I am by no means stating that there are only 3 reasons to quit smoking and to be honest reasons to quit seem to be as vast as the number of those trying to quit. These are 3 reasons to quit that I have found to be common: Health Benefits; Financial Benefits; Family and friends.
Health Benefits
It is no secret that smoking can have a negative effect on a Smokers health. A smoker is at an increase risk of both cardiovascular (problems with their heart and blood vessels) and respiratory (lungs and airways) diseases. Smoking also commonly causes sleep problems. Smokers will experience a harder time falling asleep and struggle to reach the deepest stage of sleep called REM stage. This is when the body repairs itself so if a smoker struggles to reach this stage of sleep their body is not repairing itself in the most effective way. Most people know that smoking causes the big “C” word cancer. Most think of smoking as a cause of lung cancer but in actuality smoking has cancer causing potential all through the body. In the US, smoking is the leading preventative cause of death.
Financial benefits
Many of the Smokers I have talked with over the years will admit it is a very expensive habit and it is only getting more and more expensive. Over the last 15 years that price of cigarettes have more than tripled. According to balancingeverything.com and tobaccofreekids.org an average pack of cigarettes costs $6.65. Now that may not seem like much but when you start to look at it over longer periods of time it really does add up. At $6.65 per pack a person who smokes a pack per day will have spent $199.50 in a month or $2427.25 a year. If you are still not viewing that as a lot of money. Let’s look at it this way… in less than 42 years a person who smokes 1 pack per day could have bought a $100,000 home.
Family and friends
Second hand smoke has been publicized pretty well over the years. I think we have a pretty good handle on that, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded that smoking doesn’t just hurt the Smoker, but those that the Smoker smokes around are affected as well. There is an increased risk of asthma in children who are around second-hand smoke. I also want to point out what is called third hand smoke. This is where people can be affected by the residue that smoking leaves on surfaces. So, you know to make sure you are not exposing someone through second hand smoke but say you smoke in a chair outside and then your child sits in it, they are still being exposed.
Even if you manage to not effect your family through second or third hand smoke, they will still be witness to all of the health issues that arise from smoking. They will be with you through all of your illnesses and it is not easy to watch someone you love struggle through that.
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