~No Smoking Club (NSC) : Stop Smoking Today!!!

Smoking and U...Some Facts

2007-11-24T06:48:00.000-08:00

Smoking facts show that smoking kills. It is the leading cause of lung cancer today. Smoking all began with the import of tobacco from Europe to the New World, at the end of the 15th century. Smoking spread quickly,
and the habit became wildly popular. It was actually being promoted as the cool thing to do. They had posters everywhere, and everyone started to smoke. It wasn't until after World War II, that the dangers and other smoking facts were published. It wasn't until 1950, that evidence of a link between smoking and lung cancer became apparent. In 1965, the Surgeon General, added a warning labels to cigarettes. In that same year, the UK government banned all cigarette advertisements from being aired on television. In 1970, the United States of America banned these advertisements too. Shortly after, the cigarette advertisements were banned from the radio air waves also.

With all of the smoking facts available, why would someone still smoke? Personally speaking, it's been a hard habit to break. Nicotine is very addicting. For just these reasons, there have been several cancer patients that have filed lawsuits against the tobacco companies. Some are taking the smoking facts available and making the big companies pay. It's a hard fight to win, but there have been several lawsuits won.

What methods are available to aide in your stopping smoking? They have taken the smoking facts available 30 years ago, and they have tried to create products to help with the nicotine cravings. One of the most popular methods is the nicotine patch. These will help reduce the cravings that one has for cigarettes. Another option would be a pill, taken once a day. This can only be prescribed by a licensed physician. They also have nicotine gum, that is sold over the counter at any drug store. With all the smoking facts available, it is up to each individual smoker to make the decision to quit on their own.

References:
http://www.knownfacts.info/smoking-facts .php

Why is tobacco a public health priority?

2007-11-09T20:14:00.000-08:00

Why is tobacco a public health priority?

Tobacco is the second major cause of death in the world. It is currently responsible for the death of one in ten adults worldwide (about 5 million deaths each year). If current smoking patterns continue, it will cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people that smoke today -that is about 650 million people- will eventually be killed by tobacco.

Tobacco is the fourth most common risk factor for disease worldwide. The economic costs of tobacco use are equally devastating. In addition to the high public health costs of treating tobacco-caused diseases, tobacco kills people at the height of their productivity, depriving families of breadwinners and nations of a healthy workforce. Tobacco users are also less productive while they are alive due to increased sickness. A 1994 report estimated that the use of tobacco resulted in an annual global net loss of US$ 200 thousand million, a third of this loss being in developing countries.

Tobacco and poverty are inextricably linked. Many studies have shown that in the poorest households in some low-income countries as much as 10% of total household expenditure is on tobacco. This means that these families have less money to spend on basic items such as food, education and health care. In addition to its direct health effects, tobacco leads to malnutrition, increased health care costs and premature death. It also contributes to a higher illiteracy rate, since money that could have been used for education is spent on tobacco instead. Tobacco's role in exacerbating poverty has been largely ignored by researchers in both fields.

Experience has shown that there are many cost-effective tobacco control measures that can be used in different settings and that can have a significant impact on tobacco consumption. The most cost-effective strategies are population-wide public policies, like bans on direct and indirect tobacco advertising, tobacco tax and price increases, smoke-free environments in all public and workplaces, and large clear graphic health messages on tobacco packaging. All these measures are discussed on the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Contact Information

Tobacco Free Initiative
WHO/Noncommunicable Disease and Mental Health
20 Avenue Appia
1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 791 2126
Fax: + 41 22 791 4832
E-mail: tfi@who.int

Meaning of Cigarette

2007-11-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

A pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at one end & a fool at the other

Disease caused by smoking - 2

2007-11-09T19:59:00.001-08:00

Frances Downes who lost fingers
as a result of the same problem

Disease caused by smoking - 1

2007-11-09T19:58:00.001-08:00

Gangrene from peripheral vascular

Smoking & DiseaseS

2007-11-09T19:57:00.001-08:00

Smoking & Disease

Although everybody is aware of the health dangers of smoking, these dangers are frequently underestimated. The truth is shocking to most people.
Smoking as a cause of death and disability

