Smokers Dilemma
Smokers Dilemma
by Wyatt Colby
Are you a smoker?
If you are, I advise you to quit.
Why should I? and Even if I wanted to, how do I? You're asking yourself right now.
Well, here's a few reasons: 1) it's a real financial drain. 2) a lot of what's in a cigar or cigarette
can be obtained on the surface of a highway, and 3) most importantly, it shortens your life. A lot!
As you probably know, smoking is addictive, and a pack of cigarettes costs around 5 bucks.
Now imagine going through a few packs a day--$10-15! In a week? A month? Those $5 add up pretty fast.
Did I mention there's a tax on cigarettes?
You probably also know that cigarettes are made of tobacco, which contains nicotine.
What is nicotine exactly?
Well, it's an organic substance called an alkaloid that is extremely poisonous.
Take in enough of the stuff at once, and you would vomit, collapse, and maybe even die.
Other chemicals in cigarettes are cyanide, ammonia, and tar not a pleasant mix.
All these poisons (if the nicotine hasn't done you in already) can cause lung cancer.
Doesn't take much brain power to see that it can shorten your life.
So, how do you quit? I'm not saying it's easy, but there are ways to make quitting more bearable. First contact someone
you know and respect and ASK for help.
Then talk to someone like the school nurse or your healthcare provider.
Odds are they can hook you up to some clinic or resources to help you out.
There are lots of nicotine replacement medicines, gums and patches that slowly release small
amounts of nicotine into your bloodstream to reduce cravings.
Did you know that just one day after you quit smoking, your blood pressure and heart rate will be back to normal?
After 1 week, your lung function improves. After one year, your lungs return to normal and the risk of a heart
attack decreases.
After 10 years, it will be like you never even saw that first cigarette.
Yes, it's a long haul, but you tell me: Is it worth it or not?
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