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The heart, lungs, pharynx, and all body organs try to tell us that we need to stop this bad habit. But, apparently, they are not very good at it, since tobacco companies are still making huge profits even during times of crisis.

Just a little, because of the habit, just a little, because of the company of friends – all this does not help us stop smoking. Cigarettes are probably the most insidious habit which has managed to become a daily need for smokers and which slowly sabotages their lives. Maybe we should look for some new reasons to make sure that smoking must remain in the past.

The site click@Life presents nine benefits resulting from this decision.

Oh, that smell

Have you travelled on the bus in the morning together with a passenger next to you who has just put out his or her cigarette? The smell is unbearable, whether you smoke or not. Now think about how people around you feel if you are that person. The skin, hair, breath and clothes are "enemies" of the sense of smell. A lot of ex-smokers say that if we consider it impossible to stop smoking and we believe that this smell will act like a magnet, causing us to light a cigarette, then the most common reaction in this case is to ... react. Think about the yellow stains on your teeth and hands. Then think about a white smile, full of promises. If you're not convinced, see the following reason.

What wrinkles?

It is known that smoking ages the skin, causing wrinkles at an earlier age. Wrinkles (that we stubbornly refuse to see) around the lips are inevitable, since these are caused by the heat every time we put a cigarette in our mouth. Furthermore, the movement of the lips every time we take a drag on our cigarette also affects the skin. Nicotine narrows the skin’s blood vessels, preventing blood from carrying oxygen and vitamin A to the skin surface. And, as if that was not enough, many of the chemical constituents of cigarettes are harmful to skin proteins, such as collagen and elastin. As a result of all this, the skin is less elastic, full of holes and wrinkles.

Expenses, expenses, expenses

Have you ever calculated how much money we could save, if we put even half of what we spend on cigarettes in a money-box? If not, now is the time for some mathematics: let's say that we smoke tobacco from 18 g (the content of the new packages) for 4 euro, on average. If we buy tobacco three times a week, then we spend 12 euro (paper and filters excluded), or 48 euro per month, which adds up to 576 euro per year. This is slightly less than the minimum wage. Therefore, if we stop smoking, we could save ... a thirteenth wage.

What is the food’s taste like?

Numerous studies show that regular smoking destroys the sense of taste and smell. The reasons for this are not yet clear, but all smokers admit that a lot of their tastes have changed, since the taste of tobacco is much stronger than the rest. The most persuasive theories are that the blood vessels in the nasal cavity and taste buds practically equalise as a result to the exposure to tobacco. Those of us who have quit smoking should be careful because nicotine alters our metabolism and challenges our appetite. Therefore, lack of nicotine is what makes us crave for fatty foods and sweets.

Stairs? In one breath ...

Carbon monoxide that is contained in cigarettes prevents oxygen from reaching the blood. In the long term,  this causes problems in the functioning of the heart. In the short term, of course, low oxygen levels manifest as fatigue every time we try to do some physical activity. Shortness of breath and lack of stamina are the most common manifestations of impaired oxygen supply. If we quit smoking, we will regain our stamina in a few weeks, and we will get rid of the annoying cough in a few months. Warning: coughing may be more intense at the beginning, but the lungs will soon clear the remnants of tobacco and our breathing will become natural again.

Cancer topics

It may not be pleasant to hear, but the cruel truth is that cigarettes are the most insidious ally of lung cancer, gastric cancer, oral cancer, pharyngeal cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, tracheal cancer, bladder cancer, etc. To put it simply, smoking causes cancer. The good news, of course, is that when someone quits smoking, his or her health improves significantly, regardless of how long they have smoked. Surveys show that if a smoker who has smoked for five years, stops smoking, the risk of cancer decreases by 50%. In ten years, when ex-smokers are already "clean", the probability of becoming ill is the same as for non-smokers.

Do it for me

How many times have we heard friends and relatives asking us to stop smoking because of them? But think about the sacrifices that non-smokers have to make when they are forced to breathe in smoke without being able to choose. Children, for example, who live with parents who smoke, are more likely to develop respiratory problems such as asthma or bronchitis. Do not forget that children with parents who are smokers will acquire this habit more easily when they grow up. Maybe we should do them this favour?

Freedoooooom

The feeling of freedom that we all love does not apply to smokers because nicotine is a substance to which people get accustomed exceptionally easily. Its effect lasts about 20 minutes after we have put down our cigarette, and the necessary dose is about 2.5 cigarettes. Therefore, we chain smoke. The small period during which nicotine affects the body explains why it is difficult for smokers to quit. All this explains why smokers can never experience complete freedom.

Health ... there is a turning back

Cancer is not the only medical reason to stop smoking. Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, brain problems, chronic respiratory problems and a range of other diseases. The reason is the following: when we inhale smoke, the oxygen in blood vessels is converted into carbon monoxide, causing narrowing of the vessels and nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure. However, in order to ensure enough oxygen in the body, the heart beats faster and produces arrhythmia. Those who decide to quit smoking improve their health significantly. Blood pressure returns to normal only an hour after the last cigarette and carbon monoxide leaves the body in several days. In a month, coughing and breathing improve, and, in a year, the risk of heart disease decreases by 50%. Do you need another reason?