Getting Help

Yet, it might be harder than ever to quit: Three quarters of today’s tobacco users attempting to shed the habit are heavily hooked on nicotine, up thirty-two percent from almost 20 years ago.

So quitting, for most, isn’t simply a matter of self-control. Even so, the reasons to do so keep accumulating—and they’re not all about cardiopathy, lung cancer, or respiratory issues. Here’s a few downsides you may not have thought of.

It fogs the brain. Smoking might cloud the brain, according to amassing research. Smoking in middle age is associated to memory issues and to a slide in reasoning powers, though these risks appeared decreased for those who’d long quit.

It might bring on diabetes. As if we need any more risk components for diabetes. Smokers have a forty-four percent higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers.

It asks in infections. There’s really strong data depicting that the risk of infection by pneumonia-causing bacteria is considerably greater for smokers than for nonsmokers.

It may cripple a sex life. A study tracked Chinese men with low risk for arthrosclerosis, and found that smoking might independently hike a man’s chance of having a sexual condition.

It might lead to wrinkles…everywhere. Not only does smoking contribute to premature facial wrinkles, but it could also lead to wrinkling of skin that rarely sees the light of day.

It might hurry menopause.

It might dull vision.

It damages bones. Smoking weakens the body’s bones and is a serious risk factor for osteoporosis.

Cigarettes can rough up the gastrointestinal system, leading to heartburn, peptic ulcers, and possibly gallstones.

It may stifle sleep. Feeling groggy despite a night’s sleep may be an issue for those who light up.

Whether you’re ready to quit or just toying with it, call 1-800-QUIT NOW for free support with a trained counselor.

When you call, a friendly staff individual will offer a choice of free of charge services, including mailed self-help literature, a referral list of additional programs in your community, and one-one-counseling over the phone.

A different quit line is the National Cancer Institute’s Smoking Quitline, 1-877-44U-Quit, which likewise offers proactive counseling by trained personnel.