You probably know that smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer. You might not know that smoking also causes cancer of the bladder, kidney, pancreas, oral cavity, cervix, larynx, and pharynx. In addition to increasing your chances of developing one of these deadly cancers, your secondhand smoke increases the chances of your loved ones developing cancer.
If you’re thinking about quitting smoking, you don’t need to wait for a special occasion like New Year’s Day or your next birthday. The earlier you quit smoking, the sooner you can reap the benefits of smoking cessation. On your quit day, you can enjoy lowered carbon monoxide levels in your blood. Shortly after that, you will notice less coughing as your lung function improves.
Even more important than the health benefits you notice are the positive changes happening inside your body that you can’t see. Quitting smoking significantly reduces your risk of heart disease, lung disease, and cancer. Even if you’ve smoked for many years, you can reduce your risk of dying from these serious diseases by quitting today. For example, the National Cancer Institute reports that even people who quit at the age of 50 can drop their risk of dying prematurely by 50%.
Perhaps you’ve tried to quit several times, or perhaps this is your first time. If you’ve tried unsuccessfully to quit in the past, you can explore one of the newer quitting aids available to smokers. If you’re ready to stop smoking forever on your first attempt, rest assured that your quitting efforts will be bolstered by a variety of nicotine replacement products and medications:
Nicotine Replacement Products
- Nicotine Gum- Some smokers prefer this method of nicotine delivery, because like cigarettes, it “gives their mouth something to do.” The gum comes in two strengths, for light or heavy smokers.
- Nicotine Inhaler or Nicotine Spray- Your doctor must give you a prescription for a nicotine inhaler or spray bottle. The advantage of these products is the fast delivery of nicotine to the bloodstream.
- Nicotine Lozenge- A nicotine lozenge is a good choice for smokers who can’t chew gum due to dental problems. Like the nicotine gum, the lozenges are available in two strengths.
- Nicotine Patch- The nicotine patch is helpful to smokers too busy to remember to use other nicotine replacement modalities every one to two hours. You can wear the patch for eight weeks, making it a convenient choice for smokers on the go.
Prescription Medications
- Chantix- This is one of the newest drugs approved by the FDA to help smokers in their quitting efforts. This drug can reduce withdrawal symptoms and block the effects of nicotine on the body.
- Zyban- This medication is an antidepressant, but smokers have been using it since 1997 to reduce the urge to smoke. You can use this drug with nicotine replacement products, so this may be a good choice if your quitting efforts were unsuccessful in the past.
If you decide to quit smoking, enlist the help of your friends, family, and doctor. Don’t wait for the next special occasion to give yourself the gift of good health.
Related Article: Kicking the Smoking Habit
Source: National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet Quitting Smoking: Why to Quit and How to Get Help
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