Ways to quit smoking

Smoking a joint is equivalent to 20 cigarettes in terms of lung cancer risk, scientists in New Zealand have found, as they warned of an "epidemic" of lung cancers linked to cannabis. Studies in the past have demonstrated that cannabis can cause cancer, but few have established a strong link between cannabis use and the actual incidence of lung cancer.

  In an article published in the European Respiratory Journal, the scientists said cannabis could be expected to harm the airways more than tobacco as its smoke contained twice the level of carcinogens, such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, compared with tobacco cigarettes.

  In an article published in the European Respiratory Journal, the scientists said cannabis could be expected to harm the airways more than tobacco as its smoke contained twice the level of carcinogens, such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, compared with tobacco cigarettes.

The method of smoking also increases the risk, since joints are typically smoked without a proper filter and almost to the very tip, which increases the amount of smoke inhaled. The cannabis smoker inhales more deeply and for longer, facilitating the deposition of carcinogens in the airways.

"Cannabis smokers end up with five times more carbon monoxide in their bloodstream (than tobacco smokers)," team leader Richard Beasley, at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand said.

"There are higher concentrations of carcinogens in cannabis smoke … what is intriguing to us is there is so little work done on cannabis when there is so much done on tobacco."

The researchers interviewed 79 lung cancer patients and sought to identify the main risk factors for the disease, such as smoking, family history and occupation. The patients were questioned about alcohol and cannabis consumption.

In this high-exposure group, lung cancer risk rose by 5.7 times for patients who smoked more than a joint a day for 10 years, or two joints a day for 5 years, after adjusting for other variables, including cigarette smoking.

"While our study covers a relatively small group, it shows clearly that long-term cannabis smoking increases lung cancer risk," wrote Beaseley.

"Cannabis use could already be responsible for one in 20 lung cancers diagnosed in New Zealand," he added.

"In the near future we may see an ‘epidemic’ of lung cancers connected with this new carcinogen. And the future risk probably applies to many other countries, where increasing use of cannabis among young adults and adolescents is becoming a major public health problem."

When you decide to stop smoking, there must be no turning back. There are different ways to quit smoking and you can choose an approach that would suit you.

Just remember that any of these methods will not work if you are not determined enough to reach your goal of being a non-smoker.

Going cold turkey is the fastest way to kick the habit but it’s the hardest one too. You can get rid of all the nicotine in your body in just a few days but the impact to your system can be irritating and sometimes painful. You would cough hard and your urge to smoke would be strong but this won’t be a problem if you know how to control yourself and by throwing all cigarettes within your reach.

Stay away from smokers and run away from smoking areas where you could inhale cigarette smokes. Products to aid you to quit smoking are also available over the counter and through doctor’s prescription. This helps you by gradually reducing your intake of nicotine until you reach the point that your body does not need any nicotine at all. It’s not an instant solution but it’s one of the easiest because you don’t shock your system.

The need for products to help aid in your smoking problem only makes quitting easier but you don’t need to spend on these if you can gradually cut back on your smoking.

If for example you smoke 20 cigarettes a day, try smoking 15 cigarettes a day for 1 week then the second week only 10 cigarettes and so on until you can quit smoking without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Support groups and counseling and even quit smoking hypnosis could work for you too but just like any other approach, they will only work if you are determined for it to work.

Support groups and counseling and even quit smoking hypnosis could work for you too but just like any other approach, they will only work if you are determined for it to work. You can try these   help to stop smoking. Don’t forget to stay determined and you will succeed.

  Studies suggest that only about 3% of attempts to stop smoking without the aid of nicotine replacement, other medications, behavioural therapy, or some other type of treatment are successful. But smoking is most dangerous for pregnant women.

While it is well established that smoking in pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature birth, small babies, stillbirth and neonatal death, say the authors, no study has yet determined whether quitting smoking in early pregnancy reduces the risks of small babies and premature births.

Nicotine gum is one of the ways which might help pregnant women who smoke reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke, which could reduce their risk of having premature or low-birthweight infants. According to the study, physicians noticed that infants born to women who chewed nicotine gum had shorter hospital stays and were less likely to require intensive care. Although nicotine replacement products have not been approved for pregnant women it might be safer than tobacco smoke.

Other ways to quit smoking is regular exercises. Researchers from Austria say they you are more likely to succeed in your attempt to give up smoking if you also do regular exercise.

They found that smokers who use nicotine gum or skin patches were much more likely to stay off tobacco if they also did regular exercise, compared to people who just had the nicotine replacement therapy and no exercise. No dough that own way to quit smoking a pregnant woman must discuss with her doctor.