Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the economic costs of smoking?
(Source Link)-
We are making great progress in reducing the number of Americans who smoke and the number of Americans who die prematurely due to tobacco use. However, the financial burden on individuals and society as a result of smoking remain immense.
During 1997 through 2001, smoking cost the US approximately $167 billion annually. This figure includes about $92 billion from loss of productivity due to premature death and $75 billion in smoking-related health care costs. Utah incurs about $273 million each year in direct medical expenses and $257 million in lost productivity.
Why is quitting so hard?
(Source Link)-
Many ex-smokers say quitting was the hardest thing they ever did. Why? It is because nicotine, an addictive substance, is in all tobacco products. If someone has used tobacco regularly, he builds tolerance, and will not feel “normal” without nicotine, He will experience withdrawal symptoms when he stops or reduces use.
Withdrawal symptoms include:
- nervousness
- headaches
- irritability
- difficulty sleeping
- depression
- coughing
- difficulty concentrating
- restlessness
- tiredness
- increased appetite
Quitting is also hard because smoking has become a big part of life. A smoker often enjoys holding cigarettes and puffing on them. He may smoke when stressed, bored, or angry. After months and years of lighting up, smoking becomes part of a daily routine. Some may light up without even thinking about it.
Smoking goes with other things, too. Someone may light up when he feels a certain way or does certain things. For example:
- Drinking coffee, wine, or beer
- Talking on the phone
- Driving
- Being with other smokers
A smoker may feel uncomfortable not smoking at times or in places where they usually have a cigarette. These times and places are called "triggers." That's because they trigger, or turn on, cigarette cravings. Breaking these habits is the hardest part of quitting for some smokers.
It takes time to break free from tobacco addiction. Just remember: tobacco users CAN quit. But they are 50% more likely to quit and stay tobacco free if they have the help and support of family and friends. It’s not easy to ask for help, but it’s so much easier to quit with help.
What is nicotine and why is it addictive?
(Source Link)-
Nicotine is the highly addictive drug found naturally in tobacco. Nicotine is found in cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, shisha (the flavored tobacco smoked in a hookah or water pipe), bidis, and kreteks (clove cigarettes). Even if a tobacco product is marketed as “all natural,” it is still addictive because of its nicotine content.
Nicotine meets the following criteria for an addictive substance:
(1) The user’s behavior is largely controlled by a substance that causes mood change, primarily because of the substance’s effects on the brain.
(2) The person will continue to use the substance, often putting it before other priorities.
(3) The user develops a tolerance for the drug, so increasing amounts are needed to create the same effect.
(4) Withdrawal symptoms occur if the person does not use the drug.
(5) A strong tendency for relapse exists after quitting. What does nicotine do to the body?
(Source Link)-
Nicotine reaches the brain within 7 seconds after smoke enters the lungs. It raises the heart and respiration (breathing) rates. Nicotine also causes more glucose (blood sugar) to be released into the blood, which may explain why smokers say they feel more alert after smoking.
But that’s not all this highly addictive drug does to the human body. Nicotine also causes the brain cells to release an unusually large amount of a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine stimulates pleasure centers in the brain, making the smoker feel good.
The effects of nicotine do not last very long. When the effects wear off, a smoker feels a strong urge to smoke again to get more nicotine.
Repeated doses of nicotine will alter a smoker’s brain activities. The brain reduces the amount of dopamine that it produces. The number of receptors that carry dopamine to the cells is also reduced. When this happens, the smoker needs nicotine just to have normal levels of dopamine in the brain. If the level of dopamine drops, as a smoker, you feel irritable and depressed.
Both young and older smokers can become addicted to nicotine. In adults, nicotine addiction is linked to the amount and frequency of tobacco used. In teens, nicotine addiction appears to be linked to the length of time they have been regular tobacco users. Teens who only smoke small amounts but who smoke daily are still at high risk of becoming addicted to nicotine.
