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A must read for every Smoker |
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The Government of India has decided to ban smoking in in all public places from 2nd October, Gandhi Jayanti (Public places would include educational institutions, hospitals, shops, restaurants, commercial establishments, pubs, bars, discotheques, factories, cinema theatres, parks, walkways, stadium, places of amusement,bus stops, bus stations, railway stations, railway compartments, buses and other public transport vehicles, highways or any other places where people congregate).Moreover, if you get caught while smoking, then a fine of Rs 200 would be imposed. The health ministry has also plans to increase the fine to Rs 1000 after some time. Even the employer will be fined if their employees are found smoking inside office premises. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss is the brain behind all these new measures. Yeah ! the same person who banned smoking in Indian Movies.The idea behind this ban is to discourage smoking by making it more inconvenient, and to stop harmful smoke being present in enclosed public spaces .
What is somking ?
Smoking is the the inhalation of smoke from burned dried or cured leaves of the tobacco plant. Generally People smoke for pleasure, for ritualistic or social purposes, or for self-medication, as well as to satisfy a physiological dependence on nicotine.
NOT ABLE TO KICK THE BUTT ??? READ FURTHER......
No less than 4000 irritating, suffocating, dissolving, inflammable, toxic, poisonous, carcinogenic gases and substances and even radioactive compounds (nickel, polonium, plutonium, etc.) have been identified in tobacco smoke. Some of these are listed hereafter:
Acetone Cyanide
Aluminum DDT/Dieldrin
Ammonia Ethenol
Arsenic Formaldehyde
Benzene Hydrogen cyanide
Butane Lead
Cadmium Methanol
Carbon monoxide Nicotine
Carbon dioxide Tar
Chloroform Vinyl Chloride
Nicotine
Nicotine is a powerful insecticide and poisonous for the nervous systems. Furthermore, there is enough (50 mg) in four cigarettes to kill a man in just a few minutes if it were injected directly into the bloodstream. Indeed, fatalities have occurred with children after they had swallowed cigarettes or cigarette butts. When diluted in smoke, nicotine reaches the brain in just seven seconds, it stimulates the brain cells and then blocks the nervous impulse. This is where addiction to tobacco arises. Nicotine also causes accelerated heart rate, but at the same time it leads to contracting and hardening of the arteries: the heart pumps more but receives less blood. The result is twice as many coronary attacks. Nicotine thus also increases the consumption of lipids (which is why it has a weight-loss effect) and induces temporary hyperglycaemia (hence the appetite suppressing effect).
Carbon monoxide (CO)
This is the asphyxiating gas produced by cars, which makes up 1.5% of exhaust fumes. But smokers inhaling cigarette smoke breathe in 3.2% carbon monoxide – and directly from the source. Oxygen is mostly transported in blood by haemoglobin. When we smoke, however, the carbon monoxide attaches itself to the haemoglobin 203 times more quickly than oxygen does, thereby displacing the oxygen; this in turn asphyxiates the organism. This causes the following cardiovascular complaints: narrowing of the arteries, blood clots, arteritis, gangrene, heart attack, etc. . . . but also a loss of reflexes and visual and mental problems. It takes between six and 24 hours for the carbon monoxide to leave the blood system.
Irritants
These substances paralyse and then destroy the cilia of the bronchial tubes, responsible for filtering and cleaning the lungs. They slow down respiratory output and irritate the mucus membranes, causing coughs, infections and chronic bronchitis.
Tars
As the cilia are blocked (see paragraph above), the tars in the cigarette smoke are deposited and collect on the walls of the respiratory tract and the lungs, and cause them to turn black. So, just because a smoker is not coughing, it doesn't mean that he or she is healthy! And this fact merely serves to pour water on one of the most common and poorest excuses given by smokers. The carcinogenic action of the tars is well known: they are responsible for 95% of lung cancers. It takes two days at least after cessation of smoking for the cilia to start functioning properly again, albeit only gradually. By smoking one packet of cigarettes every day, a smoker is pouring a cupful of these tars into his or her lungs every year (225 grams on average)!
WHAT IF I DONT QUIT ???
The main health risks in tobacco pertain to diseases of the cardiovascular system, in particular myocardial infarction (heart attack),
diseases of the respiratory tract such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, emphysema, and cancer, particularly lung cancer and cancers of the larynx and tongue.
