Tomorrow is National No Smoking Day 2019, the annual day where we’re encouraged to take stock of our smoking, and try to quit.
The effects of smoking is something we’ve spoken about before in previous blogs where we’ve touched on third hand exposure and lung cancer awareness month.
We thought it might be a good idea to take a look at some of the benefits of giving up smoking for good – and they’re not all health related:
  • More cash in your pocket. This is a big plus point. With cigarettes costing more and more each year, giving up will definitely mean you have more cash in your pocket. Here’s how it breaks down if you’re a 20 a day smoker with the average pack of 20 costing £10.40:
£72.80 a week
£315.46 a month
£3,785.60 a year
That can be a family holiday each year, all just from giving up smoking, so the saving is very real.
  • Your own health. The negative effect on your body is well documented and the statistics are sobering. 84% of deaths from lung cancer are caused by smoking. 83% from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The only way to slow down or stop the progress of COPD is to stop smoking altogether. And it doesn’t stop there – smoking also damages the heart which can result in coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease. It increases your risk of having a stroke by at least 50% and doubles your risk of dying from a stroke. As a smoker you’re also at a higher risk of stomach cancer and ulcers… we could go on but you probably get the picture! It’s hugely detrimental to your health for a multitude of reasons. Statistics show that if you quit smoking by age 45–54, your chances of dying too early because of smoking related factors are reduced by about two-thirds.
  • Other health risks for the future. We’re specifically referring to dementia. A study of 9,200 men and women over age 65 showed that the rate of mental decline is up to 5x faster in smokers than in nonsmokers.
  • Good for your family. Passive smoking is also very real. When you smoke at home in front of and around your family you are exposing them to the harmful effects of smoking too. Figures show that infants and children in smokers’ homes suffer more colds, bronchitis, ear infections, and other lung and breathing problems than those in smoke-free homes. Giving up means you’re reducing their risks of your family members developing the health issues we raised in the previous bullet point.
  • Makes your home a potentially safer (and cleaner) place.  Did you know that every 3 days in the UK someone dies from a fire caused by a cigarette? Not only that, the stains and smells around the home associated with smoking also become a thing of the past when you quit.
  • Non-health related effects on your body. This covers things like the fact that smoking ages your skin by between 20 and 30 years and you’re 3x more likely to get facial wrinkles too. Nicotine stained fingers and bad breath are also an issue. Habitual snoring has even been studied and attributed in part to smoking! In a study of over 15,000 men and women, snoring affected 24% of smokers, 20% of ex-smokers, and almost 14% of people who had never smoked. The more people smoked, the more often they snored.

We see people every day who are suffering from serious, life threatening lung

conditions as a result of smoking. We see the debilitating effect it has on not only their own lives but their loved ones too.
Why not start your journey to quit today on National No Smoking day?