Cigar Smoking and the Danger For Your Health

Everyone knows by now how risky it is to smoke cigarettes, but few know what effect smoking a cigar has. Is cigar smoking less or more dangerous than cigarettes are? Smoking cigars on a regular basis is dangerous for your health. Studies have shown that cigar smoking can cause cancers of the lungs, oral cavity, larynx and esophagus. More recent studies seem to indicate that pancreas cancer is also caused in some instances by cigar smoking. Heart and lung diseases have an increased risk of happening when you enjoy cigars by inhaling the smoke. If you smoke cigars on a regular basis and you usually take in the smoke, your risks of having health problems increase a lot. Smoking just a few cigars each day will increase your risk of getting oral cancer by eight times, compared to a nonsmoker. If cigars are smoked just on special occasions however, we still don't know if there are any significant risks. But, the effects of regular smoking are well documented and known by everyone. Another thing that people wonder about is how addictive are cigars when compared with cigarettes.

A lot of people are curious why people that smoke cigars are less likely to get addicted than those that smoke cigarettes. Since all tobacco products have nicotine in them, they can all produce addiction. You can use chewing tobacco for example, and you can get addicted just as easily as you would with cigarettes, since it contains nicotine. In the case of cigars, the truth is that a lot of its users aren't used to take the smoke deeply in, so they are less likely to get addicted to them. In the case of cigarettes, the effect is opposite, with smokers inhaling the smoke, which makes it absorb faster. But, even if you inhale cigars superficially, there is still a good chance that they will become addicted. You might be wondering why cigar smokers don't do it more often if it's so addictive. First of all, people take in the nicotine superficially when they smoke cigars, which cause a smaller absorption of the nicotine in the body. Second, you can't find cigars as easily as you find cigarettes. In most cases they are considered luxury items, taken out and smoked during special occasions. But, if people smoke cigars regularly, they will surely become addicted. It doesn't matter in which form the tobacco is smoked. As long as there is nicotine in it, it's addictive. Smoking causes serious health problems in the long term.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Ming

Smoking and Lung Cancer - What You Need to Know

Okay, we all know that smoking is a difficult addiction to break. It doesn't matter that it's an unpleasant habit, or that a pack of cigarettes today will cost you the price of a fast food meal. It doesn't matter that smoking has you coughing all day long, or that lung cancer is the likely result. Why? Because an addiction to cigarettes is like any other addiction ... very hard to break.

For those who arrive at the decision to finally quit, the primary factor in their decision is usually their health. With that in mind, we're going to give you some of the stark facts surrounding smoking and lung cancer, and some of the good news that comes when you finally quit cigarettes.

1. Smoking is the number one contributor to lung cancer. It accounts for 90% of the cases of lung cancer. Besides contributing to lung cancer, it can contribute to other health-related problems such as emphysema, bronchitis, and heart disease. Combine cigarette smoking with excess weight, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle, and a smoker risks a life plagued with health problems.

2. How long you've been smoking and how many cigarettes you regularly smoke determine your level of risk for lung cancer. The longer you smoke, the more you smoke, the more likely you are to develop lung cancer.

3. While giving up cigarettes is no guarantee that you'll never develop cancer, doing so will immediately lower your risk. Your body will begin to repair itself from the moment you complete your last cigarette. After just one day, the carbon monoxide in your body will be gone and your lungs will begin to rid themselves of the bits and the mucus that smoking leaves behind.

4. While more men develop lung cancer as a result of smoking, women are also in danger. In fact, more women die each year from smoking-related lung cancer than from breast cancer. Cigarettes do not discriminate. Don't be misled into believing you're going to be safe because you're a woman.

5. It's believed that passive smoking can also lead to lung cancer, even in those who don't smoke. If you're regularly around a smoker and exposed to the smoke, you're potentially at risk. It can be particularly intrusive in enclosed environments such as a home or a car. This is why recent movements have discouraged environments where smokers and non-smokers mix.

