Turkey should be the only thing smoking for this season
by KC Jones, ne news editor

    The time for turkey and ham is fast approaching. We normally think of holidays as a time to share. But, when the family comes together, one thing that should not be shared is cigarette smoke.

    Most people realize smoking is unhealthy to themselves, but many don’t want to acknowledge their habit hurts others, including the people they love. Stepping outside would be a considerate way to break from the family activities for a cigarette.

    Smoking around children should always be avoided. According to statistics in Exercise Just for the Health of It, “The second-hand smoke has twice as much tar, nicotine and other gases. Carbon monoxide levels in the blood of non-smokers double in a room filled with cigarette smoke.”

    Serious side effects of second-hand smoke account for about 40,000 heart-related deaths a year. An estimated 26,000 new cases of asthma occur among children each year because their mothers smoke 10 or more cigarettes a day. Even more tragic, babies of mothers who smoke during and after pregnancy are three times more likely to die of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

    Also smoking in front of teens could influence them. Young people, 11-14, face peer pressures to smoke. Cigarette advertisements contribute by showing young, attractive people having fun smoking. Even if parents smoke, they should enforce a “no smoking” rule on their children and teach them that smoking is harmful and addictive.

    Despite the well-documented dangers of smoking, more than 2.4 million teenagers smoke, and 3,000 a day start the habit. To protect their children, parents can do is to stand strong against smoking.

    Ninety percent of all adult smokers start before age 20; the result is 33 percent will die from smoking-related causes.

    Even if you are a smoker, your testimony to the expense and health problems could deter a child from smoking. Of course, the best option is to quit, and once a person is ready, they have many choices.

    There are many reasons to quit smoking. Non-smokers look and smell better. Smoke dries the skin, causing wrinkles and premature aging, stains teeth, causes bad breath and smells bad on clothing and hair.

    Cigarettes are expensive, and the money saved could be used for a fun vacation. Cigarettes also cause millions of dollars in damage from house and forest fires.

    Foods taste better to non-smokers since taste buds are dulled by heat and smoke. Irritation to the mouth, nose and throat also leads to the loss of smell. Smoking slows digestion up to 45 minutes if it follows a meal. Other digestive changes reduce appetite and increase blood sugar.

    Smoking increases blood pressure and heart rate by constricting vessels causes limits blood flow to the extremities. In extreme cases, gangrene and blood clots can result.

    The constricting effect of nicotine is just one of the influences that make smoking a major factor contributing to over one million deaths a year through heart attacks and cardiovascular diseases. Then, there is the debilitating loss of quality of life for those who develop emphysema, about 444,000 new patients a year costing over $100 million in disability benefits.

    It’s up to the smoker to decide to quit. Deciding which strategy is best—cold turkey, gradual and nicotine replacement therapy—depends on how long one has smoked, how many and how often, what triggers the urge to smoke and other factors.

    There are five steps to cope with cravings: Don’t ignore, suppress or fight it. Stop and think about it; experience the craving. Consciously choose not to smoke. Wait for the urge to pass. Congratulate yourself when you ignore an urge to smoke.

    Former smokers focus on what’s positive about the quitting process–better health, more energy, more time and money, more friends and more freedom.

    Start thinking of your New Year’s resolution. To quit smoking or encourage someone else to quit would be a terrific gift to yourself and loved ones. Then, concentrate on smoking turkey and ham.