Smoking kills 1 in 2
#DontBeThe1
It's a tragic fact that one in every two smokers will die early from a smoking-related illness, some in their 40s. How would your family cope if you're one of them? It's never too late to quit.
Even if you have tried before, give it another go as every quit attempt is different.
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Why you should quit. The facts.
Most smokers underestimate the risks, but every cigarette brings cancer and a range of other diseases closer.
Click on a body part to see how smoking affects everyone in your family.
Ear
Smokers are more likely to suffer from hearing loss than non-smokers. Children are affected too - being exposed to secondhand smoke increases the risk of hearing loss among children and teens.
Brain
Smoking can cause a stroke where the brain's blood supply is cut off. More than half of all stroke survivors are left dependent on others for everyday activities. Smoking also puts you at greater risk of dementia due to problems in blood vessels supplying the brain.
Lungs
Every cigarette damages air sacs, making smokers breathless and increasing the risks of emphysema where sufferers feel like they're suffocating. Cigarette smoke is full of cancer causing chemicals like arsenic and tar. As a result, lung cancer is the most common form of cancer caused by smoking.
The earlier you quit, the smaller your risk of dying from lung cancer.
Aged Skin
Smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and can damage tissues such as collagen and elastin, causing skin to appear wrinkled and aged. It's also linked to a range of skin problems, such as psoriasis.
Cot death
Smoking during pregnancy and exposing the child to second hand smoke in its first year of life is a risk factor for cot death or SID (sudden infant death syndrome).
Child's lungs
Because children have smaller, more delicate lungs, which are still developing, it's more dangerous for children to breathe in second hand smoke. Children of smokers also have higher rates of asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia than the children of non-smokers.
Child's ears
Children of smokers are more likely to contract 'glue ear' (a swelling of the ear) which can cause hearing loss and may lead to speech problems.
Heart and Blood
Smokers are at greater risk of sudden cardiac death than non-smokers. Smoking raises the heart rate and blood pressure, while at the same time reducing the ability of blood to carry oxygen. Smoking also causes a build up of dangerous fatty deposits around the walls of blood vessels making it harder for blood to travel around the body.
Muscles and bones
Smoking gradually decreases your bone density over the course of your life and makes you more likely to have fractures.
Stomach
As well as increasing your risk of Crohns disease (a chronic inflammatory bowl condition) and increasing acidity in your stomach and gut, smoking causes cancer of the stomach, pancreas and bowel.
Bladder
Both men and women who smoke are more likely to develop bladder cancer. Men are also more likely to suffer from problems with getting or maintaining an erection.
Legs, arms and fingers
Smoking can cause a build up of fatty deposits around the walls of blood vessels, making it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to hands and feet.
In serious cases, this can lead to peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and can result in severe pain. It can also lead to gangrene and amputation. Quitting reduces your risk of developing PVD, compared to a continuing smoker.
Eyes
Smoking causes more than one in four cases of macular degeneration (an eye condition that leads to loss of vision). Clouding of the eye lens also occurs in smokers 10 to 15 years earlier than in non-smokers.
Nose
Smoking causes cancer of the nose and sinuses. It also affects your ability to smell. Once you quit, your sense of smell will improve.
Cancer
Smoking is by far the biggest preventable cause of cancer in the world, causing cancer all over the body, including the lungs, mouth, voice box, upper throat, nose and sinuses, oesophagus, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney, bladder, cervix and bowel, as well as one type of ovarian cancer and some types of leukaemia.
Heart and Blood
Smokers are at greater risk of sudden cardiac death than non-smokers. Smoking raises the heart rate and blood pressure, while at the same time reducing the ability of blood to carry oxygen. Smoking also causes a build up of dangerous fatty deposits around the walls of blood vessels making it harder for blood to travel around the body.
Breast Feeding
Some of the nicotine and other poisons in cigarettes are passed from a mother who smokes to the baby through breast milk.
However, it's better than not breastfeeding at all so if you are having trouble quitting, don't smoke just before or during feeds.
Cancer
Smoking is by far the biggest preventable cause of cancer in the world, causing cancer all over the body, including the lungs, mouth, voice box, upper throat, nose and sinuses, oesophagus, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney, bladder, cervix and bowel, as well as one type of ovarian cancer and some types of leukaemia.
Diabetes
Smoking can cause type 2 diabetes, and amongst diabetics increases the risk of serious complications like heart disease, stroke and circulation problems.
