Smoking is way nasty. We're all well aware that cigarettes are frowned upon for social and health reasons, but just in case you forgot WHY, here are 5 Reasons To Quit Smoking Today.
- 1. You love your pets.
Yeah yeah, we get it - it's your body, you can do to it what you want. But what about the health of your pets? Studies indicate that secondhand smoke can raise your pet's risk of certain kinds of cancer and respiratory problems. So the next time your cat is going through her grooming motions, think about all the carcinogens she’s licking up. If you’re a dog owner, your dog is breathing in those carcinogens, putting him at risk of nasal or lung cancer.
2. You're hard up for cash.
The recession is affecting every last one of us, and in a crappy economy, every penny counts. Aside from the added cost of buying smokes, think of the cash you could rake in from friendly quitting-smoking competitions with your friends or coworkers? A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania found that smokers who are offered money to quit are more likely to stick it out. Plus, 15% of participants who profited remained ex-smokers, compared to a measly 5% of those who weren't paid. Makes cents to me.
3. Wrinkles are so 40 years from now.
Emphysema, lung cancer, heart disease - all shorten your life expectancy, all by-products of cigarette smoking. No worries, though. You'll still be able to experience the whole "growing old" thing, especially with all the premature aging smoking will cause you - not just internally, but externally. Wrinkles on a 50+ gentleman or lady? Kind of cute. Wrinkles on a 25 year old? A little creepy. Say bye-bye to ciggies, and hello to smooth skin and longer life.
4. What's that smell?
You know that stench you smell upon waking up after a night out in a smoky bar? The one on your hair and clothes? You have your cigarettes to thank for that. There’s a reason smokers hang out with other smokers - it makes your clothes reek and your breath stink. Even worse, it raises your risk of Alzheimer’s. The nonsmokers who hang around you are hardly safe either. Exposure to secondhand smoke is not only associated with heart disease and stroke, it also can increase the risk of dementia by as much as 44 percent.
Young children especially are susceptible to secondhand (and thirdhand) smoke, and can have carbon monoxide levels similar to those of adult smokers. If you’re a parent who smokes, enforcing a no-smoking ban at home reduces secondhand smoke exposure and the likelihood that your teen will experiment with smoking.
5. Thin Healthy is in.
When asked what your New Years resolution was, 45% of you said losing weight. If you think smoking is keeping you slim, you're dead wrong. Researchers in Finland recently found that people who smoked heavily during adolescence (10+ cigarettes a day) packed on more pounds as adults. Girls in particular are more likely to have an expanding waistline as they age. Modern research is busting the age old myth that smoking keeps you thin. You know what makes you thin? A healthy diet and regular exercise. Put the smokes down, and walk (or run) away. Your body will thank you.
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those are some pretty decent reasons .
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