* Smoking-related disease is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the world.
* Smoking-related disease will cause the death of one in every two life-long smokers.
* Smoking kills more than 19.000 Australians per year or around 50 people per day - this equates to one Australian every thirty minutes!!
* Smoking is the single largest cause of lung cancer and is an important factor in at least seven other cancers.
* Smoking causes around 82% of deaths from lung cancer.
* Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and several other causes of death. Smokers in their 30’s and 40’s are five times more likely to have a heart attack than non-smokers.
* About half of all people killed by tobacco-related diseases die in middle age, with an average loss of about 20–25 years of life expectancy.
* Diseases associated with smoking can cause pain, distress and disability for many years before death.

Smoking and cancer

Cancer is the best-known risk associated with smoking. In Western Europe, North America and parts of Asia, it has been estimated that smoking accounts for approximately 30% of all cancer deaths.

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Smoking and the heart and blood vessels

Smoking increases the risk of death caused by arterial disease. The arteries carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body. During normal ageing the lining of the arteries becomes less flexible, fatty deposits are laid down in the walls of the artery and the diameter of the artery narrows. This process is known as atherosclerosis. This narrowing reduces the amount of oxygen reaching the rest of the body. This lack of oxygen can result in angina (crushing, cramp-like pain in the chest) when the arteries supplying the heart are affected. It can also lead to heart attack and stroke. Smoking can accelerate the process of atherosclerosis and therefore increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Smokers who die from smoking in their 30’s and 40’s die mainly from heart attacks. Risk of death from heart attacks in this age group of smokers is five times higher than that of non-smokers. It is estimated that tobacco is responsible for up to 80% of all heart attack deaths in smokers under 50 years of age.

Although death from stroke is less common than death from heart attack, risk is increased in people who smoke. In the USA, death from stroke and other diseases involving the blood vessels in the brain is increased in people aged 35–64 years who smoke.

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Diseases of the lung

There are other diseases of the lung that can be caused by smoking aside from cancer. Smoking also increases the risk of chronic obstructive lung disease and consequent infection of the airways. This disease is due to three processes:

* Persistent cough and phlegm production caused by production of excess mucus (commonly referred to as the ‘smoker’s cough’)
* Thickening and narrowing of the airways in the lung
* Emphysema (expansion and damage of the smallest air chambers in the lung) 3⁄4 smoking causes 90% of deaths from this condition.

Other diseases

Smoking may also increase the risk and possibly the severity of a variety of disorders other than those mentioned above. These include:

* Stomach ulcers
* Impotence
* Female infertility
* Tooth/gum disease

Women smokers are also at greater risk of hip fracture from osteoporosis than corresponding non-smokers.
Smoking and pregnancy

It is well known that smoking during pregnancy can damage the baby and even cause a miscarriage. Compared with non-smokers, smoking during pregnancy can cause:

* Reduced birth weight
* Increased risk of the baby dying just before or just after birth

4 Steps to Defeating the Urge to Smoke

2007-11-09T19:56:00.001-08:00

4 Steps to Defeating the Urge to Smoke

Memorize H.A.L.T.
Quitting tobacco is a process. It doesn't happen overnight, but compared to the amount of time most of us spent smoking, recovery can be very quick, indeed.

Years of smoking taught us to react to literally everything by lighting a cigarette. When we were happy, we'd celebrate by lighting up. When we got angry, smoking would calm us down, or so we thought. Tired? Smoke a cigarette to stay awake. Hungry? Feed yourself a smoke. This list goes on. Between the physical addiction to nicotine, and the mental associations that tie what seems like all of our activities to cigarettes, it can feel as though we're chained to the habit with links of steel.

Successful recovery from this addiction includes learning how to hear the message behind the urge to smoke and respond with more appropriate choices, such as a nap or a meal, for instance.

Have patience with yourself! This new skill takes some time to hone, but you'll get better at it. Eventually, cigarettes will fade as a trigger, and you'll make choices based on what you really need without thinking twice about it.