6. You'll have a greater struggle quitting, if you begin smoking at thirteen or younger. You'll also experience more health-related problems and probably die younger than someone who begins to smoke at 21. Just as important to note ... 75% of those who start smoking in high school are still smoking seven to nine years later.

If you don't smoke ... don't start. If you do smoke ... stop. Smoking and lung cancer go hand-in-hand, but the earlier you quit, the better your odds of avoiding major health issues down the road.

Ready to quit smoking? Download your FREE copy of The Top 10 Ways To Quit Smoking. And find out more about how you can quit smoking immediately at: Quit Smoking Insights Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hartmann_W._Koenig

Quit Smoking Medication – What You Need To Know About Quit Smoking

Giving up smoking may turn out to be not only difficult, because of the force of the habit, but because of the annoying nicotine deprival symptoms that accompany it. Most smokers need drugs to help them overcome nicotine cravings. Pharmaceutical companies all around the world are in a competition frenzy to come up with the best quit smoking medication.

Mention must be made that regardless of the drugs you may want to take, all quit smoking medication ought to be administered under strict medical observation. When going to the doctor to prescribe you quit smoking medication, do not forget that you need to tell him about anything unusual in your medical record.

Though you may want to get a treatment with the best quit smoking medication available, it is possible that you shouldn’t be able to take the drugs due to severe ailments such as epilepsy and other hereditary diseases. This is why it is highly recommended that you undergo medical investigation before starting on any quit smoking medication.

Some people go for shots some other for tablet like quit smoking medication. Products like Smart, Welplex, 1-2-3 are but a few of the shots aimed at helping smokers overcome their addiction. Smart and Welplex require only one shot, while 1-2-3, as the name also suggests, is a three doses treatment.

The advantage of this form of quit smoking medication is that it takes very little time and effort to administrate. You don’t have to take several times a day, as it would happen with oral quit smoking medication. One or three shots and you are free from the pain of nicotine withdrawal.

On the other hand, tablet drugs like Chantix, also know as varenicline tartrate, require a longer period of administration, but they are less expensive. They are a variant quit smoking medication among many others. In its class of drugs Chantix is the best reputed and considered superior to the mild anti-depressant Zyban.

Quit smoking medication side effects were frequently reported. For instance, sleeplessness, nausea, dry mouth and unusual dreams are but a few of them. Some smokers also were confronted with increased blood pressure particularly, when they combined pills or shots with nicotine based quit smoking products.

What you should always remember is that there is no 100 percent sure quit smoking medication. Drugs are helpful but without the appropriate behavior counseling, the chances of success are very low.

About the Author

If you want to find out more about methods to stop smoking please visit quit smoking

Why is it Good to Quit Smoking

The US Surgeon-General calls it 'the largest preventable cause of death in America'.Without doubt, smoking is one of the most dangerous habits in which we indulge. the number of deaths a year worldwide due to smoking is not precisely known, but undoubtedly runs into tens of thousands.It has been calculated that a male cigarette smoker who dies as a result of his smoking loses a average of 15 years of life. The male smoker who dies of coronary heart disease will lose an average of nearly 20 years- the difference between dying at 50 and dying at 70.
At least 25 per cent of all deaths from coronary heart disease are estimated to be caused by smoking, and 90 per cent of all deaths from lung cancer and chronic bronchitis.An objection occasionally made to these statistics is that they suggest a connection between smoking and illness but do not prove it. But the connection is too close for coincidence.Lung cancer, for instance, is extremely rare in non-smokers and was virtually unknown at the beginning of the century before cigarette smoking had become widespread.
In addition, experiments have shown that the tarry residue of burned cigarette tobacco can produce skin cancer. Even more convincing, examination of lung tissue from smokers, non-smokers and ex-smokers shows progressive changes in the cells, which reverse when a person stops smoking.
Heavy cigarette smokers are at greatest risk. Pipe and cigar smokers occasionally get lip and mouth cancer, but their risk of getting lung cancer, bronchitis or coronaty heart disease is only about half that of cigarette smokers.This is thought to be because people who smoke only pipes or cigars do not inhale as much as cigarette smokers. If this is true, it still cannot be said that pipe and cigar smoking is safe. It would depend on how the pipe or cigars are smoke.
Heavy smokers are more likely to die of lung cancer, bronchitis or heart disease than light smokers. People who smoke one to 14 cigarettes a day run eight times the risk of dying of lung cancer as non-smokers. Meduim smokers (15-24) run 13 times the risk, and heavy smokers(25 or more a day) 25 times the risk. Unfortunately, it does not follow that you can reduce your risk by cutting down. The important factor is the amount of smoke that goes into the lungs. Recent research shows that when they cut down, some smokers tend to compensate by inhaling more smoke from each cigarette. To the lungs, ten cigarettes a day at 20 puffs per cigarette is the same as 20 cigarettes a day at ten puffs per cigarette.
Quit Smoking Now With Alternative Natural Treatment: http://www.4yrhealth.wordpress.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Naidoo

