In Australia the smoking of tobacco is recognised as the largest preventable cause of death and disease, and is responsible for more cancer related deaths than any other single factor. It is also responsible for many heart, lung and breathing afflictions. And not only does the smoking of tobacco affect the person inhaling the smoke, it also affects those in the surrounding vicinity.
Tobacco contains the addictive stimulant nicotine which causes anyone who ingests it frequently to develop a severe physical dependency to it. Tobacco smoke is also said to contain more than 4000 chemicals, of which over 60 are known to cause cancer.
According to a report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 20.4 per cent of men and 16.3 per cent of women are currently smokers of tobacco. While there was a noted decrease over the previous 10 years, that still equates to approximately 1 in 5 men and 1 in 6 women over the age of 18.
Some common popular myths regarding tobacco consumption that are not true include:
- That hand rolled/roll your own cigarettes are less harmful to the user.
- That low-tar cigarettes are less harmful to the user.
- That reducing the number of cigarettes smoked daily will reduce the risk of health problems.
- That giving up smoking will lead to weight gain.
If you are currently a smoker and are considering giving up smoking then you can be assured that there will be immediate and long-lasting benefits to you and those around you. Even if you have been a smoker for many years you will still benefit from giving up smoking.
There are a number of approaches to giving up smoking. Some of these include the gradual reduction of cigarettes consumed each day, ceasing consumption outright (going cold turkey), and using nicotine replacement patches or pills.
You should speak to family and friends when deciding to reduce your intake of tobacco as the process could induce a time of heightened emotion and stress.
Additionally, your local doctor can help you plan and implement a strategy to reduce your consumption and addiction to nicotine. A doctor close to you can be found online at www.doctors.com.au.