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 dramatic, but even a $20 dollar monthly difference in policies adds up over the years.
- Home resale values. The smell of smoke can be off-putting to potential buyers. But if you want to clean up your act, you're going to pay for it. A smoker's house may need all new paint, carpets, and drapery -- or at least a professional cleaning. Hiring somebody to repaint a two bedroom house can cost you around two grand. Tack on another three hundred dollars to get your carpets deep-cleaned.
- Car resale values. Stray ashes and butts can burn holes in your upholstery and floor mats if you aren't careful. And to get that smoke smell out? Count on at least $150 for a thorough cleaning. Car dealers may knock a thousand dollars or more off your trade-in price if your car smells like smoke.
- Dental costs. Unless you like bad breath and yellow teeth, you probably use a lot of mints and gum. Buying an extra pack of breath fresheners every week adds up to around fifty bucks a year. Need a teeth whitening? Expect to pay no less than two hundred dollars per visit to see a professional.
- Dry cleaning bills. You're going to clean your stinky clothes more often. Is your favorite suit dry clean only? Figuring ten dollars per cleaning, that's another $120 per year IF you only clean that suit once a month.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
How Does Smoking Effect Pregnant Women
According to a report, nearly 1,70,000 women in USA die due to smoking and smoking related diseases. The decline in the smoking rates started in the 1950s and 60s but this trend stalled in the 1990s and there was a steep rise in smoking among teenage girls. The consequences of smoking among women especially among pregnant women have been tremendous. They are discussed in detail below:
1) Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Women who smoke during pregnancy expose their babies to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome as these babies are more likely to die from the harmful effects of smoking.
2) Stillbirth: Women who smoke during pregnancy increase the chances of the death of their babies during pregnancy itself.
3) Low birth weight of the baby: Birth weight of the baby is an important factor for the future health of the baby. Low birth weight can lead to a great many complications. In fact, low birth weight is the main reason for pre-natal death (during the first month after the birth).
4) Colic: A baby born of a mother who used to smoke during pregnancy is more likely to have colic. Colic is often a
condition of early infancy. Colic results in abdominal pain caused by spasm, obstruction, or distention of any of the hollow viscera, such as intestines.
5) Respiratory Infections: Your baby is more likely to have asthma and other respiratory diseases if you expose your babies to smoking or even secondhand smoke.
6) Placenta Abruption: This condition arises when the placenta pulls the walls of the uterus either before or during labor. This requires an immediate delivery usually through cesarean operation. A smoker's placenta is thinner making her more likely to have placenta abruption.
7) Premature birth: Smoking during pregnancy can lead to pre mature birth due to premature rupture of membranes. A pregnant smoker's body is more likely to end her pregnancy sooner in an effort to protect the baby from harmful smoke. Premature birth can lead to serious complications for the baby such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy.
8) Miscarriage: A woman who smokes during pregnancy can have trouble staying pregnant. It may lead to miscarriage. It can also decrease your fertility.
Looking at all these deadly consequences you can well imagine the threats that a cigarette can pose to your joy of motherhood. Giving birth to a new life is the greatest bliss for a woman and if a cigarette can prove to be a hindrance then it is better to keep it at bay.
1) Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Women who smoke during pregnancy expose their babies to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome as these babies are more likely to die from the harmful effects of smoking.
2) Stillbirth: Women who smoke during pregnancy increase the chances of the death of their babies during pregnancy itself.
3) Low birth weight of the baby: Birth weight of the baby is an important factor for the future health of the baby. Low birth weight can lead to a great many complications. In fact, low birth weight is the main reason for pre-natal death (during the first month after the birth).
4) Colic: A baby born of a mother who used to smoke during pregnancy is more likely to have colic. Colic is often a
condition of early infancy. Colic results in abdominal pain caused by spasm, obstruction, or distention of any of the hollow viscera, such as intestines.
5) Respiratory Infections: Your baby is more likely to have asthma and other respiratory diseases if you expose your babies to smoking or even secondhand smoke.
6) Placenta Abruption: This condition arises when the placenta pulls the walls of the uterus either before or during labor. This requires an immediate delivery usually through cesarean operation. A smoker's placenta is thinner making her more likely to have placenta abruption.
7) Premature birth: Smoking during pregnancy can lead to pre mature birth due to premature rupture of membranes. A pregnant smoker's body is more likely to end her pregnancy sooner in an effort to protect the baby from harmful smoke. Premature birth can lead to serious complications for the baby such as mental retardation and cerebral palsy.
8) Miscarriage: A woman who smokes during pregnancy can have trouble staying pregnant. It may lead to miscarriage. It can also decrease your fertility.