Three Reasons For You to Stop Smoking

In 1604, King James I wrote a hauntingly prophetic polemic called 'A Counterblaste to Tobacco'. In it, he wrote about his hate for tobacco smoke, which he claimed to harm the brain and endanger the lungs. As a result, he imposed a higher tariff on every pound of tobacco brought into the country and urged his subjects of the court to stop smoking. Unfortunately, it took medical science 500 years to agree with him.
It has been scientifically proven that smoking may cause various health problems to yourself and the people around you. If you're not convinced, here are a few more reasons why you should stop smoking:
1) Ingredients involved. The components involved when making cigarettes is enough for some people to stop smoking. There are over 4,000 chemicals, including 43 carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds and 400 toxins (tar, arsenic, DDT), that constitute a stick of cigarette. These compounds are well-known for their effect on the human body. Although these substances are present in minuscule amounts, it can accumulate to more if you're a long-term heavy smoker.
2) Health hazards. The nicotine-filled smoke that you inhale will penetrate deep within your lungs via your air passages, making them constrict and causing difficulties in breathing. The smoke also reaches your brain in a mere 7 seconds, greatly improving the chances of a stroke. Aside from that, you'll be exposed to a multitude of carcinogens which may cause cancer of the lungs and esophagus. It also vastly decreases your fitness level and stamina.
3) Endangers your surroundings. By smoking, you not only endanger yourself, but also the people around you via secondhand smoke. Secondhand smokers have a 70% more chance of succumbing to lung cancer than you. The smoke you exhale has a potent amount of toxins to cause harm to your loved ones. In addition to that, it contributes to air pollution and to a lesser extent, global warming.
If you stop smoking now, you'll see your skin become clearer and more hydrated after a month. After 6 months, you'll be able to breathe easier and after a year you'll have a 50% less chance of getting heart diseases. So, what are you waiting for? Stub that cig now!
Find more information on stop smoking by visiting stop smoking.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sturat_Mitchel

Help to Quit Smoking - There Are Many Ways to Help You to Quit Smoking

Although it might seem like a good idea to simply "tough it out" if you decide to quit smoking, in fact, most people need help to quit smoking. There are, of course, various "self-help" ways you can do this, but the point is, you don't have to do is so "cold turkey." This is an effective method for some people, of course, but for most people, they're going to require some sort of assistance to quit smoking.

One of the most popular methods to ease your transition into non-smoking is by use of nicotine replacement products. These give you help to quit smoking by taking the edge off your nicotine cravings so that you can transition through them without picking up a cigarette. They won't alleviate your nicotine cravings, only take the edge off them. Nonetheless, you should be able to use these products (as long as your doctor gives the okay, that is) to help you through the process of becoming a non-smoker.