Memorize the meaning of this acronym: H.A.L.T.(Hungry,Angry,Lonely,Tired), and you'll have a powerful checklist to help you decode the urges you experience. Nine times out of ten, a craving can be traced to one of these four things:

Hungry

Have a snack or a meal. If you are hungry, food is the answer, not a cigarette! If you're concerned about weight gain, try drinking water to help control between meal eating. Have healthy snacks on hand also. Celery sticks, raw baby carrots and frozen grapes make good low calorie snacks.

Normal weight gain due to quitting is 5-8 pounds. Metabolism does slow a bit, so getting some daily exercise is a good idea. Take a look at Weight Gain FAQ's for answers to weight gain questions. Also read Maia's Six Month Milestone for a first-hand perspective on this issue from someone with six months smoke free under her belt.

The bottom line is this: don't be too hard on yourself. Try to eat in moderation, but until you get your quit program under solid control, don't fret if you gain a few pounds. Quitting tobacco should be in the top slot of your priority list for as long as it takes. Weight can always be lost later

Defeat Triggers with Knowledge
Angry

This is a big trigger for most of us. Find healthy outlets for your feelings of frustration - if at all possible, try to deal with the situation that is bothering you head on, and be done with it. Talk to friends and family about your feelings or write in your journal. The important thing is not to let anger simmer and get the upper hand. Reaching for a cigarette can seem like a quick fix, but it's always a false fix. Smoking will put you back to square one and you'll be disappointed in yourself as well.

We may not always be able to choose the events that happen around us, but we will always have the choice of how we let external situations affect us emotionally. This is important! If you're mad, you have the power to change that negative feeling in an instant. Instant Stress Busters provides some great tips to help you improve your mood.

Positive self-talk is another way to pull yourself out of the doldrums. Use affirmations to help you create the reality you want for yourself. We have a way of taking actions which are in line with our beliefs, so what you tell yourself matters - a lot. Make affirmations empowering and keep them in the here and now. Instead of saying: "I will be a healthy nonsmoker", say it this way: "I AM a healthy nonsmoker." Rather than saying "I have to quit smoking", tell yourself, "I get to quit smoking". Minor shifts in attitude can make a world of difference.

Education is also a powerful ally - the more you learn about the effects of tobacco, the less value cigarettes will have for you. Learn to hate the habit, and you'll have leverage to help you become smoke free and stay that way for good.

Lonely

Another word to describe this could be bored. Take a look at 101 Things to Do Instead of Smoking. This list comes from forum members who are all in the process of quitting themselves. Early on in cessation, distraction is a useful tool. If you're bored, try redirecting your attention, and see if it helps.

Depression also falls under this category, and can affect anyone. People quitting tobacco are especially susceptible, at least early on, because leaving cigarettes behind can feel like the loss of a friend. My Darling... was one quitter's way of saying goodbye to the habit that was killing her. Ten Healthy Actions to get Yourself out of a Funk is a great article from About Guide to Holistic Healing, Phylameana lila Deasy. If you feel yourself slipping into a depressed state, take action. Change your environment and it will usually change your attitude.

Tired

Fatigue can be a huge trigger. Instead of lighting up, give yourself time to slow down and relax a little, or even go to bed early if you need to. Sounds so simple, yet people often push themselves too far with all of the demands of life these days. Be aware. Don't let yourself get rundown. Protect your quit by protecting your health, both physically, and mentally.

It may feel like you'll never be free of cigarettes and thoughts of smoking will always plague you, but have some faith in yourself, and please be patient. We taught ourselves to smoke, and we can teach ourselves to forget it too. Give yourself time to retrain and get some practice at living your life smoke free. Soon enough, it will seem the most natural thing in the world. You'll get to the point where you'll wonder why you didn't quit sooner, because life without cigarettes has become so easy for you. In the meantime, remember H.A.L.T.

References: About.Com

0 Things To Avoid When You Quit Smoking : From Terry Martin

2007-11-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

The Proper Care and Feeding of A Healthy Quit Program

We all want this quit to be the quit - the one that lasts us a lifetime. We're looking for permanent freedom from nicotine addiction. Let's take a look at some of the things you should avoid when quitting tobacco. Build a strong quit program by educating yourself about the process!
Don't Be Impatient
The natural tendency is to quit smoking and expect to be done with it within a month. Smoking cessation doesn't work that way, however. When you quit smoking, you are letting go of a habit that you've had for many years, if not all of your adult life. It's only fair to expect that breaking all of the old associations that tied you to smoking will take some time. Sit back, relax, and put some time between you and that last smoke you had. Have patience with yourself, and with the process.

