Yes! It is a life or death decision; I do not mean to scare anyone but only trying to help people choose life over death. The act of cigarette smoking is quite tempting; from the way the stick is held to the various skills and ‘swag’ displayed in puffing the smoke, one might need to be very health conscious not to yield to the temptation to try it.
Do you know that some people (mostly males) can be aroused by the sight of a smoker smoking (usually females). This is called the Smoking Fetish.
I used to be a smoker and wouldn’t doubt the claim that smoking has a variety of ‘supposed desirable’ side effects; such as calmness, relaxation, alertness, stimulation, concentration and many others. In fact, smoking will produce a different effect in each individual depending on ‘what they expect to get’; turning the cigarette into the world’ s most popular placebo (satisfying the brains hunger for nicotine being the only ‘relaxing’ factor). The smoker will then use these expectations as a means to continue the habit.
Cigarettes are the single-most traded item on the planet, with approximately 1 trillion being sold from country to country each year. At a global take of more than $400 billion, it’s one of the world’s largest industries. According to the W.H.O, this business of ‘killing’ people is so lucrative that approximately 25% of cigarettes sold around the world are smuggled.
Most smokers take up the habit in their mid-teens, and it is seen as a rite of passage towards adulthood. Some funny youngsters believe smoking is a sign of maturity and makes you one ‘hell of a man’. So, most people only started smoking to fit into a peer.
Scientists claim the average smoker will lose 14 years of their life due to smoking, though doesn’t necessarily mean that a smoker will die young but would die significantly earlier than the average non-smoker. Some smokers will still live for the normal life span anyway. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals, including some known carcinogens (causes of cancer) and other poisons. Let me briefly share with you some of contents of a cigarette and cigarette smoke.
Nicotine: Nicotine is a drug that stimulates the brain. If you are a regular smoker, when your blood level of nicotine falls, you usually develop withdrawal symptoms, such as craving, anxiety, restlessness, headaches, irritability, hunger, difficulty with concentration, or just feeling awful. These symptoms are relieved by the next cigarette. So, most smokers need to smoke regularly to feel normal, and to prevent nicotine withdrawal symptoms.
Tar: Tar contains many chemicals that deposit in the lungs and can get into the blood vessels and be carried to other parts of the body.
Carbon monoxide: Heard of people dying as a result of inhaling ‘I beta my neighbour’ generator fumes? This was the main cause of death. This chemical affects the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood thereby choking you alive. In pregnant women who smoke, this causes a reduced amount of oxygen to get to the growing baby. This is thought to be the most important cause for the bad effects of smoking on the growing baby.
Urea: Urea is a major component in urine. It is used to enhance the flavour to cigarettes. So if you smoke, consider yourself to be smoking ‘pee’.
Sugar: Roughly 20% of a cigarette is sugar, and many diabetics are unaware of this secret sugar intake.
The health risks of smoking cannot be over-emphasized. Some of the health risks posed by smoking include: Emphysema, Chronic bronchitis, Stomach cancer, Lung cancer, Cancer of the mouth, Lip, throat and voice box; Cancer of the pancreas, chest, cervix, liver, kidney, and bladder. Others include Leukaemia, Coronary heart disease (e.g., heart attacks), Circulatory problems, High blood pressure, High cholesterol (LDL), Pneumonia, Influenza, common cold, Tooth decay ,Gum disease, Osteoporosis, Sleep problems, Cataracts, infertility, Peptic ulcers, slowed healing of wounds and so many others.
Smoking in pregnancy accounts for an estimated 20 to 30% of low-birth weight babies, up to 14% of preterm deliveries, and some 10% of all infant deaths. Even apparently healthy, full-term babies of smokers have been found to be born with respiratory problems.
Everything about smoking portends danger. Why smoke your life away?
Spare a stick… Choose LIFE!
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