There are also other ways you can get help to quit smoking. Many organizations specialize in helping people quit. You can join a group, utilize talk therapy, or even undergo hypnosis to help ease your cravings. These are all effective methods to help you quit smoking. You can also use them in combination with another method or methods.

If you need help to quit smoking, do some research first. For example, smoking addiction has a psychological as well as physical component to it. You can analyze yourself to determine whether or not your addiction is mainly physical, mainly psychological, or a combination of both. With the physical addiction to nicotine, your craving is physical. You crave the substance nicotine and need to have it. For you, nicotine replacement products such as patches are going to likely be perfect solutions to help you through the transition.

The psychological addiction to cigarette smoking is somewhat more complicated. Perhaps you always light up in certain situations, under stress, with certain foods, when you first get up in the morning, with a cup of coffee, and so on. In these situations, although the addiction may be physical, too, you also have a psychological attachment actually puffing on a cigarette. Without that, you suddenly feel lost.

If this is you, then you're going to need to find something to replace the actual physical act of puffing on a cigarette. For this, nicotine gums can work because they help give you some of the oral involvement puffing on a cigarette does. You chew gum instead of puffing on a cigarette, but you're still doing something. This can help ease both your physical and psychological cravings at once if you have both as a drive to smoke.

It may also help to have support from folks who've been there. One of the best ways to help ensure that you're going to stay on whatever program you've chosen for yourself to quit is to join a group or buddy up with a friend so that you're accountable to someone in your efforts to quit. There are physical groups available for people who want to quit, or you can join an online forum. Alternatively, of course, you can also "buddy up" with a local friend who's going through this too. The key here is to find someone who understands just how powerful nicotine addiction can be, and can help you through it.

Whichever method or methods you choose in regard to help to quit smoking, remember that the main focus here is to get you to that end point, without cigarettes, so that you can live a longer and healthier life.

About the Author

If you need help to quit smoking please visit this site to know more ==> http://easymethodtoquitsmoking.com/

How to Quit Smoking - Here Are Some Methods or Ways of How to Quit Smoking

When it comes to how to quit smoking, it's likely that the slogan, "Just say no" isn't going to do it. Even though that was a popular phrase during the Reagan administration, addiction is a little more complicated than that, and that goes for cigarettes, too.

What you're going to need are not slogans, but a method or combination of methods that will be specifically geared to you and the reasons you smoke. Therefore, let's look at some of the tools and methods available to you if you want to quit smoking. You can choose a program for you that works well so that you, too, can be a non-smoker.

First, let's look at nicotine replacement methods. These methods have been a boon for smokers who want to quit, because they can help ease cravings just enough that you can power your way through a craving without lighting up. There are two basic methods available on the market today that can help you ease cravings, and best of all, both are available without a prescription. No hassling with the insurance company, no waiting for your doctor to write you a prescription so that you have to risk running out of patches and therefore losing out to a craving. (Of course, you should check with your doctor to make sure it's a safe for you to use these products, and if you can get a prescription, more power to you, since it means insurance will pay for at least some of the cost and you won't have to be footing the entire bill yourself.)

The nicotine patch is one "how to quit smoking" method that's pretty much a no-brainer. You simply stick it somewhere on your body on clean, dry skin that's not irritated, and you can forget about it. It'll give you a low dose of nicotine throughout the day so that your cravings are kept at a low enough level that you can keep them in check.

If your nicotine addiction is psychological as well as physical, in that you need to light up a cigarette in certain situations, then nicotine gum might be a better bet for you. This means that instead of lighting up a cigarette, you can pop a piece of gum and have the oral sensation of gum along with the nicotine replacement the patch provides, too. This is helpful for people who need the oral stimulation they enjoy from smoking, and it helps ease physical cravings, too.

