol, cocaine, and morphine.

For smokers, the specific health risks of tobacco use include:

• nicotine addiction, decreased senses of taste and smell
• increased fetal death and diseases, if mothers use
• lung disease--emphysema, chronic bronchitis, lung cancer
• coronary artery disease--angina, heart attacks
• atherosclerotic and peripheral vascular disease--aneurysms, hypertension, blood clots, strokes
• oral/tooth/gum diseases--including oral cancer

For nonsmokers exposed regularly to second hand smoke, the specific health risks include:

• increased risk of lung cancer over those not exposed to smoke
• in infants and children, an increased frequency of respiratory infections (such as bronchitis and pneumonia), asthma, and decreases in lung function as the lungs mature
• may experience (upon exposure to smoke) acute, sudden, and occasionally severe, reactions including eye, nose, throat, and lower respiratory tract symptoms
  

For smokeless tobacco users the specific health risks include:

• nicotine addiction, decreased senses of taste and smell
• increased infant death and diseases, if mothers use
• oral/tooth/gum diseases--including a 50 times greater risk for oral cancer with long term or regular use
• coronary artery disease--angina, heart attacks
• atherosclerotic and peripheral vascular disease--aneurysms, hypertension, blood clots, strokes
  

So now, stop smoking!

A wide range of methods exist for quitting smoking. Family members, friends, and work associates may be supportive or encouraging but the desire and commitment to quit must be a personal decision. It may prove helpful to write up a specific list of the reasons why one wants to quit. A 1990 Gallup poll of smokers revealed that two-thirds of smokers state they would like to quit.

Past attempts to quit tobacco use should be viewed as learning experiences, not failures. Information from people who have been able to successfully quit smoking shows that 70% had made 1 to 2 previously unsuccessful attempts; 20% had made 3 to 5 previously unsuccessful attempts; and 9% had made 6 or more previously unsuccessful attempts before actually quitting.

Like other addictive behaviors, tobacco use is difficult to stop and maintain, particularly if acting totally alone. The best success in quitting has been noted with comprehensive programs that may combine various strategies, over time (usually 4 to 8 weeks with 1 or 2 hours of support per week) including education, peer support, behavior recognition, behavior modification methods, recognition of potential relapse situations, and strategies for confronting such situations. Medications that are nicotine substitutes, such as transdermal nicotine or nicotine gum, may be used temporarily in conjunction with such programs. These medications require a prescription, therefore seek the support and cooperation of the primary care provider for their use.

Comprehensive programs for quitting smoking have a successful rate of about 20 to 40% of participants. In contrast, 2.5% of people who choose to quit smoking spontaneously, without help, achieve success. Once a person has chosen to quit using tobacco products, it may prove beneficial to elicit a broad range of collaborative methods and support persons to enhance optimal success. If success is not reached initially, simply look at what occurred or what didn't work, develop new strategies, and try again. Multiple attempts are frequently necessary to "beat the habit."

Benefit of quitting

within 1 hour

- blood pressure and pulse rate drop to normal

- body temperature of extremities (hands/feet) increases to normal

within 8 hours of quitting

- carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal

- oxygen level in blood increases to normal

within 24 hours of quitting

-risk of sudden heart attack decreases

within 48 hours of quitting

- nerve endings begin to regenerate

- senses of smell and taste begin to return to normal

within 2 weeks to 3 months of quitting

- circulation improves

- walking becomes easier

- lung function increases up to 30%

within 1 to 9 months of quitting

- overall energy typically increases

- symptoms associated with chronic use decrease (such as coughing, nasal congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath)

- cilia (fine, hair-like projections lining lower respiratory tract) function begins to return to normal, which increases the body's ability to handle mucus, clean the respiratory tract, and reduce respiratory infections

within 1 year of quitting

- excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a tobacco user

within 5 years of quitting

- lung cancer death rate (for average 1 pack/day former smoker) decreases by nearly 50%

- risk of cancer of the mouth is half that of a tobacco user

within 10 years of quitting

- lung-cancer death rate becomes similar to that of a nontobacco user

- precancerous cells are replaced with normal cell growth

- risk of stroke is typically lowered, possibly to that of a nontobacco user

- risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decreases

within 15 years of quitting

-risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker