121 Reasons to Stop Smoking

While there are many more reasons to quit smoking, here is a list of 121 reasons – all of which make sense, and have been proven by research and statistics.

The reasons – given in no particular order – include personal, emotional, health, social and economic facts.

So here goes…

121 Reasons to quit smoking:

1. Smoking diminishes your sense of smell.

2. As such, you cannot appreciate simple things like the smell of freshly baked pancakes, or the clean smell after a thunderstorm.

3. As such, you don’t know exactly how bad your ashtray smells to others.

4. Smoking makes your clothes smell.

5. Smoking makes you home smell.

6. Smoking makes your car smell, and devalues it upon trading it in.

7. Smoking diminishes your sense of taste.

8. As such, you cannot fully appreciate the taste sensations of exotic dishes.

9. Smoking increases the risk of a stroke.

10. Smoking increases the risk of heart problems.

11. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer.

12. Smoking increases the risk of oral cancer.

13. Smoking increases the risk of emphysema.

14. Smoking makes you feel yech when waking up.

15. Smoking causes a frequent, irritating cough.

16. Smoking is becoming less acceptable socially – it is NOT cool to smoke any more.

17. More and more people are distancing themselves from smokers because they fear the effects of second hand smoke.

18. More and more venues are becoming exclusive to non-smokers.

19. Legislation is making it more and more difficult for smokers to continue their habits.

20. For instance – you are legally no longer allowed to smoke in your home or car with a child in your company.

21. When going to a restaurant with non-smokers, it is awkward to decide who has to compromise, and find seating in the other’s section.

22. Smoking poses health risks to others inhaling second hand smoke.

23. It is a MASSIVE waste of money. Just think of how much money you could have made if you paid a policy with the money spent on smoking each month – for your entire adult life.

24. Smoking limits your lifestyle – since you are not physically capable of indulging in everything you would want to.

25. Long church sermons and meetings can become strenuous if you have to go without a smoke for too long…

26. How much of your own time do you waste every day – because of having to stop and smoke every so often?

27. If you smoke in working time, you are wasting some of the money your employer is paying you.

28. As such, non-smokers are preferred by many companies – since they lose fewer man-hours due to smoking breaks.

29. it is unfair to your non-smoking colleagues – since they do not get breaks like you regularly do.

30. Since you are holding a burning item, you have to be careful to not burn your clothes, bedding, furniture…

31. Smoking can cause accidents – when you drop a burning cigarette while driving.

32. Smoking causes mood swings if not repeated frequently.

33. YOU are NOT in control of YOUR LIFE. If you cannot decide NOT to smoke for a day or three, you are being controlled by that little cardboard box in your pocket or handbag…

34. As such, it is a substance dependency – frighteningly similar to over-eating, alcoholism, and drug dependency. While the physical effects are not as obviously devastating, the pattern of behaviour, and poor success rate of quitters are
similar.

35. Smoking can cause tension at home if your partner does not smoke.

36. Smoking can cause tension at work – with non-smoking colleagues.

37. Smoking is ridiculous. You set something on fire, and then put it in your mouth. If you did it with any other (legal) item than a cigarette, it would be considered insane.

38. All the special taxes imposed on cigarettes make it ridiculously expensive.

39. Smoking can also cause accidents while driving due to your attention being distracted while lighting a cigarette.

40. Non-smokers are always a pain in the neck.

41. When stressed out, smokers simply light a cigarette – pretty much like someone else would take a calming tablet, or an alcoholic would run for a drink – instead of dealing with the issue.

42. If you run out, or leave you cigarettes somewhere, you HAVE to get some more…

43. Other smokers bum off you – and you just pay to keep their habits up.

44. People “borrow” your lighters and never return them (“accidentally” putting them in their own shirt pockets/purses.

45. As a smoker, you cannot set an example for your kids not to smoke. And the scary part…

46. Smoking serves as a starting point for many drug additions. Statistically, teens who smoke are seven times more prone to becoming involved with other drugs.

