Tobacco Myths- Up in Smoke (American Cancer Society) HS 460

 Estimates show that the average smoker thinks seriously about quitting four times a year. But some smokers worry that they’ll gain weight. Others fear the withdrawal symptoms associated with nicotine addiction. And some think that for them it’s too late.

1. Myth: Smokers who quit gain a lot of weight  Truth: although many smokers do gain some weight when they quit, it’s usually under 10 pounds. But weight gain isn’t inevitable. If you exercise and watch your calories, you can control it. Tip: smokers who use the drug Bupropion (Zyban) to help quit generally don’t gain weight.

2. Myth: nicotine addiction is impossible to beat  Truth: it’s estimated that at least one-fifth of smokers who use nicotine replacement therapy- such as patches, gum or nasal spray- can stay smoke-free after the same period, and results are even better when Zyban and Nicotine replacement are combined. Adding behavioral counseling appears to further improve the chances of overcoming addiction.

3. Myth: Simply quitting cold turkey doesn’t work  Truth: of the 17 million people who try to quit for at least one day during the Great American Smokeout (Nov. 18), more than 4 million are still smoke-free three months later.

4. Myth: For lifelong smokers, the damage has been done. Quitting won’t help.  Truth: it’s never too late to quit. When you do, the body begins to recover within 20 minutes. That’s when blood pressure drops to normal. After eight hours, carbon monoxide in the blood drops, too. Within 24 hours, the chance of heart attack decreases… and after one year, excess risk of heart attack is half that of a smoker.

5. Myth: Smoking isn’t dangerous if you don’t inhale.  Truth: smokers who don’t inhale, including pipe and cigar smokers, are still at risk for lip, mouth, and tongue cancers.

6.Myth: Smokeless tobacco and snuff are safe alternatives to smoking.  Truth: Smokeless tobacco leads to cancers of the mouth, gum, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus. Fact is, snuff dippers consume on average more than 10 times the amount of cancer-causing substances cigarette smokers do.

The Bottom Line  Smoking shortens life expectancy by years. Quitting now can add years to your life. If you don’t smoke: share these truths to help someone who’s trying to kick the habit.