Why should you quit smoking? Well to state the obvious, smoking is bad for your health and the health of those around you.
- Quitting will reduce your chances of having a heart attack or stroke and so will reduce the risk of an early death through the effects of smoking.
- There is a clear link between smoking (this includes passive smoking) and several types of cancer.
- That smell of smoke on your clothes, in your hair will go and so you may be more appealing to your partner, especially as there is also a link between smoking and erectile dysfunction.
- According to research quitting means you could see 16 more family Christmases, birthday celebrations and wedding anniversaries.
- In 2016, tobacco was 27% less affordable than it was in 2006
- There were an estimated 474 thousand hospital admissions attributable to smoking in 2015/16 (an increase from 458 thousand in 2005/06)
- There were an estimated 79 thousand deaths attributable to smoking in 2015 – 16% of all deaths! (NHS Statistics on Smoking, England – 2017)
Smoking also impacts on the lives of our children.
- Most children who have parents who smoke really dislike it. They would prefer if no one smoked or even tried cigarettes.
- Unfortunately as a result of passive smoking they are at higher risk of becoming asthmatic and contracting lung and heart problems. It is no wonder why when second hand smoke contains: tar, arsenic, benzene, cadmium, formaldehyde, polonium-210, chromium, butadiene, acrolein, acetone, acetic acid, ammonia, stearic acid, methanol, hexamine, naphthalene, arsenic, hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides
- Although children may not like their parents smoking, studies have found that they are 90 % more likely to take up smoking in later life.
- If you and your partner are expecting a baby the smoke mum breathes in can put baby at risk of health problems developed in the womb.
- Passive smoking is very dangerous for anyone who takes in the harmful second hand smoke. This smoke is made up of a poisonous concoction of more than 4,000 chemical compounds, toxins, irritants and carcinogens.
- More than 80% of this smoke can’t be seen and simply opening the window won’t get rid of the detrimental effect on your health. Particles still hang around in and around the area where smoking has taken place.
- Children are affected more by second hand smoke as their immune system will not be fully developed. Children are also far more active and breathe quicker (so take in more of the harmful chemicals).
- The majority of cases where a child is subject to passive smoking are in the home and in cars where their parents smoke.
This October is STOPtober.
According to research for every 28 days you stop smoking, you actually live 1 week longer.
After 48 hours of quitting smoking the nicotine will have left your body and so you will find that you can taste and smell better.
We know this doesn’t mean it is that easy to kick the habit but take this chance to be part of something big. The smoking rate in England has also fallen to below 17% for the first time. The biggest decreases in smoking over the last 4 years can be seen in the South West (18.7% to 15.5%), the North East (22% to 18.7%) and Yorkshire and Humber (21.9% to 18.6%).
So, let these figures encourage you to join in with smokers all across the country to finally take that step towards a smoke free future. In 2015 out of the 2.5 million smokers who made an attempt to quit, 500,000 (20%) were successful. This is the highest recorded success rate and up from just 13.6% 6 years ago.
This increase in successful stop smoking attempts reflects the high number of people using quitting aids. In 2015, just over a million people (1,027,000) used an e-cigarette in a quit attempt while around 700,000 used a licensed nicotine replacement product such as patches or gum. In addition, over 350,000 people used their local stop smoking service in 2015 to 2016.
Alongside this, according to the latest data from Nielsen, the number of cigarettes sold in England and Wales has dropped by 20% in the last 2 years.
The smoking rate in England has also fallen to below 17% for the first time. The biggest decreases in smoking over the last 4 years can be seen in the South West (18.7% to 15.5%), the North East (22% to 18.7%) and Yorkshire and Humber (21.9% to 18.6%).
Sign up today and you will get a free Stoptober pack, Daily tips and advice sent to your phone or email.
Updated: 3rd October 2017
