Joboja

Written by: Darshana Sugathan
Edited by: Julia Wolfe
Joboja Staff Writers

A Raymond suit,Versache designer glasses,Woodlands shoes,a Marlboro cigarette in hand...is that your perfect cool metro man? When you’re stressed do you want to smoke? Do you think smoking at parties increases your prestige?

You are in the danger zone. If you are still smoking in spite of a lot of smoking awareness campaigns, it’s time to quit!
Smoking started as early as 5000 BC, and has been recorded in many cultures across the world. Tobacco, which originated in the Andes, has been cultivated and smoked in the Americas for at least 5000 years. In India, cannabis smoking has been practiced for over 4000 years.

Early smoking evolved in association with religious ceremonies—sometimes as offerings to deities or in cleansing rituals. It was used by shamans and priests to alter their minds for divination or spiritual enlightenment. After the European arrival in the Americas, the practice of smoking tobacco quickly spread.

In regions like India and Sub-Saharan Africa it merged with existing practices of smoking (mostly of cannabis). In Europe, it introduced a previously unknown drug and social activity.

Most people are aware that smoking can lead to lung cancer and emphysema. Many don’t realize other harmful repercussions that smoking can cause. Smoking drains your body of many essential vitamins and minerals.
It also affects your body's ability to absorb these vital nutrients. Vitamin C is one of your body's main antioxidants.

Its job is to prevent disease by repairing damage to DNA and other cell components. It is also important for building tissue throughout your body.

In addition, cigarettes have been shown to decrease calcium absorption. This can be a critical loss for teenagers since our skeletons continue to develop until we hit 25. Later on in life, smoking can lead to bone loss and osteoporosis.

Other vitamins affected by smoking include Vitamin B6, which is important for the prevention of cancer because it protects DNA from breaking down. Vitamin E is another antioxidant that protects the body from damage.
A few studies have also shown that some smokers do not eat meals that are as well-balanced as non-smokers do. This can lead to other nutritional deficiencies and problems.

You are filling your body with toxins and replacing much needed oxygen with carbon dioxide each time you smoke. Your blood carries oxygen to every cell, tissue and organ in your body to help them perform vital life processes. When that oxygen is replaced with carbon dioxide your cells can no longer function properly, disrupting all processes including growth.

Smoking is associated with excessive tiredness and causes increased respiratory infections, ear infections and chronic cough. Smoking is also known to significantly increase the risk for heart attacks, high blood pressure and cancer of lungs/stomach/intestines/ and mouth.
Quitting smoking is not an easy thing to do. Here are some suggestions:

talk with your doctor about medication that you can use (nicotine patch, nicotine gum, or a drug called Zyban)
contact your health care provider about a stop-smoking group
find an activity to take your mind off of smoking (like the gym)
try chewing gum, sucking candy or chewing carrots to help with the oral urges - spend time with friends who do not smoke
try to avoid social situations where people smoke.
True or False?

Smokeless tobacco (chew or spit) not as dangerous as smoking cigarettes.

It'll take years before smoking hurts my heart and lungs.

“Cold turkey" is the best way to kick the habit of smoking and/or using chewing tobacco.

Answers: 1.False, 2.False, 3.False
Some facts about smoking

More than 400,000 deaths in the U.S. each year are from smoking-related illnesses. Smoking greatly increases your risks for lung cancer and many other cancers.
Among infants to 18 months of age, secondhand smoke is associated with as many as 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia each year.
Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to deliver babies whose weights are too low for the babies' good health. It’s been estimated that 4,000 babies die every year from complications associated with women smoking during pregnancy.