Looking at all these deadly consequences you can well imagine the threats that a cigarette can pose to your joy of motherhood. Giving birth to a new life is the greatest bliss for a woman and if a cigarette can prove to be a hindrance then it is better to keep it at bay.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Effects Of Smoking
Smoking causes many deadly diseases, harms nearly every organ of the body and reduces the overall health of the smoker. The many diseases caused by smoking are leukemia, stomach cancer, cataract, pancreatic cancer, cervical cancer, kidney cancer, pneumonia, and periodontitis. These diseases are the newest additions to the harmful effects of smoking. We are very much aware of the diseases caused by smoking, including bladder, laryngeal, lung, oral, and throat cancers; coronary heart and cardiovascular diseases; and chronic lung diseases.
However, the effects of smoking on different people are different. There are some general effects of smoking which affect human beings irrespective of their age and sex. They are discussed below:
1) One in every two lifetime smokers, dies from the habit of smoking. Most of these deaths occur in middle age.
2) Cigarette smoke includes nicotine and carbon monoxide among others harmful gases. The combination of these two will increase your blood pressure and heart rate, will strain your heart and blood vessels. This can cause heart attack and stroke which is deadly because it cuts off oxygen to your body parts. You may end up getting paralyzed or worse your limbs being amputated.
3) Smoking also contributes to a number of cancers. These can be lung cancer, stomach cancer, throat cancer, oral cancer and many more.
4) Carbon monoxide present in the cigarette smoke robs your body tissues, your muscles and your brain, of oxygen. This makes your body and heart work harder. Your airways will swell up over the time and less air will pass into your lungs.
5) Smoking is a slow way to die which leads to years of suffering. Emphysema is an illness that is caused by smoking. Emphysema rots your lungs slowly. People suffering from it suffer from bronchitis again and again which ultimately leads to lung and heart failure.
None of these effects can be termed as a good one. It's just the harm that is spread everywhere. So, why to undertake a habit that is so harmful? Just think over it!
However, the effects of smoking on different people are different. There are some general effects of smoking which affect human beings irrespective of their age and sex. They are discussed below:
1) One in every two lifetime smokers, dies from the habit of smoking. Most of these deaths occur in middle age.
2) Cigarette smoke includes nicotine and carbon monoxide among others harmful gases. The combination of these two will increase your blood pressure and heart rate, will strain your heart and blood vessels. This can cause heart attack and stroke which is deadly because it cuts off oxygen to your body parts. You may end up getting paralyzed or worse your limbs being amputated.
3) Smoking also contributes to a number of cancers. These can be lung cancer, stomach cancer, throat cancer, oral cancer and many more.
4) Carbon monoxide present in the cigarette smoke robs your body tissues, your muscles and your brain, of oxygen. This makes your body and heart work harder. Your airways will swell up over the time and less air will pass into your lungs.
5) Smoking is a slow way to die which leads to years of suffering. Emphysema is an illness that is caused by smoking. Emphysema rots your lungs slowly. People suffering from it suffer from bronchitis again and again which ultimately leads to lung and heart failure.
None of these effects can be termed as a good one. It's just the harm that is spread everywhere. So, why to undertake a habit that is so harmful? Just think over it!
Smokers Can Be Really Stupid
I was reading through the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and found an article about how cutting down on smoking doesn’t help your odds of dying early. For instance, a pack-a-day smoker who cuts down to 1/2 pack-a-day has the same odds of dying early as he did when he smoked a whole pack a day.
I mentioned this to a friend of mine who recently cut down on his smoking in order to try and help his body. When I told him about this story, I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard his response. “Well crap, I might as well go back to smoking a whole pack a day, then.”
OK, I understand how he could have been upset that the work he put into cutting down was all for nothing, but in my mind I was thinking that if he cut his smoking in half once, why not do it again? He already did it once so his confidence would have been high. But,alas…instead of doing this, he quickly decided to forget cutting down altogether.
I mentioned this to a friend of mine who recently cut down on his smoking in order to try and help his body. When I told him about this story, I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard his response. “Well crap, I might as well go back to smoking a whole pack a day, then.”
OK, I understand how he could have been upset that the work he put into cutting down was all for nothing, but in my mind I was thinking that if he cut his smoking in half once, why not do it again? He already did it once so his confidence would have been high. But,alas…instead of doing this, he quickly decided to forget cutting down altogether.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Do you know what:
Smoking cigarettes can kill innocent people around you. All smokers should be more conscious of those around them, especially children.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Welcome
Hello! I smoked for 15 years, quit for 9 years (had kids) then started again about 7 years ago. My cigarette habit is a heavy weight on me. I really enjoy smoking, BUT, I'm sick of being a prisoner to the addiction. I want to live and breathe easily. The cost, the smell, the dangers, the inconvenience - nothing positive.
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