Tobacco is the main culprit that causes heart diseases, different types of cancer, and shaves years off your life. Research shows that smokers can successfully quit and regain the lost years.
People start smoking for various reasons but they continue to puff away because they are attached to various myths about tobacco use. Smokers believe on a variety of myths that ultimately keeps them addicted to the cigarette butt. The truth is that there is not one good reason to keep puffing.
Team Medimange debunks the common myths that keeps smokers smoking.
1. Switching to mild/ light cigarettes will cut my risk
Many smokers are sadly misinformed and believe that ‘mild’ or ‘light’ cigarettes are not as harmful as the regular brands. Smokers who switch to brands labeled "light" or "mild" compensate for the lower levels of tar and nicotine by inhaling smoke harder and deeper into the lungs or by smoking more cigarettes. Studies suggest that most individuals who smoke the so called ‘light cigarettes’ wind up getting the same amount of the killing components in tobacco smoke. Similarly, cigarettes labeled "natural" or "organic" are no safer than ordinary cigarettes.
People who smoke light/ mild/natural cigarettes also die of lung cancer, stroke, heart attack, and emphysema every day. It is rightly said, “You don't need to add anything to tobacco for it to kill you.”
2. I have smoked for so long the damage is already done
The damage caused by smoking is cumulative. The earlier a person quits, the lesser the chances of developing his/her life threatening ailments.
According to the American Cancer Society, smokers who quit before age 35 prevent 90% of the risk of health problems from smoking. A smoker who quits before age 50 halves his/her risk of dying within the next 15 years compared to someone who continues to smoke.
It is important to remember that your health will improve even if you quit at 70. The benefits of quitting start the day you completely stop smoking.
3. Cutting down on the number of cigarettes is good enough
There are many individuals who feel “I have gone down from 20 cigarettes to four cigarettes, so I have quit.” It has been seen that smokers who cut down the number of cigarettes draw more deeply and smoke more of each cigarette. So even with reducing the number of cigarettes they get bad enough dose of toxic smoke.
There is no safe level of cigarette consumption. It is important to remember that you have not quit if you continue to expose yourself to the nicotine butt. Some people try to make their smoking habit safer by smoking fewer cigarettes, but return to their old pattern in a short span of time. Reducing your cigarette consumption will faintly reduce your risk but quitting is the only way to enjoy long time health benefits.
4. Smoking relieves my stress
Many smokers believe that smoking cigarettes reduces their stress and helps them deal with certain stressful conditions. Nicotine is a stimulant and does not calm the mind or body. The fact lies that smoking is only a habit that we use to cope with stress. Nicotine from the cigarette releases dopamine that offers pleasure during stressful conditions that seems to calm us down.
You do not relieve stress by smoking but you are just giving your brain a dose of something that it is addicted to.
5. Once a smoker, always a smoker
Despite the difficulty many people face while they quit smoking; there are many Indian smokers who have already quit smoking. The millions of former smokers are a living proof that people can quit the cigarette butt.
A very good example to cite is of well known Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan who smoked for many years, but has finally quit smoking. If he can do it, why can’t you?
So awaken yourself and do all good that is needed to quit smoking. You can quit smoking only if you are determined.
Say goodbye to cigarettes forever and embrace a smoke free life. Yes! You can do it!
