There are so many reasons to stop smoking. Smoking is the most preventable cause of premature death. Someone who quits smoking now has a lesser risk of developing lung cancer or having a heart attack or stroke. Smoking also increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or depression.
Non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke are more likely to have a stroke or get lung cancer or heart disease. Young children especially are susceptible to the dangers of second-hand smoke – they have a greater chance of developing an acute lower respiratory infection such as pneumonia, bronchitis or ear infections.
Contrary to popular belief, smoking doesn’t help you lose weight. In a Finnish study, research showed that people who smoked at least ten cigarettes a day had larger waistlines in adulthood. Girls especially are more likely to become overweight as they age.
Cigarettes also make your clothes and your breath reek of smoke. It stains your teeth and causes deep wrinkles that make you look way older than you actually are. A Johns Hopkins study found that smokers are four times as likely to report feeling unrested after a night’s sleep.
So the next time you pick up a cigarette, stop and think. Does the pleasure of enjoying that one cigarette outweigh the damages to your health? This is why students should try to quit smoking. It is detrimental to not only the smoker’s health, but everyone else’s too.
FARWA ARSHAD
Karachi
