Stopping smoking? - first of a 4 part series to help you through January and achieve your goal to quit

Smoking Cessation Part 1

10 reasons to stop smoking

1. Makes hair clothes and breath smell
2. Teeth and fingers get stained brown with nicotine
3. Smoking ages the skin prematurely
4. 20 cigarettes a day cost approximately €5096 a year (since budget 2021; now €14 per pack). Ireland is the most expensive place in Europe and third most expensive in the world (after Australia and New Zealand) for cigarettes.
5. Smokers are 10 times more likely to die from a major heart attack or stroke
6. 9 out of 10 lung cancer deaths are because of smoking
7. Male smokers have a lower sperm count and more abnormal sperm than nonsmokers
8. Female smokers have more trouble getting pregnant and a higher rate of miscarriages during pregnancy.
9. Smoking long term can cause a disease called "peripheral vascular disease" restricting blood flow to hands and feet and can cause gangrene and the amputation of limbs.
10. Stopping smoking means being fitter and having greater stamina and energy.

Risks from Smoking

Premature death

Smoking kills around 7000 people annually in Ireland. According to the British Medical Association (BMA), smoking currently kills one in ten adults worldwide. The BMA also states that smoking kills six times more people in the UK than road traffic incidents, poisoning, overdose, murder, manslaughter, suicide, and HIV combined.

Reasons smoking causes premature death

Cancer

As well as lung cancer, smoking can cause cancer of the throat, oesophagus (the tube between mouth and stomach), bladder, kidney, stomach, and pancreas.

Cerebrovascular disease

The arteries that supply blood to the brain can be damaged by smoking. This is a condition which is known as cerebrovascular disease leading to the likes of heart failure due to a lack of oxygen.

Pneumonia

Smoking can cause pneumonia. Pneumonia is a potentially fatal infection which causes inflammation of the lungs.

Chronic (long-term) health problems

• angina - chest pains caused by a lack of oxygen to the heart
• peripheral vascular disease - damage blood vessels
• macular degeneration - breakdown of the retina causing gradual blindness,
• impotence
• infertility - in both men and women
• osteoporosis
• skin wrinkling

Smoking and COVID-19 risk

The World Health Organization (WHO) completed an analysis of 35 peer reviewed studies on association of smoking with COVID-19. The review found that smokers are more likely to develop severe disease from COVID-19 than non-smokers, and in hospitalised patients with COVID-19, smoking was also associated with increased severity of illness and death. A smaller study, quoted by Public Health England (PHE) in response to the findings, suggested that smoking was a significant predictor of disease severity, with smokers being 14 times more likely to develop severe respiratory disease than non-smokers. Studies are ongoing to determine smoking influences risk more accurately to smokers.

Support from the HSE

HSE Quit Team for free support at Freephone: 1800 201 203, Free text: QUIT to 50100, Email: support@quit.ie Twitter: @HSEQuitTeam

What is BPro Cardio Screen Service?

BPro Cardio Screen measures stiffness of your arteries to identify risk of blockages and risk of cardiovascular disease and circulation problems. BPRo is placed like a watch on your wrist and is pain free. A pulse wave reads and calculates a wave signal that indicates the elasticity of large, small, and peripheral artery walls as well as tests for stress, central blood pressure, heart rate, and more. It is now €35 (was €50); it only takes about 15 minutes. The next clinic is Saturday Jan 30^th from 9am to 6pm) at Whelehans Pearse St. Book by calling Whelehans at 04493 34591. We take all safety precautions to keep you safe from COVID 19.

To be continued…next week

For comprehensive and free health advice and information call in to Whelehans Pharmacies, log on to www.whelehans.ie or dial 04493 34591 (Pearse St) or 04493 10266 (Clonmore).