If you're still asking the question as to how to quit smoking if the patch or gum don't do the entire job, you can also opt for some psychological support too. There are many absolutely versed in talk therapy and hypnotherapy that can help you get over the rough bumps as you work your way to being a non-smoker. Alternatively, you can also buddy up with a friend or a support group as you work your way through the process of quitting so that you can get the kudos and support you need during the rough times. This, too, will help you keep from lighting up. It's important to note that you probably need to get support from people who've been there. Your non-smoking friends who never have smoked mean well, but to them, "Just don't smoke" seems to be a good enough reason not to. However, if you have support from people who have been there and who know how strong the addiction is, their support for you is going to be much more understanding and will help you much more.

When it comes to how to quit smoking, there are many ways to do it. Choose the method or methods best for you. Remember that your ultimate goal is to be a non-smoker, so how you get there isn't as important as the fact that you will get there. Therefore, simply finding something that works for you so that you can quit smoking is what's most important.

About the Author

To know how to quit smoking please visit this site at ==> http://easymethodtoquitsmoking.com/

Published At: www.Isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=299683&ca=Advice

How I Finally Quit Smoking...

Thinking of trying to quit smoking as a New Year's resolution? If so, you may just want to take a few minutes to see what worked for me. Like a lot of people, I actually started smoking in high school and continued to smoke about a pack every two days or so. But, that finally changed just a few months ago.


I had tried nearly every 'smoking cessation' product out there. You name it, I tried it. Chantix (didn't agree with my stomach), Commit, Nicorette, hypnosis, cold turkey. I was able to stop a few times, but I happened to always start up again whenever life got a little stressful.




My Top Reasons to Quit Smoking
Smoking is expensive! At $7-$10 per pack, that's a lot of money. For many people, it totals over $150 per month. For some, it's even much more.
Cancer. Not much more needs to be said here. Thousands die everyday and I didn't want to join them.

Grandchildren. I don't have any yet, but I do want to be around when I do.
You stink. We can tell ourselves differently, but anytime we smokers are near non-smokers, we're all they smell. I really started to notice this lately. It's pretty gross.
Tired of Failing - I was sooo sick of being 'that person' who tried and tried, but was never able to quit. Quitting for good simply makes you feel like you've accomplished something great.

So, a few months ago, one of my good friends told me about a product she used to help her stop smoking. It was called Cigarrest. She told me a little about it, and with her success and the fact that it had a free trial and was all-natural really had me interested. So, I decided to go with their 30 day free trial.

This is what happened:

I requested the free trial here. A few days later, my trial package shows up at my door.

I immediately read all the info and started to use the chewable tablets as well as the chewing gum, which doesn't taste bad at all. After the first day, I noticed a major reduction in my cravings. I did still smoke during the first few days, but with the help of the program, I was pretty much able to quit in about 10 days.

Overall, my experience was great. I wish I had known about the Cigarrest free trial before, I would have quit smoking years ago.

If you'd like to give the 30 day free trial a try, and I recommend that you do, visit their website here. Good luck!





***********************************************************************************************
Here's an interesting (and scary!) article on the dangers of smoking:

Tobacco Companies Hide Dangers of Smoking For Years

In August of 2006, a federal judge ruled that the tobacco industry had actually engaged in racketeering practices, stating that the industry had engaged in a decades-long conspiracy to hide the dangers of smoking from their users. Tobacco companies were actually ordered to take out newspaper ads detailing smoking’s health effects.

The judge stated that the conspiracy dated back to 1953, when a group of tobacco companies met together at the Plaza Hotel in New York City and devised a public relations plan to counter health concerns associated with smoking. The judge also ruled that even after the 1964 Surgeon General’s report linked smoking to lung cancer, tobacco companies continued to deny and purposely distort many serious dangers of smoking their products.

It was also found that the tobacco industry marketed their product to youth groups; that even though the industry claims it does not want children to smoke, the companies were caught tracking youth behavior and preferences, thereby ensuring that “marketing and promotion reaches youth,” even hiding from them the serious dangers of smoking while their young bodies were still developing.

