Smoking Benefits Are A Myth

So many people believe that smoking offers them benefits and so are reluctant to give up their bad habit. They have heard about the higher risks of respiratory diseases and the increased chances of developing lung or other cancers but they still think that there are good things that cigarettes do for them. Perhaps if they realized this was not true they would be less likely to continue smoking. Maybe if they could look honestly at some of the good things that people say about smoking and understand that those things are no more than myths, wishful thinking done by those who do not want to quit, they would open their eyes. Maybe if they could see through the misinformation they would decide to quit smoking and improve their lives. The truth about smoking and what it does is everyone’s right to know.

Although no one is certain when this rumor began there is the belief that smoking helps to keep a person’s blood pressure lower. This one is an old myth as it seems to go back to the days when chewing tobacco was more popular. It seems to be related more to that than smoking, but nonetheless it is something heard by health care providers all the time. The fact is that this is completely untrue and actually smokers overall have higher blood pressure than those who do not smoke. Recent studies have continued to prove that this is the case.

Too many smokers are under the impression that smoking makes them a happier easier going person to deal with. They think they are easier to live with, easier to work with and generally a more upbeat person than those who do not smoke. Again, this is incorrect. Smokers in general are more moody, have a poorer attention span and seem to be more at risk to suffer from depression. Smoking teenagers have been studied and found to be four times more likely to be suffering from depression than those who do not smoke. Studies question whether the cigarettes make them depressed or if they are depressed and so smoke. Either way the medical community claim there is a tie in between the two.

One thing that is often heard from smokers is that they have smoked too long to get any benefits from stopping. This is one of the biggest myths there is and is promoted by those who are afraid to stop. The truth is that even if you are forty and have smoked for twenty plus years quitting smoking will still make immediate improvements to your health. You will have added at least five years back onto your life by quitting. Once you have been smoke free for ten years it will lessen your risk for lung cancer and the risk of developing heart disease will be pretty much the same as for a non-smoker. Even a senior who quits smoking after forty years will have health benefits. So, quit smoking, sift through the misinformation and have a healthier life.

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