For the last ten years, smoking is projected to have worsened the quality of life and life expectancy by significant amounts. Recent study suggests that every cigarette smoked corresponds to a reduction of approximately 20 minutes of life. Men tend to lose life expectancy by 17 minutes for every cigarette, while women lose 22 minutes. This is almost twice as much as earlier estimates. Hence, a lifelong smoker is expected to lose almost 10 years of their life compared to a non-smoker. Nevertheless, quitting at any age proves to be very beneficial, like quitting smoking before forty would increase their lifespan by around 90%. Even those who decide to quit smoking at the age of 75, experience an increase in the number of years lived. Even while the decrease in smoking rate is commendable, it remains one of the most rampant causes of preventable death, highlighting the importance of smoking cessation programs. Quitting smoking, no matter how many years you've spent trying to quit, is one of the best things you can do for your health which is reassuring. As an oncologist, I have witnessed the horrifying consequences of smoking on one's health: head and neck cancers, bladder cancers, lung cancers - the list goes on.
Top reasons to quit smoking and how to do so
Cigarettes are the most common preventable cause of death and disease. They increase the chance of death by cancer, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, stroke, and few additional diseases. Almost all your organs are going to suffer as a result.
The most crucial aspect of smoking is that it can drastically age a person’s life, as well as deteriorate the overall quality of life. Improving one’s level of fitness can be achieved along with greatly mitigating one’s health dangers.
Tips for quitting
Quitting smoking is not easy, but it is possible. Here are some tips to help you succeed:
• Make a plan. Set a quit date and stick to it.
• Identify your triggers. What situations or emotions make you want to smoke? Once you know your triggers, you can develop strategies for coping with them.
• Find support. Talk to your doctor, family, and friends. There are also many support groups and online resources available.
• Consider medication. There are medications that can help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor to see if medication is right for you.
• Persist. Quitting smoking will take more than 1-2 attempts. If you fall behind, don't lose hope. Just keep pushing forward!
Resources for quitting
There are many resources available to help you quit smoking. Here are a few:
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) offers a comprehensive smoking cessation program called Smokefree.gov.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information and resources on quitting smoking at CDC.gov/quit.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) offers support and resources for people who are trying to quit smoking at Cancer.org.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides information on smoking cessation research and treatment at NIH.gov
Additional tips
Find a healthy substitute for smoking. This could be something like exercise, chewing gum, or drinking water.
Avoid triggers. Stay away from situations or people that make you want to smoke.
Reward yourself for your progress. This will help you stay motivated.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. Quitting smoking is a difficult process, but you don't have to do it alone.
Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health. I encourage you to make the decision to quit today.
Dr. Kumardeep Dutta Choudhury, Director, Medical Oncology Max Hospital Shalimar Bagh, New Delhi
