Breaking up affair with smoking

The smokers are not just addicted to nicotine, they are in love with the act of lighting up due to its learned behaviour. Recent studies indicate that smokers will die 7-9 years earlier than that of non smoker. In a more recently concluded study, it was determined that male smokers can expect to die about 18 years earlier than if they did not smoke, or if they had stopped smoking at an early age.
Studies have concluded that about 90% of all lung cancers are seen in smokers. Smokers have a 3-5 times more likelihood of developing heart attack than do non-smokers.
Indirect effect of smoking or passive smoking also does harm to innocents. These innocent members of family of a smokers suffer the adverse effect and experience increased frequency of pneumonia, bronchitis, and other respiratory tract symptoms when compared to people who live in a smoke-free environment. Evidence is also mounting now to show that these passive smokers are also at an increased risk to develop lung cancer.
All forms of tobacco use are detrimental to our physical, mental and spiritual health. It also affects our families, society and innocent bystanders. However, all of the ill effects can be avoided by our strong will to abstention quit smoking. Even for those who already have disease, there are benefits of quitting. For all good reasons, break up your affair with smoking.

The writer is an Assistant Professor, Respiratory Medicine, M H Samorita Medical College & Hospital, Dhaka. E-mail: [email protected]