100 Reasons Why to Quit Smoking by Joseph P. Weaver from the book, The Tao of Quitting Smoking

1. Because you can!
2. Quitting decreases the overall risk of death (all causes combined) by 50 percent in fifteen years as compared to continuing smokers.
3. Heart disease.
4. Stroke.
5. Arteriosclerosis.
6. Peripheral vascular disease.
7. More than one hundred of the four thousand-plus substances are known to cause cancer.
8. Cancer of the lung.
9. Cancer of the oral cavity.
10. Cancer of the throat.
11. Cancer of the esophagus.
12. Cancer of the pancreas.
13. Cancer of the kidney.
14. Cancer of the urinary bladder.
15. Cancer of the cervix.
16. Incidence of obstructive lung disease.
17. Chronic bronchitis.
18. Emphysema.
19. Other substances, known or suspected mutagens, that cause permanent, often harmful changes in the genetic material of living cells.
20. Smoking is responsible for more than fifty different medical conditions.
21. Women who smoke take longer to become pregnant and are more likely to miscarry.
22. Men who smoke may suffer impotence.
23. Smoking can affect sperm quality.
24. Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have low-birth-weight babies.
25. Women who smoke give birth to babies who are premature, stillborn, or die shortly after birth—Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
26. Toxic tobacco smoke, a.k.a. secondhand smoke, harms others.
27. Toxic tobacco smoke can cause asthma in your children.
28. Smoking reduces oxygen to the brain, thus may affect your mental function.
29. Smoking reduces your ability to perform in activities, such as sports.
30. You are paying big tobacco your hard-earned money to cause you harm.
31. Depending on where you buy cigarettes, you’ll save more than $2,500 a year if you’ve been smoking a pack a day.
32. Smoking destroys your brain chemistry.
33. Smoking is a selfish drug and affects your personality for the worse.
34. Nicotine—a poisonous, addictive, drug, has been linked to cancer.
35. Nicotine is more addictive than heroine or cocaine. 36. Tobacco smoke contains four thousand-plus chemicals.
37. Smoking causes your breath to smell.
38. Smoking causes your teeth to yellow.
39. Smoker’s cough.
40. Your sense of smell and taste will improve within days of quitting.
41. Fire prevention.
42. Increased work productivity.
43. Your family and friends will stop nagging you to quit. 44. You’ll have more motivation to do the things that are really important to you.
45. Constant cough/sore throat.
46. Respiratory problems will decrease.
47. Gum disease risk.
48. Nonsmokers don’t like kissing smokers. There is nothing sexy about smoking.
49. You won’t feel like a leper in public. More than 70 percent of people don’t smoke.
50. You won’t have to lie about your addiction.

 

 

51. Frostbite in the winter would be a thing of the past. Your fingers and toes will thank you.
52. You won’t have to go outside to smoke to get your nicotine fix.
53. Your pets will live happier and healthier.
54. You won’t have to dry clean your clothes as much.
55. Every cell in your body will benefit.
56. Your house will smell better.
57. Your car will smell better.
58. You will be a winner because you finally took control of your addiction.
59. You will have a lot more energy.
60. You will contribute less to world pollution.
61. Tobacco smoke has ammonia in it.
62. Tobacco smoke has lead in it.
63. Tobacco smoke has hydrogen cyanide in it.
64. Cheaper life insurance.
65. It’s never too late to quit.
66. Chose health over addiction.
67. Risk of anesthesia and post-operative complications are increased by use of cigarettes.
68. Fifty million Americans have already stopped smoking, so why can’t you?
69. Because you know that you want to quit.
70. When you quit for twenty minutes ... your blood pressure drops to near the level before you had your last cigarette.
71. After eight hours ... the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.
72. After twenty-four hours ... your chance of heart attack decreases.
73. After two weeks to three months ... your circulation improves. Lung function increases up to 30 percent.
74. After one year ... your chance of heart attack is cut in half.
75. After five years ... stroke risk is reduced to level of a nonsmoker.
76. After ten years of quitting, precancerous cells are replaced and cancers such as mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas decrease.
77. After fifteen years off cigarettes, the risk of death for exsmokers returns to nearly the level of persons who have never smoked.
78. Because you love yourself.
79. You want more control over your life.
80. No more going to the store in the rain or snow for your addition.
81. You can have sex longer without being out of breath. 82. Smoking has been linked to depression.
83. Smoking will not help you lose weight.
84. Children tend to imitate their parents.
85. Smoking makes no sense.
86. Your hair, clothing, and breath will no longer smell of cigarettes.
87. Not socially acceptable anymore.
88. Smoking interferes with hormones.
89. Birth control pills and smoking severely increases risk to heart attack, stroke, and blood clots.
90. Cigarette smoking appears to be a substantial risk factor for the development of diabetes.
91. Smokers are 1.5 times more likely than nonsmokers to suffer fractures, sprains, and other physical injuries.
92. Smoking increases blood pressure.
93. Smokers are three times more likely to get middle ear infections than nonsmokers.
94. Smoking is a major factor contributing to the early development of age-related macular degeneration.
95. Smoking decreases a man’s chances of maximizing the full potential of his erect penis.
96. Smoking damages blood vessels, inhibiting blood flow.
97. Smoking destroys brain cells and prevents others being produced.
98. Smoking activates genes that cause skin to wrinkle. 99. You don’t need any more reasons to quit.
100.Quit for yourself.