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400,000
Reasons to Stop Smoking
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by: Kathy
Burns-Millyard
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from The Health and Fitness Information Network
http://www.health-and-fitness-information.com
Most of us know that smoking is indeed a habit
that can have many serious implications on our
health, but there's a tendency to view the problem
lightly. It's important though, that every smoker
be aware of the facts concerning smoking. So here
are some eye openers for you...
The World Health Organization has been studying
smoking trends and statistical patterns across the
globe and has come up with the following
statistics:
A good deal of variation exists from one part of
the world to another. Many more women smoke in
Eastern Europe than in East Asia and the Pacific
Region. Eastern Europe itself has a particularly
high rate of smoking, with up to 59 percent of
adult males smoking.
As with other substances of abuse, such as alcohol
and cocaine, the global frequency of tobacco use
varies by social class, historical era, and
culture. Historically, smoking had been a pastime
of the rich. This trend has changed dramatically
in recent decades. It appears that economically
advantaged men in wealthier countries have been
smoking less. The more years of education you've
had, the less likely you are to be a smoker.
Most smokers begin early in life, before they are
25 years old. According to World Health
Organization studies, the majority of smokers in
affluent countries begin in their teens. A decline
in the age of starting smoking has been observed
worldwide.
As a wannabe quitter, you're in excellent company.
People all over the world are trying to quit and
stay away from cigarettes. There appears to be a
correlation between a country's standard of
living, level of education, and income and the
number of people who have quit smoking. The more
and better-informed people are, the more likely
they are to quit smoking.
Current estimates are that over 1 billion people
in the world smoke. (In other words, approximately
one in three adults on the planet smokes.) The
majority of these smokers reside in countries on
the low end to the middle of the socioeconomic
spectrum. Of this majority, about 80% live in low
and middle income countries. The total number of
smokers worldwide is expected to keep increasing.
But are things in the USA any better? Not really,
as you can see for yourself in the figures of
National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, National
Center for Health Statistics
In the United States, an estimated 25.6 million
men (25.2%) and 22.6 million women (20.7%) are
smokers. These people are at higher risk of heart
attack and stroke. The latest estimates for
persons age 18 and older show:
- Among whites, 25.1 percent of men and 21.7
percent of women smoke
- Among black or African Americans, 27.6 percent
of men and 18.0 percent of women smoke
- Among Hispanics/Latinos, 23.2 percent of men and
12.5 percent of women smoke
- Among Asians (only), 21.3 percent of men and 6.9
percent of women smoke
- Among American Indians/Alaska Natives (only),
32.0 percent of men and 36.9 percent of women
smoke
Studies show that smoking prevalence is higher
among those with 9-11 years of education (35.4
percent) compared with those with more than 16
years of education (11.6 percent). It's highest
among persons living below the poverty level (33.3
percent).
And These Figures Spell Death...
· One out of every five deaths is caused by
tobacco
· An average of 400,000 Americans die each year
from tobacco
· Tobacco is blamed for many serious pulmonary
and cardiovascular diseases
· Tobacco and nicotine are some of the most
potent carcinogens and are to blame for a majority
of all cancers of the lung, trachea, bronchus,
larynx, and esophagus
· Tobacco use also produces cancers in the
pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix
· Impotency is sometimes to blame from addiction
to nicotine because of its ability to reduce blood
flow
· Smoking is an important risk factor for
respiratory illnesses, causing 85,000 deaths per
year from pulmonary diseases such as chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia
· Children and adolescents who are active smokers
will have increasingly severe respiratory illness,
as they grow older
· Smoking during pregnancy causes about 5-6% of
prenatal deaths, 17-26% of low-birth-weight
births, and 7-10% of pre-term deliveries, and it
increases the risk of miscarriage and fetal growth
retardation
· Cigarettes are responsible for about 25% of
deaths from residential fires, causing nearly
1,000 fire-related deaths and 3,300 injuries each
year
So, are you ready to try and quit smoking now?
Visit http://www.health-and-fitness-information.com/Quit-Smoking/
to learn how you can finally quit smoking fast,
easily, and all naturally!
About the author:
© 2004 Kathy Burns-Millyard and The Health and
Fitness Information Network
This article is provided courtesy of http://www.health-and-fitness-information.com-
You may freely reprint this article on your
website or in your newsletter provided this
courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain
intact.
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