Putting It All Together

Here is a summary of the important facts and information related to smoking and how to stop:

• People who eventually quit smoking usually try to stop two or three times before they're successful.

• Nicotine is a powerful drug that acts on neurotransmitters in the brain and is physically addictive.

• Most smokers start as teenagers. The earlier you start, the more powerful your addiction is likely to be.

• Smokers adjust the amount of tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide they receive by how deeply they inhale, how many puffs they take on each cigarette, and the number of cigarettes they smoke each day.

• Smoking is responsible for 87 percent of lung cancers and also causes most cases of emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

• The benefits of quitting smoking begin as soon as 20 minutes after the last cigarette smoked.

• A person who stops smoking will have the same risk of heart disease and death 15 years after quitting as someone who has never smoked.

• Secondhand smoke is known to cause cancer and is responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers each year.

• Only you can decide when you're ready to quit smoking. It's best to pick a target day and stop smoking completely on that day. Aids such as nicotine gum, patches, inhalers and nasal sprays can help ease withdrawal symptoms.