You might want to live a longer, healthier life. Your family may need money for lots of things besides tobacco products. Or perhaps you don’t want to damage your children’s health. No matter your reason for pursuing smoking cessation, if you keep reminding yourself about your reason, you’ll have more of an incentive to stay away from tobacco.
Add Years to Your Life
Each time you smoke a cigarette, you cut off 11 minutes from your life expectancy. That adds up to more than 9 months of your life if you smoke 10 cigarettes a day for 10 years. Note: Based on calculations (as published in the British Medical Journal) made by researchers at the University of Bristol.
Ensure a Better Quality of Life
A smoke-free body is one that has more stamina and an enhanced ability to enjoy tastes and smells. According to the Surgeon General, the single most important step you can take to improve the length and quality of your life is to stop smoking.
Stop Exposing Others to Secondhand Smoke
Every year, roughly 50,000 Americans die from exposure to secondhand smoke, according to American Cancer Society estimates. Children living with smokers suffer from more chest colds and ear infections, and babies born to smokers are at increased risk for premature delivery, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome.
Save Money
If you smoke a daily pack of cigarettes costing $5, you spend $1,825 a year on your habit.
Avoid Aggravation
As more and more municipalities make it illegal to smoke in public places, smokers have fewer options for enjoying restaurants, bars and other venues. Sometimes smoking is only allowed outdoors – where it may be cold or raining.
No matter when you stop using nicotine, there are health benefits.
After 1 year – your risk of heart attack is cut in half.
After 5 years – your risk of heart attack is nearly the same as someone who never smoked.