The Case To Quitting
Quitting smoking can be extremely challenging, but the benefits are immediate and profound; Lung capacity increases, blood pressure decreases and the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke increases within the first year. The American Cancer Society provides deadlines for health milestones that individuals can look forward to once they leave:
Time Smoke Free: 1 Hour
Benefits:
Decline in heart rate and blood pressure
Time Smoke Free: 12 Hours
Benefits:
Carbon monoxide levels return to normal in your blood
Time smoking free: 2 weeks to 3 months
Benefits:
Improves circulation and increases lung function
Time smoking free: 1 to 9 months
Benefits:
Reduction in cough and shortness of breath; Cilia (short hair-like structures that
excrete mucus from the lungs) begin to regain normal function, reducing the
risk of infection
Time Smoke Free: 1 Year
Benefits:
Extreme risk of coronary heart disease is half of a habitual smoker
Time smoking free: 2 years
Benefits:
Stroke risk may fall for a non-smoker
Time Smoking Free: 5 years
Benefits:
The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus and bladder is cut in half;
The risk of cervical cancer falls on a non-smoker
Time Smoking Free: 10 years
Benefits: The risk of dying from lung cancer is about half of that of a person who is still smoking; Reduces risk of laryngeal and pancreas cancer
Time Smoking Free: 15 years
Benefits:
The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker.
Socially, an
improvised smoker can expect better breath and body odor, greater ability to
exercise, and meaningful savings. According to Lung.org, the US average for a
pack of cigarettes is $ 5.51, which means that the average annual expense of a
pack-a-smoker sits at $ 2,011; But this is just the surface cost. The total
economic cost of a packet is $ 18.05, a cost that is devoted to smoking by
combining government and consumer expenses. Another way, is money that could be
used elsewhere if smoking were not a drag on public health. Total annual
economic cost for a pack-a-day smoker: $ 6,588.
In 2013,
adding another financial perspective, The New York Times reported that smokers
cost an additional $ 5,816 compared to nonsokokers. These costs are the sum of
health care expenses, smoking breaks and absence from work; On an average,
smokers miss two-and-a-half workdays a year, which are nirankaris.
In the long run, the benefits of quitting smoking increase, as the body protects itself from the harm caused by smoking. The damaged veins regrow, the bronchial passages relax, and circulation improves. After ten years or more, pre-smokers enjoy the same odds of good health as those who never smoke.
Related Should you know e-cigarettes lead to depression and poor heart-condition
Approx. 70% Want To Quit
Cigarettes
contain not only nicotine, an intoxicating substance, but other chemicals that
increase the risk of smokers. While conventional wisdom is clear that smoking
is bad for one's health, quitting an established habit is usually not easy. In
fact, a multibillion-dollar industry has evolved to meet this need.
Approximately 70% of current American smokers want to quit, and these smokers
are willing to hire hard-earned cash to quit smoking.
When it
comes to quitting smoking, the success rate is subjective. They are determined
at different levels depending on which one is asked. Some people use success in
terms of reducing, while others determine success based on how long a person
smokes. According to Cancer.org, four to seven percent of smokers quit
completely without using cessid aids or other treatments.
The website
also reported that about 25% of smokers used the drug to end their habit of
being able to remain "smoke-free" for the past few months. Cancer.org
says that those who participate in counseling, or who try to improve their
chances of stopping, receive another form of emotional support.
Why Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
The US Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) has already approved several products that aid in
smoking cessation. As with any medicine, these aids take time to be effective.
Most require 12 weeks of use, although nicotine nasal spray can be used for up
to six months.
The most
common of these termination aids are nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). They
are designed to help you quit cigarettes by allowing you to control or
gradually reduce the amount of nicotine entering your system. Although it is
possible to use more than one NRT at a time, it is important to understand the
dose and potential side effects of each product before combining them. We have
compiled information on dosage and side effects for popular closure aids. Prior
to any of the chases listed below, be sure to contact your doctor to discuss
your options.
