Stop Smoking Facts

Smoking is a habit that is very hard to stop.

The more you smoke, the lower your vital capacity. Vital capacity is determined by measuring the amount of air you take in with each breath. In the test you take a deep breath and then blow it out into a device that tells your doctor the volume of air dispelled.

If you do not stop smoking, this limits your activity when your lungs no longer expand enough to take in sufficient vital oxygen from the air that has only about 19% to begin with.

Cigarette smokers double their risk of heart attack. They are at even more risk from sudden cardiac death. Stroke kills more young smokers than nonsmokers.

The American Cancer Society said some years ago that when you stop smoking in:

15 minutes: Blood pressure, pulse rate, and body temperature of hands and feet return to normal.

8 hours: Carbon monoxide level drop to normal and oxygen level increase to normal. Take note that carbon monoxide is a deadly poison.

24 hours: Heart attack risk decreases. Isn’t that good to know?
Within 48 hours: Nerve endings start regrowing and your ability to smell and taste increases. Did you know that cigarette smoking stops nerve growth?

2 weeks to 3 months: Circulation improves, walking is easier and lung function increases up to 30%. Now, that is a great benefit, isn't it?

1 to 9 months: Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease. Cilia regrow in the lungs with increased ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection.
It will take a while if you have not stopped smoking a long time, but the relief must be wonderful.

1 year: Excess risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker.

5 years: Lung cancer death rate of a former one-pack-a-day smoker decreases almost one-half. Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus is half that of smokers. I've had Some communities have stopped chewing tobacco companies from giving chewing tobacco away at rodeos where it easily can get into the hands of children. Can you think of anything worse than mouth cancer?

10 years: The lung cancer death rate is the same as nonsmokers. Precancerous cells are replaced. Risk of death from cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decrease.

15 years: Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker. So now you are back to normal.

Think about it.

If you put $600 dollars each year into a stock mutual fund, annuity, or other financial instrument that generates 5% annually, you will have over twenty grand after 20 years.
That is if you add it in one chunk each year. The $600 figure assumes that you are spending $50 each month on cigarettes.
There are those who are spending a lot more. You will have more if you invest $50 monthly rather than saving until you get $600 at the end of the year.

And all this because you stopped smoking.

Do not be taken in by television ads that tell you to go to their site to learn how to stop smoking. Television ads are used for two purposes. They either sale the product or they enhance brand name recognition.

If you want to stop smoking, stop watching television altogether