Want to Quit Smoking Cigarettes With Me?

I have been smoking off and on for over five years now, I want to quit smoking. There I've said it, I made the first step, I am ready to become a non-smoker. I know it is difficult to quit, but I don't care I am Not making excuses anymore. I am not blaming anyone or anything on my habits, nobody can make me do anything. I want this hub to be informative and useful for anyone who is considering quitting. So I've decided to do some research and find out how truly disgusting this habit can be. I'm serious, if you are indeed the Marlboro man's reincarnation and you don't plan on quitting, you probably don't want to read or see the images this hub contains.

Besides highly addictive nicotine, tobacco as well as tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, 51 of those chemicals are known to be carcinogenic, two of those carcinogens are radioactive. Tobacco smoke also contains several carcinogenic pyrolytic products that bind to DNA and cause genetic mutation.

Chemicals Found in Cigarettes

Acetone - Nail Polish Remover

Ammonia - Cleaning Products

Arsenic - Rat Poison

Butane - Lighter Fluid

Cadmium - Used to recharge Batteries

Carbon Monoxide - Car Exhaust

Cyanide - Fatal Poison

DDT - Insecticides

Formaldehyde - Used to Preserve the Dead

Geranic Acid - Fragrance

Hydrogen Cyanide - Gas Chamber Poison

Maltitol - Sweetener Not Permitted by the FDA

Methoprene - Pesticide

Tar - Material to make Roads

Sulfuric Acid - Car Batteries

How Cigarettes Affect Your Health

More than 440,000 deaths a year are caused by tobacco. Smoking is more lethal than car accidents, AIDS, homicides, suicides, fires, and drug overdoses combined.

Almost every part of the human body is affected in some way by the chemicals in cigarettes.

Let's discuss how cigarettes affect our bodies from the top to the bottom.

Smoking can cause cataracts and macular degeneration.

Tobacco smoke can cause tooth decay, gum disease, and cancer of the mouth. Chain-smokers usually experience frequent headaches caused by lack of oxygen and narrowed blood vessels to the brain. The tars in smoke can also lead to cancer of the esophagus and throat. The lack of oxygen and tightened blood vessels can also lead to strokes.

Hydrogen cyanide and other harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke attack the lining of the bronchi, creating what it commonly known as the 'smoker's cough'. As the bronchi becomes weakened it is common to get bronchial infections and chronic coughing. Tobacco smoking is responsible for 82% of death dues to emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Nicotine constricts the blood vessels causing the heart to work harder. This often creates heart attacks, strokes(blood clots), and hardened arteries. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for smokers. In the year 2000 researchers reported 1,690,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease among smokers in the world.

Tobacco smoke increases stomach acid secretion resulting with heart burns and ulcers. High blood pressure, caused by smoking, can irreversibly damage the kidneys. Tobacco smoke is also responsible for stomach, pancreatic, kidney, bladder, thyroid, and many other cancers.

I hope this has helped you as much as it has helped me. If you want to quit, I would suggest visitng the links I have listed below and do not be afraid to reach out. The more motivation and support we have behind us the better chances we have.