Don't Worry About Forever
It can be overwhelming to think you'll never smoke another cigarette, so don't.
Don't focus on forever, focus on the day you have in front of you. This is where your power is, and always will be. You can't do a thing about yesterday or tomorrow, but you sure can control today. If you find your mind wandering ahead or back, pull yourself out of it by focusing on the present.

Don't be Negative
It's been said that the average person has approximately 66,000 thoughts in a given day, and that two-thirds of them are negative. We can be so hard on ourselves! Don't beat yourself up for things you can't change, such as the years you spent smoking. And don't look at past quit attempts as failures. Learn from the experiences you've had and move on. Think about all of the positive changes you're creating in your life by quitting tobacco.

Successful long-term cessation always starts in the mind. Keep your eye on the prize and develop an attitude of gratitude. We have a way of believing what we tell ourselves over and over, so don't feed yourself negatives. Affirm the changes you are working to create in your life, and action will follow more easily.

Don't Neglect Yourself
This is a time when you should be taking extra care to make sure all of your needs are being met. The following guidelines will help you weather withdrawal more comfortably:

* Eat a well-balanced diet. Your body needs good quality fuel now more than ever as it works to flush the toxins out of your system.

* Get more rest. Chances are you'll feel extra fatigue for a few weeks. Don't fight it. Sleep more if you can.

* Drink water. Water is a great quit aid. It helps you detox more quickly, works well as a craving-buster, and by keeping yourself hydrated, you'll feel better overall.

* Exercise daily. Walking is a wonderful way to get exercise. It's a good, low impact aerobic workout, and it works well to keep cravings in check. Take a few 15-minute walks every day and see if it improves your spirits.

* Take a daily multi-vitamin. Your body can use the extra boost a vitamin provides for the duration of withdrawal from nicotine. Cigarettes deplete so many nutrients. A daily multi-vitamin may help you regain your energy more quickly.

Withdrawal isn't a pain-free experience, but it is survivable, and it is certainly short-lived. Always keep in mind the fact that withdrawal from nicotine is a temporary condition

Alcohol and tobacco go hand-in-hand...
Don't Drink
I probably don't need to tell you that alcohol and tobacco go hand-in-hand. New quitters are tender. Putting yourself into a social setting where you're tempted to drink too soon after quitting can be dangerous. Don't rush it. The time will come when you can have a drink without it triggering the urge to smoke, but don't expect that to be within the first month, or perhaps even the first few months.

We're all a little different in how we go through recovery, so defining a specific time frame isn't realistic. Just be aware of your own situation. If you have an engagement coming up that involves drinking and you feel nervous about that, it might be best to postpone until you're feeling stronger. If that's not an option, have a plan in place for how you'll manage the event smoke free

Will you be able to excuse yourself to step our for some fresh air? Can you request that people don't smoke around you?

However you decide to handle the situation, don't be shy about it. This is your life we're talking about here, and quitting tobacco has to be a top priority for awhile. Whatever you need to do to maintain your quit, you should do. Period! Remember, life won't always be this way - it will return to normal eventually.
Don't Overdo
We've talked about taking care not to neglect your physical health. Your emotional well-being is every bit as important. Stress can build if you're not careful, and before you know it, you're fighting a strong urge to smoke. Early cessation creates its own tension, let alone all of the other stresses that come and go in our busy daily lives. Make sure you don't let yourself get run down to the point of exhaustion, and that you take time every single day to destress with an activity that you enjoy. Whether it's time alone with a good book, a hot bath, or working on a hobby, make sure you incorporate some time just for you.

