Tag Archives: smoking

When Your Teen Wants To Smoke

Too many teens are tempted to try smoking for various reasons. Maybe they want to fit in with the rest of the smokers. Maybe they want to look older. Maybe they like the thrill of doing something they shouldn’t. If you want to guide your teen away from smoking, the following tips can be useful: Be open and honest about the dangers of smoking. There are plenty of places to find information about what smoking does to your body. Start here. Start talking to your children about smoking at a very young age. You don’t have to make it scary, … Continue reading →

It’s Time to Quit: Let’s Get Together

Are you a smoker? Do you want to quit? I know that may sound like a stupid question because I don’t know many smokers who don’t want to quit, but they avoid it because honestly it seems impossible. Who wants to go through the jitters, the frustration and the pacing? I’ve tried quitting before, in fact, just a couple of months ago, I made another attempt at quitting and actually made it a few weeks, but that’s not enough – what I need to do is to quit all together. I need to be a non-smoker. Not a former smoker. … Continue reading →

Texas Bans Smoking in Foster Homes

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Texas has become the third state to implement rules governing smoking in foster homes. Beginning in 2007, smoking will be prohibited in foster homes and in automobiles in which foster children are riding. Similar rules were already in force for day care centers in Texas. Researchers have documented the dangers to children of exposure to second-hand smoke. A great number of children in the Texas foster care system are at risk medically. For instance, our family has adopted five boys and three of them have serious asthma conditions. Additionally, one of them also has a very serious heart condition. Exposure … Continue reading →

Smoking and Infertility

Studies have shown a link between smoking cigarettes and infertility. A study done by the British Medical Association showed that women who smoke had a 40% lower chance of successfully conceiving than non smoking women. Researchers are not sure exactly how smoking interferes with a woman’s ability to get pregnant. There are a few theories, but no concrete proof. One theory is that some of the chemicals in cigarette smoke can interfere with the quality of the eggs. Another theory suggests that smoking interferes with the eggs being released during ovulation. It’s not only women that are affected. Smoking may … Continue reading →

Nicotine May Help Depression

Let me just say this first: don’t start smoking just because you’re feeling blue. However, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have been studying the effects of nicotine on symptoms of depression. In a recent study, they took non-smoking volunteers with symptoms of depression and asked them to wear a patch. Some had a nicotine patch; others had a drug-free placebo. The participants were given questionnaires over the course of the study. Those who wore a nicotine patch for at least eight days reported a significant decline in depression symptoms. The folks at Duke University Medical Center want to make … Continue reading →

Break Down The Cost of Smoking

Have you ever sat down and figured out how much money you’re spending on cigarettes every week? Every month? Each year? It’s time to see how that nasty habit adds up. At the low end of the scale Missouri residents pay the lowest average price for a pack of cigarettes: $3.33 each. Smoke a pack a day? That’s $23.31 per week. And $93.24 every month. Every year, you’re spending $1118.88 on your smoking habit. At the high end of the scale, Maine residents pay an average of $6.46 for a pack of cigarettes — nearly double what the Missouri folks … Continue reading →

Financial Reasons to Quit Smoking

Maybe you don’t think your continued good health is a good enough reason to quit smoking. Let’s look at some of the financial costs that come with smoking! Job security. Some rather large companies are starting to think twice about hiring smokers. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, more than six thousand companies across the nation are refusing to hire smokers. Among the smoke free companies: Alaska Airlines and the Union Pacific. Higher insurance costs. Expect to pay at least twice as much as a non-smoker if you’re looking for life insurance. For health insurance, the difference isn’t as … Continue reading →

Movie Studios Asked To Help Snuff Out Teen Smoking

In an unprecedented move to help snuff out tobacco use among teens, attorneys general from more than 35 states yesterday offered movie studios free use of three public-service announcements to be included on DVDs and videos. Unfortunately, the move comes a year after a prior effort to rally movie studio heads to add public service announcements to home-viewing releases that depict smoking failed. “I was deeply disappointed by the industry’s failure to heed our initial call,” Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said in a statement. “We urge movie makers to do the right thing and include these powerful and persuasive … Continue reading →

Myths About Quitting

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Did you know that nicotine is more addictive than heroine or cocaine? It is one of the most addictive substances that exist. Myth: Light cigarettes are safer than regular ones. FACT: Call them what you will — low-tar, light, or ultra-light — light cigarettes do NOTHING to reduce your risk of lung cancer. Myth: Quitting while you are in your twenties will prevent lung cancer. FACT: Quitting before the age of 35 can reduce your risk of lung cancer by up to 90 percent… BUT for every year you smoke, your risk of lung cancer and other health complications increases. … Continue reading →

Keep Secondhand Smoke Away

According to a new report from the U.S. Surgeon General, nearly half of all nonsmoking Americans are exposed to secondhand smoke on a regular basis… with horrible results. Three thousand adult nonsmokers died in 2005 from lung cancer as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. Forty-six thousand adult nonsmokers died in 2005 from coronary heart disease as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. Four hundred thirty infants died from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) in 2005 as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. Living with a smoker can increase your risk of lung cancer and heart disease … Continue reading →