Stop Smoking

Smoking, in today’s world, typically refers to smoking a cigarette or sometimes a cigar. However, the idea of smoking substances has been known to exist as far as 5000 BC. It existed mainly in African and Indian cultures as rituals in various ceremonies. Over the years it has evolved from originally natural plant stems n leaves to pipes to now convenient and simple cigarettes.

The main reason for a person to smoke is the temporary “good” feeling that it gives the smoker. The substance behind this may vary but tobacco is the most popular substance. Tobacco comes from the leaves of the plants belonging to the species Nicotiana. The chemical nicotine is what makes smoking tobacco enjoyable and addictive. Other substances include marijuana, steam; usually flavoured with tobacco or herbal fruits.

An increasing amount of youth start smoking at ages as young as 18 and continue smoking into their adulthood. This increase in recent years can be related to the attractive advertisements of mainly cigarettes. Developing countries account for the most smoking teenagers due to the lack of awareness of the health risks associated with smoking.

Over years of constant smoking, the chemicals in the tobacco smoke deposit on the lungs, eventually growing into a tumour, leading to lung cancer. Smoking is responsible for majority of lung cancer deaths. The rapid increase in the number of deaths due to smoking related lung cancer has to lead to many campaigns to stop smoking. Even packets of cigarettes now hold health warnings claiming that smoking is harmful to health.

Many countries have banned smoking in public areas in attempts to completely stop smoking. In airports, special smoking rooms are allocated for smoking persons. These attempts are to not only stop smoking people of the habit, but to reduce passive smokers. Passive smokers suffer a greater risk as they do not have the advantage of the filter found in almost all cigarettes. This has lead to many protests by passive smokers to stop smoking, not only in public areas, but to stop smoking in general.

Some may say that the industry to stop smoking is growing as fast as the tobacco industry. Things like nicotine patches, and various types of treatments are being used to help people quit the habit and stop smoking. Usually it takes a heavy smoker a few years to stop smoking completely, but with the help of these tools the time taken to stop smoking has reduced to months