Fatigue and stress are big triggers to smoke, and it can be a quick jump to feeling that you need a cigarette to cope. Plan ahead of time how you'll keep yourself out of those danger zones.
Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously
You will have bad days. Expect and accept that. Such is cessation, and such is life. On those off days, make a vow to put yourself on ignore! Sometimes the best thing we can do is to get out of our own way. Our minds can make a small issue big, and make a drama out of every little thing if our moods are out of whack. When you have a bad day, use it as an excuse to pamper yourself excessively. Be good to yourself and put your thoughts on hold. Decide to wait and see what tomorrow will bring. Nine times out of ten you'll wake up feeling 100 percent better the next day. And when you do, you'll be grateful to still be smoke free.
Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help
Statistics show that people who quit with a healthy support system in place have a much higher rate of success over time. If you don't have people around you who are supportive, and even if you do, add some online support to your quit program. Our smoking cessation forum here at About.com offers some of the best support the Internet has to offer. There is nothing better than bending the ear of a person who knows exactly what you are going through. Getting help from people who have 'been there and done that' is worth its weight in gold.
Don't Believe That You Can Have "Just One"
There is no such thing. It doesn't work with Lays potato chips, and it sure doesn't work with cigarettes. Smoke one cigarette, and you run a very high risk of being back to a pack a day quicker than you can imagine. Don't fall for faulty thinking. A relapse always begins in the mind. If you recognize unhealthy thoughts of smoking cropping up, it's time to renew your resolve.

Don't forget. You quit smoking for a reason. Probably several. Don't let time and distance from the habit cloud your thinking. Keep your memory green by reviewing your reasons often. They will never be less true as time goes by, but they can feel less critical if you're not careful.

Cessation is a journey. Take it one simple day at a time, and you'll find that what started out as a difficult task soon enough becomes an enjoyable challenge.

References: About.Com

A Pic of a Smoker

2007-11-09T19:51:00.001-08:00

References:

http://www.who.int/tobacco/research/smokers_body/en/
(issued by World Health Organisation)

Some Thoughts Some Facts

2007-11-09T19:46:00.000-08:00

Smoking oriented subjects can show people the reality that how dangerous is smoking..................and what really this shit thing is made up of..........

One thousand Americans stop smoking every day - by dying.

~Author Unknown

***

What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.

Abraham H. Maslow

***

“Oscar Wilde: 'Do you mind if I smoke?' Sarah Bernhardt: 'I don't care if you burn'”

Sarah Bernhardt quotes

***

“Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life.”

Brooke Shields

***

The best way to stop smoking is to just stop - no ifs, ands or butts.”

Edith Zittler

***

“Everybody smokes! Models, actresses, everyone! Don't they realize that it's gross? I understand it's an addiction, but it still pains me to see my friends do it.”

Kirsten Dunst

***

“Do you mind if I don't smoke ?”

Groucho Marx

***

Andrew Weil, MD, quotes about Smoking:

In Europe, when tobacco was first introduced, it was immediately banned. In Turkey, if you got caught with tobacco, you had your nose slit. China and Russia imposed the death penalty for possession of tobacco!

***

Smoking is related to practically every terrible thing that can happen to you or to people around you.

Loni Anderson

What is Cigarette All About

2007-11-09T19:42:00.001-08:00

Just making you aware about what is Cigarette in a nutshell

Smoking And Sex

2007-11-09T19:41:00.000-08:00

Recent Canadian government research has shown that cigarette smoking not only impairs sexual ability, it actually causes shrinkage of the male sexual "equipment."

Wow! If that is true, we need to get the word out ASAP! Maybe the warning on the cigarette packs should be updated to reflect this new information. How about something like this:

* Warning!: These cigarettes are king size — how about you?

* Warning!: Smoking sections in restaurants aren't the only things getting smaller.

* Warning!: If you don't reduce your smoking, your smoking will reduce you.

* Warning!: Smoking may lead to ridicule on your honeymoon.

* Warning!: Smoke rises, but you may not.

* Warning!: Second-hand smoke can be harmful to children — That is… if you're capable of conceiving any.

* Warning!: Cigarettes get shorter the more you puff — so do you.

* Warning!: How can you enjoy a smoke afterwards, if there's no before?

* Warning!: The only thing left after a smoke is a dead stub.

* Warning!: Don't throw lit cigarettes in the urinal — you might not have the range to put them out.
SO FOLKS STOP SMOKING .....

20 Quick Tips to Help You Quit Smoking

2007-11-05T23:12:00.001-08:00

Believe in yourself. Believe that you can quit. Think about
some of the most difficult things you have done in your life and realize that you have the guts and determination to quit smoking. It's up to you.