Passive or involuntary smoking occurs when the exhaled and ambient smoke (otherwise known as environmental or secondhand smoke) from one person’s cigarette is inhaled by other people. Passive smoking involves inhaling carcinogens, as well as other toxic components, that are present in secondhand tobacco smoke
Secondhand smoke is known to harm children, infants and reproductive health through acute lower respiratory tract illness, asthma induction and exacerbation, chronic respiratory symptoms, middle ear infection, lower birth weight babies, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
WANNA QUIT BUT NOT ABLE TO ???
First of all decide that “I have to quit smoking at any cost.” Make a big banner and put it on the wall. If you are software professional put this banner as wallpaper of your pc. The most important thing for quitting is your faith, your confidence and determination.
Now set a date for quit. Remove all the traces of cigarettes from you room, office, car etc. Celebrate your last cigarette and I will suggest you to smoke that brand which you don’t like.
Identify the times you are most likely to smoke. For example, do you tend to smoke when feeling stressed? When you are out at night with friends? While you are drinking coffee or alcohol? When you are bored? While you are driving?
Make a plan about what you will do instead of smoking at those times when you are most likely to smoke. For example, drink tea instead of coffee , tea may not trigger the desire for a cigarette. Or, take a walk when feeling stressed. Remove ashtrays and cigarettes from the car. Place pretzels or hard candies there instead. Pretend-smoke with a straw.Avoid smoke-filled settings and situations in which you are more likely to smoke.
Prepare a big list of advantages (long life, better health, happy family, money saving etc.) of quitting smoking and always keep in your pocket, whenever you fill to light the cigarette, read that list once again. Also prepare another list of disadvantages of smoking and keep it into another pocket. Both lists will always stop you from smoking cigarette.
Inform all your friends and family memebers that you are going to quit smoking. Especially request all your smoker friends not to smoke infront of you. I am confident your family and friends will gladly support your decision to quit smoking. Also talk with your doctor about quitting. Support and guidance from a physician is also very important for successful quit. Believe me, if you find any other smoker who is going to quit, then this job will become very easier for you. So find some another smoker who is trying to quit, and help each other with discussing advantages of quitting smoking and disadvantages of smoking.
Always try to spend your maximum time in non-smoking zone. Ignore your smoker friends. If someone is smoking infront of you then request him not to do so and explain him you decision and suggest him to quit also.
Follow good health habits, like regular morning walk, breathing fresh air, drinking lots of water, eating fresh fruits and vegetables etc. Try to avoid alcohol, coffee, and other beverages that you associate with cigarette smoking.
(NRT)Nicotine replacement therapy, such as nicotine patches or chewing gum, may be a good idea for those who smoke heavily or who feel they may need the extra help. There are also medicines available on prescription for which you have to talk to your doctor.
If you find you are losing motivation to quit, remind yourself of the many medical and financial benefits of quitting, check your pockets for disadvantages of smoking. Imagine the face of your chid, wife and other family members. What will be the impact if you again start smoking? Believe me if you think like this you’ll never light the cigarette again.
Above all, don't get discouraged if you aren't able to quit smoking the first time. Nicotine addiction is a hard habit to break.
TRY AGAIN WITH MORE DETERMINATION...
A MUST READ FOR EVERY SMOKER
~Within 20 minutes of quitting - your blood pressure and pulse rate drop to normal and the temperature of your hands and feet increases to normal.
~Within 8 hours of quitting - your carbon monoxide levels drop and your oxygen levels increase, both to normal levels.
~Within 24 hours of quitting - your risk of a sudden heart attack decreases.
~Within 48 hours of quitting - nerve endings begin to regenerate and your senses of smell and taste begin to return to normal.
~Within 2 weeks to 3 months of quitting - your circulation improves and walking becomes easier; even your lung function increases up to 30%.
~Within 1 to 9 months of quitting - your overall energy typically increases and symptoms like coughing, nasal congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath diminish; also, the small hair like projections lining your lower airways begin to function normally. This increases your lungs' ability to handle mucus, clean the airways, and reduce infections.
~Within 1 year of quitting - your risk of coronary heart disease is half that of someone still using tobacco.
~Within 5 years of quitting - the lung cancer death rate decreases by nearly 50% compared to one pack/day smokers; the risk of cancer of the mouth is half that of a tobacco user.
~Within 10 years of quitting - your lung cancer death rate becomes similar to that of someone who never smoked; precancerous cells are replaced with normal cells; your risk of stroke is lowered, possibly to that of a nonuser; your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas all go down.
Now does this give you enough reasons to quit ???
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