Lips are
made for kissing, right? But what if the mouth behind them is filled with stained teeth
and bad breath? "As smoking becomes more and more uncommon, people are increasingly
sensitive to these things and react negatively to them," says American Lung
Association spokesman Edwin Fisher, PhD.
Fact: Particles from cigarette smoke stain teeth brown and yellow, and they trap
odor-producing bacteria in your mouth. Gum disease and tooth loss also are common in
smokers. Not attractive.
Perhaps additional mouth-related consequences will persuade you to quit the habit.
Consider vocal-cord growths and cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus are all
possibilities if you smoke. No. 4: You -- and your general vicinity -- stink:
Yes, you really, really
do. Maybe you're so used to smoking that you can't tell. Maybe your nasal passages are so
damaged that your nose doesn't work properly anyway. But ask a non-smoking friend for an
honest answer about the way you, your car, and your home smell. The ugly answer: They all
stink. Almost as much as the ashtray you use to stub out your butts.
Fact: Cigarette smoke has an unpleasant odor that lingers on everything from skin and hair
to clothing and curtains. The scent does not turn on friends and lovers.
No. 5: Brittle
bones:
Risk factors for the
crippling condition of osteoporosis are well-known these days: There is being female,
white or Asian, inactive, and past menopause. Then there is having a small frame, calcium
deficiency, and genetic predisposition. They all are contributors to low bone-mineral
density. And so is smoking.
Numerous studies link smoking and osteoporosis in both women and men. It may be because
smoking affects the production of estrogen and other hormones necessary for healthy bones.
Fact: A 1997 study that looked at 4,000 hip fractures in elderly women concluded that one
out of every eight fractures was due to smoking-related bone loss. Once lost, bone density
cannot be fully recovered.
No.
6: Depression:
Let's get philosophical
for a moment: Why do you smoke?
Fisher of the American Lung Association believes there's a good chance you're stressed or
depressed. "People who are unemployed or going through a divorce often smoke,"
he says, adding that even if you're not distressed, smoking makes you look like you are.
Fact: The connection between smoking and depression has been well established. Smoking may
make you appear more troubled than cool. And it can't take the place of a good therapist.
No. 7: Crummy
role model:
Children emulate adults.
Every time you light up, you tell kids around you that smoking is OK.
Ryan Harper attributes his abstinence to his parents. "My parents are excellent role
models for me," he says. "They don't drink or smoke." And neither does he.
Fact: Every day, an estimated 3,000 children in the U.S. become addicted to cigarette
smoking. If they keep smoking, 1,000 of them eventually will die from diseases connected
to their addiction.
Anti-tobacco organizations claim cigarette companies deliberately target children in their
advertising campaigns. If you smoke, you're a walking billboard for these companies. And
you are paying them.
No. 8: Fire!:
Fact: Fires caused by
lighted tobacco products are the leading cause of fire deaths in the U.S. During the
1980s, smoking materials started more than 200,000 fires every year and killed more than
1,000 people, while injuring 3,000 more and causing more than $300 million in property
damage.
If death by fire doesn't impress you, surely you can recall at least one time your
cigarette burned a hole in your precious silk suit or cashmere sweater. It may be the dawn
of a new millennium, but crispy clothing is not a suave fashion statement yet.
No. 9: Poor
circulation:
Drooling, paralysis, loss
of speech ... There's nothing pretty about becoming the victim of a stroke.
Fact: Red blood cells are designed to carry oxygen throughout the body. In smokers, oxygen
molecules are displaced by the components of cigarette smoke, blocking the transfer of
life-giving oxygen.
If you've convinced yourself that stroke is an extreme or unlikely consequence of your
habit, there's always premature heart disease to slow you down. If you're lucky, perhaps
you'll only experience some of the inconveniences of poor circulation, like painful pins
and needles or cold hands and feet.
No. 10: You look
stupid:
Given the prevalence of
smoking education in our culture, it could be said that smokers must have a lack of oxygen
to the brain. In fact, as you read above, they do.
But no matter how a smoker justifies his or her addiction, this is the simple,
indisputable truth: Just like the slogan says, smoking kills.
It makes the habit look kind of silly overall, doesn't it?
More Excellent Quitting Smoking
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| The Risks of Smoking
| Common Withdrawal
Symptoms | 599
Ingredients Found in Cigarettes
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| Questions Answered About
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