4 Reasons to Quit Smoking

Nicotine and cigarette addiction has been the battle of our time as we have worked to undo all the harm the tobacco advertising did in the 1950s and 1960s. Everyone has heard all the health reasons for quitting smoking, including the risks for heart disease and lung cancer. But we thought we would throw out 4 more practical reasons, just in case the threat of cancer and death weren’t enough to jolt you out of the smoke cloud.

1. You’ll Smell Better

Cigarette smoke is full of poisonous chemicals that have nothing to do with tobacco. It’s these chemicals that get embedded in your clothes, hair, and certainly on your breath. 58% of women and 46% of men say they are turned off by the smell of cigarette smoke on a date.

2. Ditch the Yellow Teeth and Fingernails

Another side effect of those chemical additives in the common cigarette, your teeth and fingernails get coated with the grime and tar-based smoke that comes from each puff. It’s not an attractive benefit to lighting up.

3. Make it Up the Steps without Wheezing

The tar in your lungs does more than put you at risk of cancers and other debilitating diseases, it make it more difficult for you to breathe and catch your breath, especially when running or going up stairs. Kick the habit and you’ll notice that phlegm clearing out of your throat and more lung capacity for exercise and getting around. If you have kids that want to play with you, this is the biggest reason to stop smoking.

4. You Kids are Breathing that Stuff

It’s common knowledge these days that second-hand smoke is just as dangerous to a person’s health as actually sticking the butt in your mouth. If you smoke around small children, you may as well pour them a drink and light one for them for all the damage you’re doing to their health. Don’t be that parent. 

These reasons may seem like shallow things to consider when we’re talking about kicking a life-threatening habit but sometimes the ephemeral threat of death isn’t real enough for us. These more practical, everyday reason should give you something to ponder the next time you spark up.