The beginning of a new year is a good time to affirm ways to improve your health and life. Quitting smoking can be one of the best new years resolutions you can ever make. This resolution is one that can give you some reassurance that you will be around this year to live, laugh and love with your family and loved ones.

Understanding the facts about smoking can help you to quit. Be honest with yourself. Realize that smoking deteriorates your body and life in many ways.

Research done by the Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov) shows that smoking causes serious illness, death, cancer and depression. Smoking a cigar exposes your body to 4000 chemicals and 200 poisons and carcinogens.

According to the American Cancer Society (cancer.org), "Cigar smoking increases your risk of death from several cancers including cancer of the lung, oral cavity, esophogus, larynx, pancreas and bladder. Cigar smoke also increases the risk of heart disease and lung disease. Cigars contain the same poisons(toxins) and cancer causing agents (carcinogens) as cigarette smoke, but in very high concentrations".

Do not be fooled into thinking that cigars are not as harmful as cigarettes. The facts are they are more lethal. The American Cancer Society states that "The toxins or irritants in cigar smoke include carbon monoxide, nicotine, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, volatile aldehydes. The carcinogens in cigar smoke include benzene, aromatic amines (especially carcinogens such as 2-naphthylamine and 4-minobiphenyl), vinyl chloride, ethylene oxide, arsenic, chromium, cadmium, nitrosamines, and brpolynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons".

Whats worse is that every time you smoke in the presence of another human being, you are exposing them to the same deadly health hazards. Due to our medical knowledge in this day and age, smoking is known to be poisonous and deadly.

The act of smoking is not illegal. But the act of poisoning another person is illegal. An example of this is the neighbor who smokes and exposes his neighbors to deadly chemicals and illness on a constant basis because of his smoking.

In addition, smoking in the presence of children, is viewed in some states as child abuse. These kinds of laws are put into place to protect. But they can be a scary reality and wake up call for parents who smoke.

The U.S court system has experienced a major increase in lawsuits victorious against smokers who have caused harm, poisoning, illness and even in some cases death to other people due to their smoking.

These facts are not only reasons, but serious motivations to quit smoking.
Studies from The Center For Disease Control (cdc.gov), show that millions of people are realizing the health hazards of smoking both cigars and cigarettes, and they are quitting more now than any other time in history.

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your body, your life and your family. A step in the direction of your health and well being is one that you will always be grateful for and something you will always thank yourself for doing.

One last thought is that quitting smoking can increase your bank account. Think of all the money you will save. Tobacco products are purposely designed to be addictive and expensive. Think of quitting smoking not only as an automatic savings account for money, but also for your health.

Read, research, learn and get help to stop smoking. The time is now. Take back your health and life. Millions of people are doing it. You can too. The first step is the hardest, but the rest of the walk is easy.

A healthy existence, is a happy one. But an existence crippled by smoking related illness is a miserable one. The choice is in front of you now at this moment in time, but it will not be available to you forever. Smoking related illness can take away your choices, your freedom, your health and your life.

Freedom from addiction can help you to feel good again and it can give you peace of mind. Quitting smoking can bring many good things into your life. It is my hope that you will dedicate yourself to quit smoking because along the way of this journey you will be choosing health, happiness and life.


For more information about the dangers of cigar smoke please visit the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center:

http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/2551.cfm


For more help to quit smoking, please visit:

http://www.smokefree.gov/

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/how2quit.htm

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Cigar_Smoking.asp?sitearea=PED

http://www.ghi.com/members/health/nosmoke/index.html



References

National Cancer Institute. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monographs: Monograph 9: Cigars: Health Effects and Trends. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; 1998. NIH Pub. No. 98–4302 [cited 2007 Jan 15]. Available from http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/monographs/9/index.html.


Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States, 2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [serial online]. Surveillance Summaries 2005; 55(SS05):1–108 [cited 2007 Jan 15]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5505a1.htm.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tobacco Use, Access, and Exposure to Tobacco in Media Among Middle and High School Students—United States, 2004. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report [serial online]. 2005;54(12):297–301 [cited 2007 Jan 15]. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5412a1.htm.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health: 2005 Detailed Tables. (PDF–124KB) Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies; 2006 [cited 2007 Mar 13]. Available from: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2k5nsduh/tabs/Sect7peTabs58to67.pdf.

Federal Trade Commission. Nationwide Labeling Rules for Cigar Packaging and Ads Take Effect Today. Washington, DC: Federal Trade Commission; 2001 [cited 2007 Jan 15]. Available from: http://www3.ftc.gov/opa/2001/02/cigarlabel.htm. Cancer Institute. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monographs: Monograph 9: Cigars: Health Effects and Trends. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute; 1998. NIH Pub. No. 98–4302 [cited 2007 Jan 15]. Available from http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/monographs/9/index.html.