Five Reasons to Quit Smoking

There are few adult smokers that I know that have not tried at one time or another to quit smoking. Speaking with them, they tell me that if they knew it would be as difficult to quit smoking when they started, that they would not have started at all. I have had family members who quit smoking and it is among one of the most difficult, but rewarding, things they have done. For those of you wishing to quit smoking, here are five things to think about that will perhaps encourage you to do so.

The first reason to quit smoking: your health. There are probably few smokers who do not know the potential consequences of smoking. Increased incidents of heart attacks, stroke, high blood pressure, and emphysema are among dozens of maladies associated with smoking. The greatest and most widely-feared risk is likely cancer. Ninety percent of men's and 80% of women's lung-cancer-related deaths are caused by smoking. Less known is the fact that other cancers (including those of the esophagus, bladder, stomach, kidney, and cervix) are also increased in individuals who smoke.

The second reason to quit smoking: you stink. Cigarette smoke gets on your clothes, in your hair and on your breath. Not to mention that kissing someone with cigarettes on their breath is a major turn-off. Interestingly, people that smoke tend not to smell the stench of cigarette smoke on things and do not see a problem. But speak with anyone else, especially former smokers, and you quickly learn that the smell is strong, unmistakable, and difficult to cover up. No, not even gum works.

The third reason to quit smoking: your wallet. Cigarettes are expensive. A pack-a-day habit is common among smokers. Since a pack of cigarettes can cost up to $5 a piece, someone that quits smoking will save roughly $35 per week, or $1,820 per year. If you think about what you could do with that $1,820 (family vacations, new clothes, furniture, or college fund), it might inspire you to quit smoking.

The fourth reason to quit smoking: your family's health. Secondhand smoke is bad for your family. Children exposed to secondhand smoke suffer from greater incidents of asthma, inner ear infections, and even an increase in infant deaths due to SIDS.

The fifth reason to quit smoking: setting a good example for your children. Trying to understand why it is okay for you to smoke when you have told them they should not, is difficult. Research has shown that 37% of children brought up in a home where parents are smokers end up smokers themselves, compared to only 14% raised by non-smoking parents. So, your smoking increases the likelihood that your children will smoke. That's not a legacy most wish for.

Furthermore, at some point children learn that smoking is not only bad for you, but it can kill you. Seeing you smoke will always make them fearful that you will become sick and die. Growing up with grandparents that smoked, I realized this constant worry first hand. Eventually my fear became a realization when both of them died early deaths due to smoking-related illnesses.

The habit of smoking is among the most difficult to break. However, there are many reasons (perhaps some you have never considered) that you should. I hope this article has encouraged you to at least consider quitting smoking. If so, good luck.