Mouth
Smoking is a major cause of cancers to the neck, mouth, tongue and throat. Surgery may involve removing part of the palate, tongue, or jaw. But quitting halves the risk of mouth and throat cancer within five years.
Smoking also reduces the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the gums, making smokers' gums more susceptible to infection and tooth loss.
Women's health
Female smokers have a list of additionalproblems that can include:
- An increased risk of heart attack and stroke if you smoke and take the pill
- Difficulty becoming pregnant
- Missed and more painful periods
- An increased risk of cancer of the cervix and ovary
- A loss of bone density in older women, and an increased risk of hip fractures
- Early menopause
Diabetes Smoking is a risk factor for diabetes, and amongst diabetics increases the risk of complications like heart disease, stroke and circulation problems.
Brain: Smoking can cause a stroke where the brain's blood supply is cut off. More than half of all stroke survivors are left dependent on others for everyday activities. Smoking doubles the risk of stroke.
Ears: Smokers are more likely to suffer from hearing loss than non-smokers. Children are affected too - being exposed to secondhand smoke increases the risk of hearing loss among children and teens
Lungs: Every cigarette damages air sacs, making smokers breathless and increasing the risks of COPD where sufferers feel like they're suffocating. Lung cancer is also the most common form of cancer caused by smoking.
Cancer: Smoking is by far the biggest preventable cause of cancer in the world, causing over a dozen types of cancer all over the body, including the stomach, pancreas and bowel, nose and sinuses.
Eyes: Smoking causes more than one in four cases of macular degeneration (an eye condition that leads to loss of vision).
Mouth: Smoking is a major cause of cancers to the neck, mouth, tongue and throat. Surgery may involve removing part of the palate, tongue, or jaw.
Heart and Blood: Smokers have two to three times the risk of suffering sudden cardiac death than non-smokers. Smoking causes a build-up of dangerous fatty deposits around the walls of blood vessels making it harder for blood to travel around the body.
Legs, arms and fingers: Smoking can cause a build-up of fatty deposits around the walls of blood vessels, making it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to hands and feet. In serious cases, this can lead to peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and can result in severe pain, or gangrene and amputation.
Skin: smoking ages the skin the more you smoke, the greater your risk of developing wrinkles.
Women
Female smokers who take the pill are at greater risk of heart attack and stroke. Women smokers also face
higher risks of cervical and ovarian cancer, missed and more painful periods, and early menopause.
Children
Children who breathe in secondhand smoke are more likely to suffer from asthma, bronchitis as well as 'glue
ear' (a swelling of the ear) which can cause hearing loss and can lead to speech problems. Smoke can also
increase the risks of cot death.
Here are some other benefits to quitting:
Nearly three quarters of children worry that their mum or dad will die because of their smoking. So if you don't quit for your health, do it for your loved ones.
- You won't smell of smoke.
- Your skin and teeth will improve.
- You'll improve your general fitness.
- You'll save thousands of pounds. Think of what you could spend the money on. A family holiday, perhaps?
For more reasons to quit click here
#Dontbethe1
Help to quit
We’re encouraging people to ditch the cigs or switch to an electronic cigarette in the run up to No Smoking Day (March 8)
Even if you only smoke a few cigarettes a day, you are still substantially increasing your risks of dying early from lung cancer or heart disease. Quitting is the best way to lower your risks.
As well as health reasons, quitting smoking could give you a pay rise. You could save at least £45 a week, £200 a month, £600 over three months and £2,400 in a year. That could pay for a family holiday.
And if you’ve tried to quit before, don’t be put off trying again. Even if you’ve tried loads of times it makes no difference to your chances of success next time. In fact you can also come back more prepared!
Ecigs
Did you know stop smoking services now offer support to anyone using their own electronic cigarette to quit? While quitting completely is best, switching to an e-cig is estimated to be 95% safer than smoking and can save smokers thousands of pounds over the course of a year.
There is lots of local support to give you a much better chance of quitting smoking and help manage your cravings. Contact your local stop smoking service to get your quit attempt underway, or talk to your GP or pharmacist.
Tees - Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-On-Tees and Hartlepool
01642 383 819
Live Well Gateshead
0800 014 9092
Newcastle Stop Smoking Service
0191 269 1103
Smokefreelife County Durham
0800 772 0565
Darlington
0300 123 1044 (national quitline)
North Tyneside (for details of local sessions)
0345 2000 101
Northumberland Stop Smoking Service
01670 813 135
South Tyneside Change 4 Life
0191 424 7300
Sunderland Live Life Well
0800 107 0741