Quit Smoking Cigarettes

Do you know of anyone whose death was related to or caused by smoking cigarettes?  My moms dad was diagnosed with lung cancer at the age of 62.  Given 6 months to live  Died 6 years later at the age of 68.

My Viewpoint  If you smoke cigarettes, you should immediately quit.  If you don’t smoke cigarettes, you should not ever start.

Why is this important? Is life important to you? “Every eight seconds, a human life is lost to tobacco use somewhere in the world. That translates to approximately 5 million deaths annually.” Smoking is the cause of 1 out of every 5 deaths in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 Aug Web. 02 Nov

Shocking Facts  1.1 billion smokers in the world today, by 2025 number will increase to 1.6 billion.  Estimated by the year 2020, tobacco will kill more people than any disease in the world.  Worldwide, 1 in 5 teens age smoke cigarettes.  Teens who smoke cough 3 times more than nonsmokers  Smoking a pack of cigarettes each day costs $ per year. "20 Fast Facts About Cigarette Smoking." About.com Teen Advice. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct

Counter-Arguments  “Smoking is cool.”  “I have time to quit.”  “I can quit if I want to.”  “Smoking is not directly related to lung cancer.”  “Smoking relieves stress.” Facts speak for themselves. If you make smoking a habit, it will sooner or later lead to death.

Cigarettes 1. Contain harmful substances 2. Cause health problems 3. Lead to death

1. Harmful Substances  Nicotine (highly addictive)  Ambergis (whale vomit)  Benzene (Leukemia)  Ammonia (toilet cleaner)  Carbon Monoxide (car exhaust)  Arsenic (rat poison)  Acetylene (fuel used in welding)

2. Health Problems  Cancer  Heart Disease  Lung Disease  Strokes  “According to a study released in 1993, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded that second hand cigarette smoke causes 3,000 lung cancer deaths and 53,000 deaths from heart disease a year in Non-smoking Americans.” US News. U.S.News & World Report, n.d. Web. 30 Oct

Kick The Habit  Medicines  Nicotine gum, nasal spray, inhaler, patch, lozenge  Different types of counseling  Quit Smoking 101

3. Reduce Your Risk Of Dying (Short-term)  Heart rate and blood pressure return to normal  Carbon Monoxide levels decline  Improved sense of smell and taste  Within a few weeks you produce less phlegm and don’t cough as often

3. Reduce Your Risk Of Dying (Long-term)  1 year- risk of having a heart attack will have now dropped to half  5 years- risk of having a stroke returns to that of a nonsmoker  years- risk of lung cancer and heart disease returns to that of a non-smoker "What Happens When You Quit Smoking | Immediate and Long Term Benefits." Natural Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov

Conclusion  Facts don’t lie  One of the best things you can do for your health is quit smoking  If you don’t start, you will not have to quit  Quit smoking and save your life and quite possibly someone else’s

Q and A Michael Slodysko mas6392.psu.edu

References  "Why Do People Smoke Cigarettes?" Why Do People Smoke Cigarettes? N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov  "National Cancer Institute." Harms of Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting -. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 21 Aug Web. 02 Nov  "Why Should I Quit Smoking?" About.com Smoking Cessation. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov  "20 Shocking Smoking Facts." About.com Smoking Cessation. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Oct  "National Cancer Institute." Harms of Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting -. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct  US News. U.S.News & World Report, n.d. Web. 30 Oct  "20 Fast Facts About Cigarette Smoking." About.com Teen Advice. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct  "What Happens When You Quit Smoking | Immediate and Long Term Benefits." Natural Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov  "Humans Are Free." : Smoking Kills. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov