Next Thursday, Nov. 18, is the Great American Smokeout. Celebrating its 23rd year, this American Cancer Society-sponsored event encourages smokers to quit for one day.
Smoking-related deaths strike one out of every five people, according to the American Cancer Society.
Even though Nov. 18 is the Great Smokeout, all smokers and smokers-to-be should be vigilant about the effects of this activity every day instead of just one day.
Most people who smoke list lung cancer as the number one disease they fear acquiring. The truth is, however, more smokers get cardiovascular disease - chest pain, clogged arteries and high blood pressure - than cancer. People who smoke are more likely to experience a heart attack, stroke, circulatory deficiencies and several forms of cancer including lung, breast, mouth, bladder and pancreas. Of course, the more visible symptoms include bronchitis and chronic smokers' cough.
Cigarettes (even if they are the ultra-light variety) contain more than 300 poisons - many that would kill in higher doses.
Smokers also lose up to 20 percent of their sense of smell, decreasing taste sensation.
And smokeless tobacco cannot be disregarded: Oral cancers, tooth corrosion and gingivitis occur in addition to heart disease.
The effects of nicotine, the active chemical in tobacco products, are extensive. Nicotine restricts your blood vessels, making it more difficult for blood to pass through, thus creating hypertension, which can lead to multiple health problems. Vessel constriction is also the reason smokers feel more relaxed after a cigarette: the nicotine is lowering the amount of blood flow to your brain.
If you are a non-smoker, the best advice is never to start. Remembering the health complications from tobacco and the cost should be enough warning never to begin smoking.
Quitting immediately allows your body to recover from the destruction of nicotine and other toxic substances in tobacco. Though you cannot rebuild lung tissue once it has been destroyed, you can increase oxygen exchange and prevent health problems later in life by quitting. It is never too late, and smoking cessation has major and immediate benefits.
Usually, people cannot explain why they continue smoking, but others have logical reasons: They are either addicted or orally fixated, have no will power or believe it settles their stomach after a big meal or is an appropriate social activity and decreases stress.
I started smoking in high school because many of my friends and co-workers smoked, but none of us realized why we did. It was done purely in a social setting and I did feel a sense of stress relief after having a few cigarettes. What I did not realize was that there are ways to deal with the management of stress besides having a cigarette. Smokers have tried different ways of quitting, like "cold turkey" or substituting a piece of gum for every cigarette. Luckily, I was not addicted to nicotine and had little trouble quitting abruptly. No matter what method you use to quit, the choice is personal and must be tailored according to your lifestyle. A person must be truly ready and make a firm decision to quit; it does not help to cheat or to give up after a half-hearted attempt.
Those trying to quit need to remember that smelling clean and free of smoke, having fresh breath and feeling healthier about oneself is a lot better than how much you weigh.
Smoking cessation is not the easiest thing to do, but from previous personal experience, I know it can be done. Keep trying and don't give up - your body and non-smoking friends will thank you.
(Katherine Berschback is a third-year Nursing student.)
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