Some Facts about Smoking

Smoking is the process of taking in tobacco smoke from a pipe, cigar, or cigarette through the mouth and into the lungs, then exhaling it out. People have been smoking tobacco for over thousands of years. American Indians, for instance, used it whenever there were religious rituals.

Oftentimes, people first start smoking as a means of relaxation or pleasure, then escalating into becoming a hobby, and finally, gradually developing into a habit, albeit a bad one. Based on studies done by the American Cancer Society and American Lung and Heart Association, one of the leading causes of the increase in the premature death rate is smoking, and that one out of every five deaths in the United States is a result of it. It kills little by little not only smokers, but also those who inhale secondhand smoke, like your children, as the smoke is being absorbed by their organs that are still developing.

Smoking actually takes away 13 to 14 years out of one’s expected lifespan, as it is a primary cause of coronary diseases of the heart, chronic obstruction in the airways, as well as cancer of the lungs. With such tobacco consumption, it is estimated that around 6.4 million children will be losing their lives too soon. On top of that, 85,000 men and 65,000 women have already died because of lung cancer and bronchus diseases. According to economic reports, around $100 billion is being spent on annual health care and medical costs, which greatly affect the economies’ productivity.

What is ironic is that despite all these figures that are being published and warnings that are being advertised and even placed on the actual cigarette packs, millions of people, instead of being alarmed and encouraged to quit, still continuously practicing this undesirable habit.

We are, of course, not discounting the fact that there are also a number of individuals who have successfully stopped smoking. However, in order to raise the number of people who do, it is important that those who have been able to get rid of the habit help encourage others and help them overcome their addiction. There are also special clinics for rehabilitation that teach smokers how to avoid scenarios that make them think about smoking, as well as help them cope with stress. They even have seminars wherein people who have lost family members and friends because of smoking speak up about their experiences. This is actually quite a helpful eye-opener to a lot of smokers in today’s society.

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