How do I begin to help?
(Source Link)-
First, the person must want to quit and must make the decision to try to quit, but others can contribute to that important decision. Family, friends, coworkers, and others can be important sources of support for people who are trying to quit.
Quitting can be extremely difficult. So it is very important to resist the temptation to nag, plead, bribe, or threaten your friend. Instead, tell her why it’s important to you that she quits. Be brief. If she is not receptive, try again another time.
If someone you care about says that she is ready to quit or is trying to quit, or has recently quit, tell her how proud you are and offer your support. Remember that quitting is tough.
Nicotine withdrawal causes unpleasant symptoms, so the person may be tense, irritable, or even sad for a time. Be sympathetic. Remind her that the withdrawal symptoms will eventually go away and that she is already becoming healthier.
Offer to go for walk with her or do other activities that will help keep her distracted. Encourage her to eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water and juices, and get enough rest.
Help the new nonsmoker avoid places where other people are smoking or places or activities she connects with smoking. If she relapses, encourage her to get back on track and move on.
Let the person know that there are sources of support, such as the Utah Tobacco Quit Line at 1.888.567.TRUTH or Utah QuitNet, which are free and provide one-on-one help and information.
What if they don’t want my help?
(Source Link)-
Although tobacco-users are 50% more likely to quit and stay tobacco-free if they have the help and support of family and friends, some may want to go it alone. If a smoker refuses the help you’ve offered, take heart; there are simple ways to support a more smoke-free lifestyle.
- Introduce healthy distractions that help your friend avoid tobacco triggers
- Change routines that contribute to the urge to smoke. Sitting with the morning paper or coffee are examples of popular triggers that cause people to smoke.
- It may also be good to ask why they don’t want your help. Knowing why can help you be supportive while respecting their wishes.
What if my friend relapses and uses tobacco again?
(Source Link)-
Don't be discouraged if your friend or loved one slips up and smokes a couple of cigarettes. It's not a lost cause. One cigarette is better than an entire pack. But that doesn't mean a smoker can safely smoke every now and then, no matter how long ago he or she quit. One cigarette may seem harmless, but it can quickly lead back to one or two packs a day.
Many ex-smokers tried stopping many times before they finally succeeded. When people slip up, it's usually within the first three months after quitting. Here's what you can do if this happens:
- Understand that your friend or loved one had a slip. It’s a small setback. This doesn't make this person a smoker again.
- Don't be too hard on them. One slip up doesn't make your friend a failure. It doesn't mean he or she can't quit for good.
- Don't be too easy on them either. If they slip up, don't say, "Well, they’ve blown it. He or she might as well smoke the rest of this pack." It's important to get back on the non-smoking track right away. Remember, their goal is no cigarettes - not even one puff. Be patient, but be firm, too.
- Feel good about all the times your friend went without smoking. Try to learn how to help make his or her coping skills better.
- Find the trigger. Exactly what was it that made your loved one smoke? Be aware of that trigger. Decide now how you might help your loved one cope with it when it comes up again.
- Learn from the experience. What has helped your friend or loved one the most to keep from smoking? Make sure to remind them to do that on their next try.
- Is your friend or loved one using a medicine to help quit? Remind them not to stop using the medication after only one or two cigarettes. Help them stay with it. It will help your friend get back on track.
- Get your friend or loved one to see a doctor or another health professional. He or she can help motivate them to quit smoking.
Does tobacco cause cancer?
(Source Link)-
Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. Smoking is also responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder. In addition, it is a cause of kidney, pancreatic, cervical, and stomach cancers, as well as acute myeloid leukemia.
Cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths and is responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus, and bladder.
Secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths among U.S. nonsmokers each year.
Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemical agents, including over 60 substances that are known to cause cancer.
The risk of developing smoking-related cancers, as well as non-cancerous diseases, increases with total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke.
Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits, including decreasing the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.
Can tobacco use kill you?
