Smoking: to quit or not to quit?

Smoking: to quit or not to quit?

Based on World Health Organization figures, about a third of the male population smokes tobacco. In the US, smoking accounts for about 438,000 deaths annually, as it harms almost all (if not all) body organs. Ceasing from smoking is said to be the single biggest factor in reducing cardiovascular diseases, about 50 percent reduction. It is also well accepted that stopping smoking has provided long-term benefits to previous smokers.

A number of chemicals present in tobacco may be responsible for deleterious effects caused by smoking – nicotine and harmane. Nicotine is addictive. In addition, smoke is carcinogenic. Smoking causes about 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80 percent in women.

Its effect on the cardiovascular system is also significant as it contributes to the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. It causes coronary heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the US, and increases the risk in smokers by two to four times.

As to its effect on the respiratory system, smoking is connected with a tenfold increase in the risk of dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. About 90 percent of all deaths in COPD are due to smoking.

Lastly, in the 2004 report of the US Surgeon General, they arrive at the conclusion that diseases caused by smoking has been expanded to include abdominal aneurysm, acute myeloid leukemia, cataract, cervical cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, pneumonia, periodontitis and stomach cancer.

So the question is, to quit or not to quit? The choice is yours.