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Top Reasons to Quit Smoking [06/25-2]

Excerpts from: Great reasons to quit

By: MYKE THOMAS, CALGARY SUN http://www.canoe.ca [06-24-02]

The reasons to start smoking may be curiosity, peer pressure and the allure of thinking it's cool to light up.

The reasons to quit smoking are much more substantial. A longer, healthier life, cleaner clothes and environment, more money in your wallet and pride in conquering the habit are just a few of the benefits.

That's something many Alberta smokers realize, according to Yvette Penman, tobacco reduction co-ordinator with the Calgary Health Region.

"Half of all smokers in the province want to quit," says Penman. "Quitting frees up a lot of money, it protects your health and the health of people around you. It lessens the burden on the health-care system and decreases your chances of contracting the four major smoking-related diseases -- heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic pulmonary disease."

Penman expects recent increases in tobacco costs in Alberta will influence many smokers to call it quits.

"Depending on where you buy them, an eight-pack carton of cigarettes costs (about $68)," she says. "A pack-a-day smoker will spend approximately $3,200 a year on cigarettes, which is a lot of money for something that isn't good for you."

Les Hagen, executive director of Action on Smoking and Health, estimates the increase in costs should result in a 20% decline among Alberta adults who smoke and a 40% reduction among youth smokers.

Those who make the cessation decision are likely facing a rocky road, according to Dr. Gerry Predy, medical officer of health for the Capital Health Region.

"Be prepared for difficult times and not feeling well for a couple of days," says Predy. "The worst time is the first few days, and physical symptoms usually disappear after a week or two. Then you must deal with the psychological aspect. For some people, the craving (for nicotine) never completely disappears, but the ability to resist becomes stronger as time goes on."

Predy says making up your mind to quit is the first, important step and should be followed by making a list of why you want to stop smoking and a list of why you enjoy smoking.

"Use both lists as inspiration to quit, with the reasons to stop balancing out the reasons to continue," he says.

"The benefits of stopping smoking are many. You will start to feel better, breathe easier, food will taste better, you have less chance of developing a wrinkled face, your home and clothes will smell better and, more importantly in the long term, reduce the risk of catching smoking-related diseases."