Back to Previous Page

Reasons to Quit Smoking

PD Global Business and Currency 52276 You know that smoking is bad for you. Maybe your family has asked you to quit. Or perhaps your doctor has advised you to kick the habit. Although you have been encouraged to stop smoking, here are some good reasons finally to take action.

Reason #1: I want to be healthy.

Quitting will decrease your chances of getting these diseases.
You might be thinking, “Well, I’ve been smoking for years. So it’s too late for me to try and get healthy.”
It is not too late! No matter how long you have been smoking, you will have immediate health benefits by quitting:
  • Your heart rate and blood pressure will return to normal. (Smokers tend to have high rates.)
  • In a few hours after quitting, carbon monoxide levels start to decrease in your blood. (Carbon monoxide is bad because it prevents your blood from carrying oxygen to parts of your body.)
  • In a few weeks after quitting, your blood circulation improves, and you will not cough or wheeze so much. You will also have less mucus.
  • Several months after quitting, your lung function improves.
  • You will also notice that your sense of smell and taste improves. Foods may actually taste better!

Reason #2: I want to feel good.

  • You will have more energy and focus.
  • You will not feel out of breath.
  • You will feel more in control of your life.

Reason #3: I want to look good.

  • If you quit smoking you will have better smelling:
    • Clothes
    • Hair
    • Breath
  • You will have fewer wrinkles.
  • You will have whiter teeth.

Reason #4: My family and others around me will be healthier too.

Breathing secondhand smoke is harmful. It can cause cancer in those who inhale it, even if they are nonsmokers. Secondhand smoke can also lead to breathing and heart problems and increase the risk of getting colds and flu.
Secondhand smoke can harm a pregnant woman:
Secondhand smoke can harm babies and children. It increases their chances of having:
  • Makes them cranky, restless, and more likely to get sick
  • Makes them more likely to have learning problems

Reason #5: I want to save money.

How much money do you spend on cigarettes? They are not cheap. Think of all the money you could save by not smoking. Instead, you can use the money to buy necessities like groceries or gas for your car. Perhaps the extra money you save can go toward treating yourself to a nice dinner at your favorite restaurant or right into a college savings account or future investment for a dream vacation or house.
These are just some reasons to quit smoking. Think of others and write them down. Keep them with you, perhaps near your pack of cigarettes. The next time you feel the urge to grab a smoke, you will be reminded of the good reasons not to do so!

RESOURCES

American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org

American Lung Association http://www.lungusa.org

National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov

Smokefree.gov http://www.smokefree.gov/

CANADIAN RESOURCES

Canadian Cancer Society http://www.cancer.ca/

Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/

The Lung Association http://www.lung.ca/

References

Harms of smoking and health benefits of quitting. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cessation. Updated January 12, 2011. Accessed June 14, 2011.

Reasons for quitting. Smokfree.gov website. Available at: http://www.smokefree.gov/qg-thinking-reasons.aspx. Accessed June 14, 2011.

Reasons for quitting: smoking's impact on others. Smokefree.gov website. Available at: http://www.smokefree.gov/qg-thinking-impact.aspx. Accessed June 14, 2011.

Smoking. National Cancer Institute website. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/tobacco/smoking. Accessed August 16, 2012.

Top 10 reasons to quit smoking. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health website. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/prevent/q%5Fsmoke/top%5Ften.htm. Accessed June 14, 2011.

8/16/2012 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance: Gellert C, Schöttker B, Brenner H. Smoking and all-cause mortality in older people: systematic review and meta-analysis smoking and all-cause mortality in older people. Arch Intern Med. 2012;172(11):837-844.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

Copyright © EBSCO Publishing
All rights reserved.