Healthy Living

The new year is rapidly approaching, and it’s time to make resolutions. For those of us who still smoke cigarettes, this may be the best time to quit. We all know that there are health hazards associated with smoking, but that hasn’t deterred people from lighting up. Cigarettes are expensive: about $8.25 per pack. A one-pack-per-day smoker could save $247.50 in one month alone by quitting. Even though that could equal a car payment, it’s still not enough to convince some people to quit.

In an effort to find something to persuade someone to quit, I went on the American Lung Association website and found this shocking information:

There are approximately 600 ingredients in cigarettes. When burned, they create more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are poisonous.

Here are a few of the chemicals in tobacco smoke and other places they are found:

• Acetone – found in nail polish remover
• Ammonia – a common household cleaner
• Arsenic – used in rat poison
• Benzene – found in rubber cement
• Butane – used in lighter fluid
• Cadmium – active component in battery acid
• Carbon Monoxide – released in car exhaust fumes
• Formaldehyde – embalming fluid
• Hexamine – found in barbecue lighter fluid
• Lead – used in batteries
• Naphthalene – an ingredient in mothballs
• Nicotine – used as insecticide
• Tar – material for paving roads
• Toluene - used to manufacture paint

The American Lung Association advises people trying to quit to expect and resist urges to smoke. The urge to smoke will pass in three to five minutes whether you smoke or not. Remember the Four D's to get through an urge:

• Delay
• Deep breathing
• Drink water
• Do something else

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that during 2011–2012, two out of every five children ages 3 to 11 in the United States were exposed to secondhand smoke regularly. If you don’t quit smoking for yourself, do it for the children in your life.

We can all agree quitting smoking is a very difficult thing to do. Find a local American Lung Association Freedom From Smoking cessation class near you. The group support is key. Everybody is in the same boat, and readily lends support to one another. It’s also important to tell your friends and family that you’re trying to quit smoking and ask for their support. They will love you for it.