Nicotine gum (nicorate)
over the
counter
Dose: 2 mg
( 25 cigarettes / day)
Possible
side effects: sore throat, hiccups, pruritus, jaw pain
Pros:
Sudden
cravings and withdrawal symptoms curve
Cons:
Lasts for a
short period of time; Does not kill cravings completely; It would have to be
chewed a certain way to work; May stick to dental work; Chewing or eating or
drinking gum will not be effective; Wait at least 15 minutes after eating or
drinking anything other than water before use:
Niktoin Patch (Nicoderm CQ)
over the
counter
Dose: 7mg /
day; 14 mg / day; 21 mg / day
Possible
side effects: shoulder and arm pain, pruritus, erythema, vivid dreams, skin
irritation
Pros:
lasts 24
hours
Cons:
No way of
regulating sudden urges or cravings; Change the patch every day; Applying
patches to the same area of skin for
two consecutive days can cause irritation
Nasal Spray (Nicotrol NS)
The
prescription
Dose: 10mg /
mL (1 spray = 0.5 mg); 1 dose = 2 sprays (1 spray per nostril)
Possible
side effects: nasal irritation, sneezing, cough, torsion, headache
Pros: Control sudden urges or
cravings; Rapid absorption into the bloodstream; User controls the dose
Cons: Used repeatedly throughout the
day to control urges; More risk of spray dependence
Nicotine inhaler (nicotrol)
The
prescription
Dosage: 4 mg
Possible
side effects: mouth and throat irritation, cough
Pros: Control sudden urges or
cravings; The user controls how much nicotine they add to their body through an
inhaler puff; Benefit from the sensation of hand to mouth movement which is
often a part of cigarette addiction
Cons: Used repeatedly throughout the
day to control urges; Can not eat or drink while using or it will not be as
effective; Wait at least 15 minutes after eating or drinking anything other
than water before use
Nicotine loss
over the
counter
Dose: 2mg If a person smoked 1 cigarette before more than 30 minutes; after waking up. 4mg if a person smokes 1 cigarette less than 30 minutes, after waking up.
Possible
side effects: mouth irritation, nausea, hiccups, heartburn
Pros:
Control sudden urges or cravings
Cons: Curves but does not eliminate cravings; Can not eat or drink while using or it will not be as effective; Wait at least 15 minutes after eating; or drinking anything other than water before use
Curves but does not eliminate cravings; Can not eat or drink while using or it will not be as effective; Wait at least 15 minutes after eating; or drinking anything other than water before use
Zyban
The
prescription
Dose: 1 150
mg tablet / day for 3 days; Increase to 300 mg / day; 1 150 mg tablet twice a
day at 8-hour intervals; Treatment lasts 7–12 weeks
Possible
side effects: anxiety, dry mouth, irregular heartbeat, restlessness, shortness
of breath, sleepiness
Pros: Tablet is easy to use
Cons: Start the prescription a week
before you leave; Pills should be taken at the same time every day
Chantix
The
prescription
Dosage:
Week One:
Day 1-3: 1 white pill every day, in the morning; Day 4-7: 2 white pills every day morning and evening
2-12 a week:
2 blue pills, morning and evening
Possible
side effects: nausea, behavioral changes, hostility, agitation, depressed mood,
suicidal thoughts or actions
Pros: Tablet
is easy to use
Cons: Serious mental health problems are known to stem from this termination aid.
Sources: Mayo Clinic, American Pharmacist, Drugs.com and Chantix
Prescription
termination aids, such as Zayban and Chantix, are designed to inhibit the
pleasure receptors in the brain that have been affected by nicotine. In additional
words, they make smoking less anticipated. Neither of these prescriptions
contains nicotine, and people often use fast-acting NRTs at the same time to prevent
withdrawal symptoms.
Although both Zyban and Chantix have been approved by the FDA, it is important to be cautious when taking these drugs. Both can affect mood and cause extreme changes in behavior and thoughts of suicide. If you choose the prescription route to quit smoking, keep your doctor aware of all the changes you experience.
Must Read: Most Dangerous Facts About Smoking
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