47. Smoking shortens your life expectancy.

48. Smoking stains your teeth.

49. Smoking stains our fingers.

50. If you stop smoking, you have two items fewer to carry around, or remember to take along.

51. Over time, smoking discolours the walls of your home, devaluating it.

52. Smoking speeds up mental decline – increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s or Dementia

53. Smoking increases the risk of LUPUS – an auto-immune disease.

54. Pregnant women who smoke put their babies at risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

55. Smoking can cause your baby to develop colic and be irritable (Smoking increases the production of the hormone Motilin – which cause contractions in the abdominal area)

56. Smoking increases the risk of impotence, and lowers the libido.

57. Smoking increases the risk of blindness – by increasing the risk of age related macular degeneration.

58. If you are genetically susceptible to developing arthritis, smoking can increase the likelihood of getting it.

59. Smokers are 70% more likely to get heartburn and acid reflux.

60. Smoking causes increased risk of breast cancer in women.

61. Smoking has been linked to colon cancer.

62. Smoking increases the risk of depression in young people.

63. Smoking has been linked to thyroid disease.

64. Smoking during pregnancy causes addiction in babies – who then have to go through withdrawal symptoms right after birth…

65. Smokers are four times more likely to feel un-rested after sleeping.

66. Smoking gradually decreases your bone density – resulting in risk of injury at old age.

67. Smokers have 70% more likelihood of developing hearing loss.

68. Heavy smokers are more likely to develop psoriasis.

69. Smokers generally have poorer blood circulation.

70. Smokers bodies work caffeine off faster – so they fail to get the same benefit from a cup of coffee in the morning as their non-smoking counterparts do.

71. The progression from HIV to AIDS is faster for smokers than non-smokers.

72. It interferes with the absorption of various medications, necessitating higher dosages (which in turn increase the risk of unwanted side effects).

73. Smokers’ homes are more than six times as likely to catch fire (as non-smokers’).

74. Smokers are 4 times as likely to develop Crohn’s disease.

75. Smokers are more likely to develop brain tumors (lung cancer is known to commonly spread to the brain)

76. If you smoke for longer than 10 years, smoking speeds up skin aging.

77. Smokers are more likely to go gray prematurely.

78. Smokers are twice as likely to go bald.

79. Smoking increases the risk of depression.

80. Second hand smoke has been linked to lung cancer in pets (even birds).

81. Statistically, smokers require more sick leave from work than non-smokers.

82. Smoking increases the risk of dental problems and gum diseases.

83. Smokers pay more for life insurance.

84. Smokers’ wounds heal slower.

85. Smoking can advance menopause by several years.

86. Smokers have a lower sperm count – and are thus less fertile.

87. Smokers’ children are more likely to suffer from tooth decay.

88. Smoking women find it more difficult to get pregnant.

89. Pregnant women who smoke have more chance of running into complications.

90. Pregnant women who smoke have more chance of delivering prematurely, and giving birth to underweight babies.

91. Smoking dulls your sense of touch.

92. Smoking affects skin tone and texture.

93. Smokers are generally more irritable.

94. One out of every five deaths in the USA is directly related to smoking.

95. Smoking accounts for 90% of all deaths related to chronic obstructive lung disease.

96. Smokers have a 44% higher risk of developing diabetes.

97. Smoking puts you at increased risk of pneumonia and bronchitis.

98. Smoking before the brain is matured (at around eighteen years of age) slows down its development.

99. In the USA, smoking annually causes more deaths than murders, drugs, alcohol, and suicide combined.

100. Smokers face three times as much rick of developing cataracts.

101. Smokers face an increased risk of back pain.

102. Smokers are more likely to suffer from anxiety or stress.

103. Smokers are three times more likely to develop middle ear infection.

104. Women who smoke while taking “the pill” are at a 20 times higher risk of having a heart attack, stroke or blood clots.

105. Smokers face a higher risk of post-operative complications.

106. Smoking affects your personality for the worse.

107. Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to miscarry.

108. Pregnant women who smoke are 30% more likely to give birth to a stillborn child, or losing her baby within the first week after birth.

109. Smokers treble the risk of cot deaths in their young babies.

110. Pregnant women who smoke deliver a lower quality mother’s milk.

111. Smoking diminishes your IQ.

112. Smoking cases bad breath.

113. Smokers are less likely to get a date (according to statistics from online dating sites)

114. Smoking depletes your Vitamin C from your system faster than naturally.

115. Smoking makes PMS worse…

116. Smokers snore more.

117. Smokers sometimes have difficulty finding accommodation – since many owners prefer non-smokers.

118. Because then you family can stop worrying about you and stop nagging you.

119. Because your mother told you long ago not to…

120. Because – as you can see – you are slowly killing yourself, and preparing to die in extreme discomfort…

121. Because YOU are worth it.