Cigarette: A Dangerous Epidemic, As Addictive as Heroin and Cocaine, Sick Individuals, Addicted People, and an Unhealthy Society!

Some Interesting Questions About Smoking

• Are there any organizations, other than the manufacturers, that profit from smoking?
• Why do developed countries rapidly increase smoking bans in their own countries while shifting cigarette industries to developing and underdeveloped countries?
• Could there be another mass destruction weapon, legally usable, that can kill so many people?
• Which drug or deadly substance can we buy from the nearest store for just a few dollars?
• Which product purchased from the market has a warning saying “using it as instructed will kill you”?

When we consider the answers to all these questions and the statistics related to smoking, we understand how serious an enemy it is.

Facts About Smoking

• According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, there are 1.1 billion regular smokers worldwide, and half of them will die from smoking-related diseases.
• Every year, 5 million people die from smoking and hundreds of thousands die from exposure to cigarette smoke worldwide.
• In our country, smoking rates are approximately 41% among men, 13% among women, and there are 17 million smokers in total. Each year, 100,000 of our people die from smoking-related diseases.
• Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical substances, more than 80 of which are carcinogenic.
• 8 out of every 10 lung cancer patients are smokers. Lung cancer, a silent disease, is diagnosed in the advanced stage in 60-70% of cases.
• Currently, 90% of cases of chronic bronchitis, the fourth deadliest disease, are caused solely by smoking.
• Smoking is responsible for 10-30% of coronary heart disease deaths.
• Even smoking 1-4 cigarettes a day or being exposed to secondhand smoke increases the risk of heart and lung diseases.
• It is proven that smoking during pregnancy is harmful to the baby.
• About half of those who experiment with smoking become addicted.

Why Do We Smoke? – Because it’s addictive!

Cigarette Addiction Consists of 3 Components:

1. Physiological Addiction: Experiencing symptoms such as headaches, difficulty concentrating, irritability, constipation, and fatigue when not smoking.
2. Psychological Addiction: Smoking during moments of sadness, stress, anger, or joy.
3. Social Addiction: Smoking with tea and coffee or while chatting with friends.

Tobacco is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a psychoactive substance that causes mental and behavioral disorders. It can be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. This addiction has three components: social, psychological, and physiological.

If You Are Considering Quitting Smoking… Try It Yourself First:

• Set a date to quit.
• Tell your family and colleagues that you are quitting and ask for their support.
• Avoid smoking in places where you spend a lot of time (car-home).
• Remember that symptoms such as irritability and difficulty concentrating due to nicotine withdrawal will significantly decrease within a few weeks.
• Prepare for factors that can trigger smoking, such as stressful situations, alcohol use, or social circles.
• Exercise regularly.
• Don’t say, “One cigarette won’t hurt.” Even one cigarette during the quitting process can lead to failure.
• Find healthy ways to cope with stress. Spend time on hobbies you enjoy.
• When you have a strong urge to smoke, immediately find something to do, such as calling a friend, going for a walk, or cooking.
• Remember that even if you fail once during the quitting process, your chances of success increase with each new attempt.

When You Quit Smoking:

• At 20 minutes: Heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature return to normal.
• At 24 hours: Carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop rapidly.
• 2 weeks – 3 months later: Exercise capacity increases. Coughing decreases and disappears within 3 months. The amount of phlegm decreases by half in 2 weeks. Breathing becomes easier. Your sense of smell and taste improve. Your immune system begins to strengthen. You start feeling more resilient and stronger. The yellow stains on your teeth and fingers disappear.
• At 1 year: The risk of having a heart attack begins to decrease from the first day, and by the end of the year, the risk is reduced by 50%. The risk of stroke and peripheral vascular disease is reduced by 30-50%. Respiratory diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema (COPD), which can cause respiratory failure, are prevented. Respiratory functions improve in the following years.
• At 5 years: The risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder is reduced by half.
• At 10 years: The risk of stroke returns to the level of those who have never smoked within 5-10 years. The risk of lung cancer, as well as cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney, and pancreas, decreases.
• At 15 years: The risk of coronary artery disease and heart attack is the same as for those who have never smoked.

Unfortunately, while reviewing this text (about 10 minutes), 2 people have died from smoking-related diseases.