Facts about Smoking - What You Need to Know

>pressure and heart disease. On average, a smoker
Discover some fascinating facts about Smoking andwho quits by the age up 35 can extend their lifespan
what you need to know about it. From the inception ofup to 8 years. (American Journal of Public Health,
smoking in the western world till today, some have2002) Quitting and Facts about Smoking. The addictive
always believed smoking tobacco to be harmful.effect of nicotine makes it very difficult to stop
Whether we like it or not, smoking is a part of oursmoking. There are two standard techniques for
culture, and has been for hundreds of years. Trying toquitting: going 'cold turkey' and weaning off. Going cold
get rid of something on a personal or societal level thatturkey refers to abruptly stopping all use of nicotine
has been around so long isn't easy. Anyone who isproducts, and avoiding future exposure as much as
trying to stop smoking is better off taking some time topossible. Although going cold turkey can be assumed
understand a few facts about it. History of Factsto be the most difficult method, many find it the only
about Smoking. Tobacco and tobacco smoking wasway. Heavy smokers who go cold turkey will
common in the Americas long before the time ofexperience nicotine withdrawal. For smokers who go
Columbus. It was first brought to Europe by a few ofcold turkey, having something to occupy the hands and
Columbus' sailors, and was popularized by a monkmouth in place of a cigarette or cigar can help. The
Ramon Pane. By the time of Sir Walter Raleigh, pipeuse of substitutes such as hard candies or "plastic
smoking was the fashion throughout all of Europe.cigarettes" are popular. Weaning off refers to gradually
Even then, there were people who felt it was areducing nicotine intake until intake ceases entirely.
dangerous and unhealthy habit. In the late 1800's QueenWeaning off reduces the risk of withdrawal
Victoria banned smoking from Buckingham Palace. Insymptoms, and is frequently considered the easier
1912 Dr. Isaac Alder presents the first strong linkmeans of quitting. However, weaning off can take a
between smoking and lung cancer. And in 1942 thelong time, and people with certain medical conditions, or
Lancet publishes a paper by researcher L.M. Johnstonpeople who are simply impatient, may not have time to
describing addiction for the first time. Health and Factswean off gradually. Weaning off can involve a variety
about Smoking. Tobacco is addictive, whether smoked,of options, including gradually increasing the amount of
chewed or used as snuff. Since the early 1940's atime between smoking and the use of nicotine
correlation has been noted between increases insubstitutes, such as gum or the patch. Both techniques
cigarette smoking and increases in lung cancer. Therehave a variety of tools developed to make quitting
are different hazards for different forms of smoking.easier. Some smokers who have been smoking for
Cigarette smoking is most likely to cause lung cancer,years have been as much 'addicted' to the familiar
as opposed to cigar smoking, which normally causesfeeling of having a cigar or cigarette in their mouths, as
cancer of the mouth and throat. Because cigarsto the nicotine. These smokers sometimes form the
contain no tar, they are sometimes incorrectly thoughthabit of holding an unlit cigar or cigarette in their mouths,
to be safer than cigarettes. There is no such thing asto have the familiarity and taste, without the smoke.
a 'less unhealthy' form of cancer. Cigarette smoke in aWhile this is certainly better then smoking, and will
confined space is unhealthier for the people nearbyreduce or eliminate most of the dangers of smoking, it
then the smoker. There is no filter on this 'second handis unclear whether it will reduce the occurrence of
smoke' the way there is inside the cigarette. Smokingmouth and gum cancers in users.
has been found to increase risks of high blood