If your parent smokes, they’ve probably been doing so for many years. Back in the 1930s and 1940s, the popularity of smoking among Americans increased rapidly. It wasn’t until the 1950s that health concerns about smoking began to arise and the first Surgeon General’s report speaking out against cigarettes was published. Unfortunately, smoking is still far too prevalent despite proof that it is a dangerous habit. The Surgeon General’s website states that approximately 45 million Americans still smoke. If your parent is a part of that statistic, it’s never too late to quit smoking. Sure, it won’t be easy, but it can be done. Unlike in years past, today there are medications and treatments in place to help people break the habit. Working as a team with his or her doctor, elder care providers, and family, your parent can quit smoking. If your parent needs some convincing, here are 6 reasons to quit using tobacco.

#1 Smoking Leads to Death

Smoking is responsible for in excess of 480,000 deaths in the United States each year. In fact, smoking is ranked number one among preventable causes of death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the number of early deaths caused by smoking is ten times greater than the deaths of American soldiers in all wars that the United States has been involved in.

#2 Smoking Hurts the People You Love

People who spend time around smokers are at a greater risk of developing diseases like lung cancer and heart disease. Since 1964 there have been around 2.5 million deaths in non-smokers who were exposed to secondhand smoke. If your parent smokes around you, their grandchildren, or their elder care providers, they are putting those people at risk for diseases related to secondhand smoke.

#3 Smoking Negatively Affects the Immune System

Smoking harms the immune system, making smokers more susceptible to respiratory infections. Smoking has also been linked to autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease.

#4 Smoking Increases the Risk for Cancer

Cigarette smoke is loaded with chemicals—over 7,000 of them. 70 of those chemicals have been proven to cause cancer. In fact, smoking is the top cause of lung cancer. However, the danger for cancer does not stop with the lungs. Smoking can cause cancer nearly anywhere in the body and smokers are more likely to die as a result of cancer. The CDC estimates that if no one smoked, cancer deaths in America would decrease by one third.

#5 Smoking Makes Heart and Cardiovascular Diseases More Likely

Smoking increases the risk for several heart and cardiovascular diseases, including aneurysms, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke.

#6 Quitting Rapidly Reduces Risks

When a person quits smoking, they reduce their risks for cardiovascular disease, and within just one year the chances of a heart attack reduce drastically. In as little as two years, the risk of stroke drops to approximately that of a non-smoker. In five years, the chances of getting several other types of cancers reduces by half.

Sources
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002032.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/
https://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/health-effects/smoking-health/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9245664
https://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/50-years-of-progress/fact-sheet.html

If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Professional Elder Care in Wellington, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff at Assisting Hands Home Care at 561­-829­-3080 Today.