The industry was also faulted for denying publicly that second-hand smoke is dangerous, the judge citing internal acknowledgement that this was the case.

In 1999, the Clinton administration accused the tobacco industry of racketeering as part of a coordinated plan to deceive the public about the dangers of smoking, and to cover up the knowledge they had to the contrary.

Under the ruling, the tobacco companies were also ordered to stop using such descriptions as “low tar,” “light,” “ultra light,” “mild,” or “natural,” or any other descriptions that might seem as if these cigarettes posed less of a health hazard or in any way were an attempt to downplay the dangers of smoking them.

While this ruling was a victory for many anti-smoking and anti-tobacco campaigns, many commented on how long it took for the government to respond to tobacco’s use and on how long the actual case itself took as well. Others felt that perhaps the court was not punitive enough with the industry. “We are pleased with the court's finding of liability on the part of the defendants, but disappointed that the court did not impose all of the remedies sought by the government,” the Justice Department said in a written statement. “Nevertheless, we are hopeful that the remedies that were imposed by the court can have a significant, positive impact on the health of the American public.” All in all, it seemed to many to be a hollow victory, but still did some good in highlighting the real dangers of smoking that even the tobacco industry itself could not – or was no longer allowed to – deny.
30 day free trial of Cigarrest here
Copyright © 2008 AshleysNewLife.com, All rights reserved.

Quit Smoking - 2 Amazingly Simple "Tips" That Will Help You Quit Smoking Easily

The majority of people who try and quit smoking cold turkey will do so without a plan, make sure you don't do this. If you are a smoker who would love to to quit smoking but find the whole quitting thing quit intimidating then put down the smoke and keep reading.
This quick article will explain a few, simple but important you need to know if you want to quit smoking.
Something you should obtain is Responsibility. If you'd like to quit smoking then you are going to need to take responsibility. You can't put this on anyone else and blame others for your problem because you yourself created it. I am going to be a little harsh on you so don't take it personally but it really is your own fault. A part of achieving a goal is accepting and clearly pointing out your situation and problems and then and then changing it until you have reached your goal.

So forget about blaming anyone but yourself, I've helped many people beat smoking and they'll always tell me things like things like "I smoke because I am always stressed" (Smoking is proven to give you more stress so don't buy into it) or "I smoke just to annoy all those stuck-up self-righteous non smokers". Be serious with yourself, are the excuses you're giving yourself completely logical because I'll bet they they aren't. It's important that you change this, and it's easy too, just take responsibility for your problem and work towards quitting.

Here's something that is very important if you are trying to quit smoking. Willpower, in smoking terms this is the ability to persist through even the toughest of cravings. Look, the most average of craving lasts just 3 minutes. Just 3 minutes! yet millions of people all over the world fail to quit each year. They give in to those minute 3 minutes. The irony is that if they could just hold out for a little longer they would make it.

But they don't, and do you want to know why? Well it's because so many people these days have virtually no willpower. I've quit and I know how hard it is, I was a very addicted smoker. But you've got to just tell yourself that you will fight off that next craving. And each time you do so you are filled with a copious amount of confidence which only grows after each time you don't give in to the craving. So just cut yourself off for that 3 minutes and before you know it, you'll be off those nasty smokes.

Well we have come to the end of this article and to go out with a bang I'm going to quote a famous sports brand (guess who) and say... "Just do it!" Seriously. Just force yourself to quit and believe in yourself that you will quit. It's do or die now... and I'd reccomend DOing

About the Author
Hey! I'm Pete, the author of this article. I've created a method in which you can quit smoking by actually smoking (yeah it sounds weird but it works like crazy). Click here --> StopSmokingPrograms and you'll be able to get a FREE 12-month subscription to my $19.95/month e-letter -- Pete ;)
Published At: http://www.isnare.com/Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=239086&ca=Wellness%2C+Fitness+and+Diet
Got a question about this article? Ask the community!