Why should you quit smoking and how can you do it?
Smokers have a higher risk of getting coronavirus because they are constantly putting their hands to their lips.
And then, if they get coronavirus, they run a greater risk of getting a severe case because their lung function is impaired.
Quit today to reduce these risks and start living a healthier life.
Quick tips to curb your cravings:
- Delay: Delay as long as you can before giving in to your urge.
- Deep breathing: Take 10 deep breaths to relax yourself from within until the urge passes.
- Drink water: Drinking water is a healthy alternative to sticking a cigarette in your mouth.
- Do something else to distract yourself: Take a shower, read, go for a walk, listen to music!
There are many resources within your own community. Find out if your healthcare providers, Quit line Counsellors, mCessation programmes are available to support you in your journey to quit.
You can find a guide for tobacco users to quit here
Reasons to Quit Tobacco
Tobacco use hurts your looks causing:
- Bad breath
- Your teeth to yellow
- Wrinkly skin, especially around the lips and eyes, making you look older faster
- Tobacco can cause psoriasis, an inflammatory skin condition that leaves itchy, oozing red patches all over the body
Tobacco use threatens the health of those around you
- Over 1 million people die every year because of second-hand smoke
- Second-hand smoke can cause lung cancer
- E-cigarettes expose bystanders to nicotine and other harmful chemicals
Tobacco use impacts your social life
- You want to be a good example for your kids, friends, and loved ones.
- Tobacco use affects social interaction and relationships negatively.
- Quitting means there are no restrictions on where you can go – you can mingle socially, without feeling isolated, as you do with smoking.
- You will be more productive by quitting tobacco – you won’t have to keep stopping what you are doing to have a smoke.
Tobacco use breaks the bank
- You could be spending your money on more important things
Tobacco use damages almost every organ of the body
- Tobacco causes over 20 types of cancer.
- Tobacco smokers have up to twice the risk of stroke and a fourfold increased risk of heart disease.
- Smoking is a risk factor for dementia - an estimated 14% of Alzheimer’s cases globally can be attributed to smoking.
- Women who smoke are more likely to experience painful menstruation and more severe menopausal symptoms.
- Tobacco use restricts blood flow, which can cause the death of body tissue.
- Tobacco use increases the risk of periodontal disease, which can cause tooth loss.
- Smokers are likely to experience gastrointestinal disorders, such as stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Smokers are more likely to lose bone density, fracture more easily and experience serious complications.
Tobacco kills 8 million people every year
- In the U.S., tobacco kills more people than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs, and fires combined. Quit today!
Quit tobacco to protect the environment
- Cigarette butts are among the most commonly discarded piece of waste globally.
- Hazardous substances – including arsenic, lead, nicotine and formaldehyde are leached from discarded butts into aquatic environments and soil.
- Tobacco smoke can measurably contribute to air pollution levels in a city.
- A single tobacco smoker could contribute over 24,000 metric tons of methane or 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the planet per year.
- Governments and local authorities pay to clean up tobacco waste, not the tobacco companies themselves.
