Tobacco is a, ‘no no!’  

College of DuPage Nursing Student Alana Jackson wrote for Healthy Lombard that moke is here, smoke is there, smoke is everywhere! Growing up, she would always see tons of smoking in a restaurant, at a family gathering, at an event, etc. She used to cough a lot because the smoke would inhale into her lungs due to second-hand smoking. Even though she was young, she knew that inhaling anything besides oxygen inside her body was not right and her breathing wouldn’t feel right either. Now that she is older she has learned to follow signs that say “No smoking” and to watch out for any smoking as she is out and about. Health is a priority and we want to make sure that we are doing everything in our power to keep our bodies healthy and secure so that we may live long lives.

According to the CDC, smoking consists of tobacco, which is very addicting and is the leading preventable cause of death in America. An average estimation of 480,000 deaths happens every year due to smoking by CDC studies. When someone inhales tobacco into their lungs they are damaging their airway and the alveoli. Smoking harms almost every organ in the body and we need our organs to function properly in life in order to live. CDC even discusses that tobacco increases the risk of heart diseases, bladder cancer, lung cancer, stroke, and even death. 

In addition to smoking there are ways to quit. Now quitting may be hard at first due to the addictive nicotine inside the tobacco, but it can be done! According to CDC, nicotine is an addictive ingredient that can cause irritation, angry, trouble thinking, or even feeling more hungry than usual. Fortunately you are never too old to quit! Ways to quit using tobacco are counseling, treatments, and medications such as a nicotine patch which is common for people to use. Studies on CDC show that more than 5 out of 10 adults have quit smoking since 2015 which is a huge progress!

Furthermore, smoking should be prevented. When you don’t smoke you reduce the risk of lung cancer, bladder cancer, and lung diseases such as COPD, heart diseases, stroke, and even death. You also reduce risks of respiratory issues such as wheezing, short of breath, and infertility in women. Smoking may look good and feel good on the outside, but on the inside it is an absolute nightmare! Stay healthy, stay fit, and stay tobacco-free!

References:

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/index.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/quitting/index.htm