We all know that tobacco use, including smoking, dipping, and vaping, is addictive and bad for our health. We also know that quitting an addictive substance like tobacco is easier said than done. There are resources available in Lake County to help you quit, including the Ohio Tobacco Quit Line, which you can call at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
There are many benefits to living tobacco free, so if you or someone you know is looking to quit, keep these benefits in mind to help you or them become and remain tobacco free:
- You’ll create a better environment for your family & friends.
Secondhand smoke can cause cancer. Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are more susceptible to diseases like ear infections, asthma, and other respiratory diseases. By living tobacco free, your friends and family who would otherwise be breathing your secondhand smoke will no longer be at risk. - You’ll experience some immediate changes.
Your heart rate and blood pressure drop within 20 minutes of quitting smoking. The carbon monoxide levels in your blood drop to normal after 12 hours smoke free. In 2-12 weeks, your lung function will already have increased. And these are just the immediate benefits! - You’ll experience daily improvements.
When you quit smoking and live tobacco free, your food tastes better, your sense of smell returns to normal, your teeth and fingernails stop yellowing, and your breath, hair, and clothes smell better. You’ll even be less short of breath when participating in ordinary activities like climbing stairs and doing housework. - You’ll experience long-term health benefits.
Your risk of heart attack decreases dramatically 1 to 2 years after quitting. Your risk of mouth, throat, and voice box cancer is cut in half 5 to 10 years after quitting. Your risk of lung cancer is reduced to half that of someone who continues to smoke, 10 years after quitting. When you reach 15 years of living tobacco free, your risk of heart disease is lowered to near that of a non-smoker. - You’ll save time & money.
On average, daily smokers smoke 14 cigarettes per day, which takes time and costs money – not only money spent on cigarettes, but an increase in medical expenses as well. While the cost of a pack of cigarettes varies state to state, smoking a pack a day will likely cost you a minimum of about $2,000 per year. Quitting frees up your time and money to do something more beneficial to your life!
References:
- https://smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/why-you-should-quit/benefits-of-quitting
- https://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/lifedependsonit/betobaccofree.php
- https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/tobacco-health-benefits-of-smoking-cessation
- https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2018/p0118-smoking-rates-declining.html#:~:text=Among%20daily%20smokers%2C%20the%20average,to%2014%20cigarettes%20in%202016.
- https://tobaccofreelife.org/why-quit-smoking/cost-smoking/
- https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/benefits-of-quitting-smoking-over-time.html
