| Everywhere you turn, there is a sign asking you not to | | | | a person want to quit. But there is much more to this |
| smoke. Most smokers would ask what the big deal is. | | | | problem than just statistics. |
| Who cares if they choose to smoke? Unless they're | | | | When you read statistics, it's easy to separate |
| smoking right next to someone, it shouldn't be | | | | yourself from the people studied. However, if you're a |
| anybody's concern. Yet laws are being passed | | | | smoker, the stats are talking about you. Smoking |
| constantly that ban smoking in bars and restaurants, | | | | causes diseases and death. It causes you to age |
| clubs and some laws seek to ban smoking in the | | | | faster, it makes you smell bad, it makes your breath |
| privacy of your own home. It seems everyone wants | | | | smell bad, it's an expensive habit and yet people |
| you to quit smoking. But why should you. There are, in | | | | continue to smoke every day. |
| fact, many reasons to quit. We'll examine a few of | | | | The reason people smoke despite all the doom, gloom, |
| them and it's likely, by the time you're done reading this, | | | | and horrible statistics, is that tobacco is one of the |
| you'll think twice about lighting that next cigarette. | | | | more addictive substances on Earth. In fact, experts |
| The World Health Organization compiled a set of | | | | have found that tobacco fits into certain receptors in |
| statistics for smoking back in 2002 and the results are | | | | your brain than your own 'feel good' endorphins do. |
| astounding. For example, they found that every eight | | | | That means your body will crave nicotine over your |
| seconds someone dies from tobacco use. They also | | | | body's own chemicals. And that's also why it only |
| found that, worldwide, smoking kills one in ten adults. | | | | takes one cigarette for you to become hooked. |
| This is a worldwide epidemic. Here at home, smoking | | | | Regarding these facts, the WHO also found that |
| kills one in five people. In Britain and other parts of | | | | people who smoke in their adolescence go on to |
| Europe, about 12 times more people have died from | | | | smoke for fifteen to twenty years. |
| smoking related illnesses than died in World War II. But | | | | If you're a smoker, you owe it to yourself and those |
| it's the Western Pacific Region, which includes East | | | | who love you to stop smoking. Experts have found |
| Asia and the Pacific, that has the highest number of | | | | that if you stop smoking right now, your lungs will heal |
| smokers. In fact, two thirds of all men smoke in this | | | | themselves within five years. But you must stop |
| region of the world. | | | | smoking. If disease, death and the high price of a pack |
| And it's not just adults who are smoking. The WHO | | | | of cigarettes won't dissuade you from smoking, |
| found that one in five teens smokes worldwide and | | | | maybe the fact that you won't be around to see your |
| that a quarter of all youth born in the Western Pacific | | | | kids grow up might change your mind. Quit smoking |
| region of the world will eventually die from smoking. | | | | any way you can and you just might prolong your life |
| Those are sobering numbers that, alone, should make | | | | a little longer. |