Smoking is an Addictive Disease : The term addictive disease or addiction describes a persistent habit that is harmful to the person. Thus, addiction is a chronic (long duration) disease with progressive reliance on the substance causing the addiction. The addictive substance also causes the accompanying deterioration of a person's physical and psychological health. Psychologically, an individual's behavior pattern establishes how the addictive substance is used. One type of behavior is compulsive behavior, which is an overwhelming and irresistible interest in use of the substance. For example, the compulsive addict makes sure that the substance is always available. Another type of behavior is habitual behavior, which is using the substance regularly or occasionally for the desirable effects. Physically, continuous use of the substance leads to dependence on the drug by the body. This dependence means that when the drug is discontinued, symptoms of withdrawal or distress occur. Nicotine is the component of cigarettes that addicts. Almost immediately upon inhalation, the body responds to the nicotine. An individual feels relaxed, calmer, and happier than before the inhalation. These pleasant feelings reflect the physical side of addiction. But then, doing without cigarettes causes craving for more cigarettes, irritability, impatience, anxiety, and other unpleasant symptoms. Indeed, these symptoms are the symptoms of withdrawal from cigarettes. What's more, over time, more and more nicotine is desired to produce the favorable effects and to avoid the symptoms of withdrawal. The signs of addiction to cigarettes include: Smoking more than seven cigarettes per day Inhaling deeply and frequently Smoking cigarettes containing nicotine levels more than 0.9mg Smoking within 30 minutes of awakening in the morning Finding it difficult to eliminate the first cigarette in the morning Smoking frequently during the morning Finding it difficult to avoid smoking in smoking- restricted areas Needing to smoke even if sick and in bed

Problems caused by smoking : By smoking, you can cause health problems not only for yourself but also for those around you. Smoking is an addiction. You see, tobacco contains nicotine, a drug that is addictive. The nicotine, therefore, makes it very difficult (although not impossible) to quit. In fact, since the U.S. Surgeon General's 1964 report on the dangers of smoking, millions of Americans have quit. Still, more than 400,000 deaths occur in the U.S. each year from smoking-related illnesses. The reason for these deaths is that smoking greatly increases the risk of getting lung cancer, heart attack, chronic lung diseases, stroke, and many other cancers. Moreover, smoking is perhaps the most preventable cause of breathing (respiratory) diseases within the USA. Smoking harms not just the smoker, but also family members, coworkers, and others who breathe the smoker's cigarette smoke, called secondhand smoke. Among infants up to 18 months of age, secondhand smoke is associated with as many as 300,000 cases of bronchitis and pneumonia each year. In addition, secondhand smoke from a parent's cigarette increases a child's chances for middle ear problems, causes coughing and wheezing, and worsens asthma. If both parents smoke, a teenager is more than twice as likely to smoke than a teenager whose parents are both nonsmokers. Even in households where only one parent smokes, young people are also more likely to start smoking. Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to deliver babies whose weights are too low for the babies' good health. In fact, it has been estimated that if all women quit smoking during pregnancy, about 4,000 new babies would not die each year.

Why quit Smoking Now : Quitting smoking makes a difference right away in the way you feel. You can taste and smell food better. Your breath smells better. Your cough goes away. These benefits happen for men and women of all ages, even those who are older. They happen for healthy people as well as those who already have a disease or condition caused by smoking. Even more importantly, in the long run, quitting smoking cuts the risk of lung cancer, many other cancers, heart disease, stroke, and other lung or breathing (respiratory) diseases (e.g., bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema). Moreover, ex-smokers have better health than current smokers. For example, ex-smokers have fewer days of illness, fewer health complaints, and less bronchitis and pneumonia than current smokers. Finally, quitting smoking saves money. Several methods are available to assist those who decide to quit smoking. The three main categories of methods are: Changing the behavior that is associated with smoking Self-help literature Nicotine replacement therapy. Each method actually offers several different options. Moreover, combinations of the methods usually are necessary, and no one combination will work for everyone. In fact, it may be necessary to try several different methods or combinations of methods before success is achieved.