Smoking, why quit

If you quit smoking

Applies to men and women, except where noted

✓ Your stroke risk is reduced to that of someone who has never smoked in five to 15 years

✓ Risk of cancers of the mouth, throat and esophagus is halved in five years

✓ Excess risk of heart disease is halved in one year; after 15 years, the risk returns to that of someone who never smoked

✓ Risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is reduced

✓ Lung cancer risk is as much as halved in 10 years

✓ Pancreatic cancer risk is reduced

✓ Gastric ulcer risk is reduced

✓ Bladder cancer risk is halved in a few years

✓ Risk of peripheral artery disease is reduced

✓ Cervical cancer risk for women is reduced in a few years

✓ Risk of bearing a low-birth-weight baby is reduced to that of someone who never smoked if you are a woman quitting before pregnancy or during first trimester

Cigarette smoking is linked to the following problems:

Cancers
✘ Lip and oral cavity
✘ Pharynx, esophagus, larynx
✘ Trachea, bronchus, lung
✘ Pancreas
✘ Kidney
✘ Cervix, uterus
✘ Urinary bladder

Cardiovascular diseases
✘ Hypertension (high blood pressure)
✘ Ischemic disease (poor blood flow to heart)
✘ Strokes
✘ Atherosclerosis (blocked arteries)
✘ Aortic aneurysm (bulging of a critical artery)

Respiratory diseases
✘ Pneumonia and influenza
✘ Bronchitis and emphysema
✘ Chronic airway obstruction

During pregnancy smoking can lead to
✘ Premature birth
✘ Low birth weight
✘ Respiratory distress syndrome

Other
✘ Deaths from burns
✘ Motor vehicle accidents

Text and illustrations by Kevin T. Boyd

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Acupressure to quit smoking
Here are lists of acupressure points to help quit Smoking, on PointFinder.org.
If this is your first time, please read the instructions. Don’t use acupressure to replace standard emergency procedures or licensed medical treatment. If you are seriously injured or have acute symptoms seek urgent medical treatment.

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