There are many myths floating around the internet about smoking. Here are four myths (and their truths) so you can get your facts straight when it comes to the topic of smoking.
I have been smoking for too long, so quitting won’t help me.
Wrong. No matter how long you have been smoking, quitting will improve your health. Your body can fix most of the damage that was caused by smoking if you stay smoke free. The National Institute of Health (NIH) says that if you can quit smoking by age 35 you can live 5 to 10 years longer, and decrease the risk of developing diseases associated with smoking.
I’ll gain weight if I stop smoking.
Smoking can cause your body chemistry to slow down so some people may gain a few pounds once they quit but there are ways to avoid this. A healthy diet and daily exercise will decrease the risk of you gaining weight and improve your health!
It’s safer to smoke light or low-tar cigarettes.
There is no such thing as a safe cigarette! Cigarette smoke contains 7,000 chemicals of which at least 250 are toxic and 50 are known to cause cancer. People who smoke light cigarettes often smoke more of these cigarettes a day and have to inhale deeper to get their nicotine fix. When smoking these cigarettes you end up taking in more carbon monoxide and tar.
Smoking is relaxing.
Smoking only relieves the tension that is caused by your need for nicotine. It actually increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Once you quit smoking you can learn new ways to help relieve tension and stress that are good for your health.
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