(Source Link)-
Tobacco use, particularly cigarette smoking, is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Cigarette smoking alone is directly responsible for approximately 30 percent of all cancer deaths annually in the United States. Cigarette smoking also causes chronic lung disease (emphysema and chronic bronchitis), cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cataracts. Smoking during pregnancy can cause stillbirth, low birth weight, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and other serious pregnancy complications. Quitting smoking greatly reduces a person’s risk of developing the diseases mentioned, and can limit adverse health effects on the developing child. Remember, you can be a key factor in helping a friend or loved one quit!
Does secondhand smoke really affect nonsmokers?
(Source Link)-
Yes, secondhand smoke is a combination of the smoke that is released from the end of a burning cigarette and the smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers. Over 4,000 chemicals are found in a single puff of smoke, including more than 50 carcinogens. In fact, 3,000 Americans die each year from lung cancer caused by SHS.
Secondhand smoke can cause lung cancer in healthy nonsmokers. A nonsmoker who lives with a smoker has a 20-30% greater associated risk of developing lung cancer. About 46,000 Americans die each year from heart disease caused by SHS. Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart disease among non-smokers by about 25-30 percent.
The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2006
SHS can affect nonsmokers by causing eye irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders. Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992. 8-13. http://cfpub2.epa.gov/ncea/cfm/recordisplay.cfm?deid=2835, Accessed August 2006. Also published as National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders: The Report of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Smoking and Tobacco Control Monograph Number 4. NIH Publication No. 93-3605, Washington, D.C., August 1993. http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/nci_monographs/MONO10/MONO10.HTM.
EPA, Secondhand Smoke: “What You Can Do About Secondhand Smoke As Parents, Decision-Makers, and Building Occupants,” July 1993; “Health Effects of Exposure to Environment Tobacco Smoke,” California EPA report, 1997.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Institute of Environmental Health Science’s National Toxicology Program, and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have all classified secondhand smoke as a known human carcinogen—a category reserved for agents for which there is sufficient scientific evidence that they cause cancer.
How harmful is secondhand smoke to children?
(Source Link)-
The Surgeon General has said that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Even brief exposure can be dangerous.
430 American newborns die each year from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) caused by SHS. About 10% of all SIDS cases are attributable to postnatal exposure to secondhand smoke. SHS causes ear problems, acute respiratory infections, and wheeze illnesses in children, slows their lung growth, and makes asthma more severe.(The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General, 2006)
SHS is linked to 10,000 cases of Low Birth Weight every year in the U.S.
(EPA, Secondhand Smoke: “What You Can Do About Secondhand Smoke As Parents, Decision-Makers, and Building Occupants,” July 1993; “Health Effects of Exposure to Environment Tobacco Smoke,” California EPA report, 1997, http://www.oehha.org/air/environmental_tobacco/finalets.html )
Secondhand smoke exposure is responsible for an estimated 150,000–300,000 new cases of bronchitis and pneumonia in children aged less than 18 months, resulting in 7,500–15,000 hospitalizations.
( United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders. Office of Research and Development, EPA/600/6-90/006F, Washington, D.C., December 1992. 8-13. )
How can a smoker protect their child from secondhand smoke?
- Smoke outside, at least 25 feet from the house.
- Do not smoke in the car with children or other passengers.
- Quit smoking when you are pregnant.
- Ask adults who care for your child, or who visit your home, not to smoke near your child.
- Make a rule that smoking is not allowed inside your home.
How does quitting smoking affect the risk of developing cancer and other diseases?
(Source Link)-
Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease. The earlier a person quits, the greater the health benefit. For example, research has shown that people who quit before age 50 reduce their risk of dying in the next 15 years by half compared with those who continue to smoke. Smoking low-yield cigarettes, as compared to cigarettes with higher tar and nicotine, provides no clear benefit to health. That’s why, if you know someone who wants to quit smoking, it is so important for you to do what you can to help them succeed!