After reading this list, sit down and write your own list,
customized to your personality and way of doing things. Create you own plan for quitting.

Write down why you want to quit (the benefits of quitting): live longer, feel better, for your family, save money, smell better, find a mate more easily, etc. You know what's bad about smoking and you know what you'll get by quitting. Put it on paper and read it daily.

Ask your family and friends to support your decision to quit. Ask them to be completely supportive and non-judgmental. Let them know ahead of time that you will probably be irritable and even irrational while you withdraw from your smoking habit.

Set a quit date. Decide what day you will extinguish your
cigarettes forever. Write it down. Plan for it. Prepare your
mind for the "first day of the rest of your life". You might
even hold a small ceremony when you smoke you last cigarette, or on the morning of the quit date.

Talk with your doctor about quitting. Support and guidance from a physician is a proven way to better your chances to quit.

Begin an exercise program. Exercise is simply incompatible
with smoking. Exercise relieves stress and helps your body
recover from years of damage from cigarettes. If necessary, start slow, with a short walk once or twice per day. Build up to 30 to 40 minutes of rigorous activity, 3 or 4 times per week. Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.

Do some deep breathing each day for 3 to 5 minutes. Breathe in through your nose very slowly, hold the breath for a few seconds, and exhale very slowly through your mouth. Try doing your breathing with your eyes closed and go to step 9.

Visualize your way to becoming a non-smoker. While doing your deep breathing in step 8, you can close your eyes and begin to imagine yourself as a non-smoker. See yourself enjoying your exercise in step 7. See yourself turning down a cigarette that someone offers you. See yourself throwing all your cigarettes away, and winning a gold medal for doing so. Develop your own creative visualizations. Visualization works.

Cut back on cigarettes gradually (if you cut back gradually, be sure to set a quit date on which you WILL quit). Ways to cut back gradually include: plan how many cigarettes you will smoke each day until your quit date, making the number you smoke smaller each day; buy only one pack at a time; change brands so you don't enjoy smoking as much; give your cigarettes to someone else, so that you have to ask for them each time you want to smoke.

Quit smoking "cold turkey". Many smokers find that the only way they can truly quit once and for all is to just quit abruptly without trying to slowly taper off. Find the method that works best for you: gradually quitting or cold turkey. If one way doesn't work do the other.

Find another smoker who is trying to quit, and help each
other with positive words and by lending an ear when quitting becomes difficult. Visit this Bulletin Board and this Chat Room to find a "quit buddy."

Have your teeth cleaned. Enjoy the way your teeth look and feel and plan to keep them that way.

After you quit, plan to celebrate the milestones in your
journey to becoming a non-smoker. After two weeks of being smoke-free, see a movie. After a month, go to a fancy restaurant (be sure to sit in the non-smoking section). After three months, go for a long weekend to a favorite get-away. After six months, buy yourself something frivolous. After a year, have a party for yourself. Invite your family and friends to your "birthday" party and celebrate your new chance at a long, healthy life.

Drink lots of water. Water is good for you anyway, and most people don't get enough. It will help flush the nicotine and other chemicals out of your body, plus it can help reduce cravings by fulfilling the "oral desires" that you may have.

Learn what triggers your desire for a cigarette, such as
stress, the end of a meal, arrival at work, entering a bar, etc. Avoid these triggers or if that's impossible, plan alternative ways to deal with the triggers.

Find something to hold in your hand and mouth, to replace
cigarettes. Consider drinking straws or you might try an artificial cigarette called E-Z Quit found here:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/ezquit.htm

Write yourself an inspirational song or poem about quitting, cigarettes, and what it means to you to quit. Read it daily.

Keep a picture of your family or someone very important to you with you at all times. On a piece of paper, write the words "I'm quitting for myself and for you (or "them")". Tape your written message to the picture. Whenever you have the urge to smoke, look at the picture and read the message.

Whenever you have a craving for a cigarette, instead of
lighting up, write down your feelings or whatever is on your mind. Keep this "journal" with you at all times.

Good luck in your efforts to quit smoking. It's worth it!