• Providing Free, friendly, practical advice for any smoker who wants to quit. • Helping to increase smokers chances of quitting by up to 4 times! • Raising awareness of the dangers of smoking.
• Tobacco: introduced to Europe from the New World in the fifteenth century (1400s) • It spread rapidly and was thought to have medicinal value (It made you well) • In the 20 th century smoking became a “mass” habit • Not until after the 2 nd world war that the dangers of smoking were understood
Rat Poison Formaldehyde Used to preserve dead bodies
• Smoking is the single, largest preventable cause of death in the UK with 1 in 2 smokers dying before they should. • Smoking kills 120,000 people in the UK every year. (That’s 300 people, which is enough to fill a jumbo jet dying every day!) • Tobacco is the only thing you can buy that kills when used correctly
• 30% of all cancer deaths are a result of smoking. Such as: • Cervical cancer • Cancer of kidney • Liver cancer • Bladder cancer • Stomach cancer • Cancer of mouth, lip and throat • Lung cancer (due to tar) Smoking also causes or aggravates many others conditions and illnesses, such as: Depression Asthma and respiratory diseases Diabetes Stomach Ulcers Heart disease and Blood Clots
• Breathing other people’s smoke is called passive smoking • Every year, around 500 people die of lung cancer caused by passive smoking in the UK • More than 50 children are admitted to hospital each day because of the effects of tobacco smoke.
Smoking costs a fortune! • 1 Day = £7.00 (movie rental/few magazines) • 1 Week = £49 (New PlayStation/ Xbox game) • 1 Month = £210 (two years entry to Alton Towers) • 3 Months = £630 (tablet computer and mobile) • 6 Months = £1260 (a holiday abroad) • 1 Year = £2520 (a car) • 20 Years = £50400 (half a house)
• More than 80% of smokers start when teenagers • In the UK about 450 children start smoking every day • 1 billion cigarettes were smoked by under 16’s last year • Teenage smokers get asthma and breathing problems more often than non smokers so are often more sickly and less fit. This means they are less able to do physical sports and activities with their non smoking friends. • About one fifth of Britain’s 15 year olds are regular smokers – despite the fact that it is illegal to sell cigarettes to children under the age of 18 years. 18% boys and 26+% girls Why more girls?
Smoking looks cool and you look sexy… False • The skin of a smoker is more dry & wrinkled than that of a non smoker. After 30-35 an average smoker looks 15 years older than their friends of the same age. • The earlier you start smoking and continue as an adult the more likely you are to suffer from lung cancer or heart disease. • Smoking is the leading cause of mouth infection, bad breath, tooth decay and loss of teeth.
Smoking helps you cope with stress… False • Smoking makes the heart beat faster and raises blood pressure – all symptoms of stress. • Smokers start to experience nicotine cravings 40 minutes after their last cigarette which can be stressful – when they smoke, it’s the relief of the craving they are experiencing that feels nice but its that craving which is making them feel stressed!
There are lots of benefits to giving up smoking and the sooner you quit the better the benefits. Here are just a few reasons to quit: • Be healthy – don’t miss out on trips and parties because you are ill all the time. • Save money – have more to spend on clothes, games music or whatever you want. • Improve fitness – be able to play sports and go out with friends • Live longer • Be more sociable – don’t smell!!
Even though people who smoke know it is bad for them and may want to stop they find it hard. Some of the reasons people find it hard to give up are: • Addiction • Withdrawal symptoms (cough, cold, can’t sleep) • Don’t want to • Don’t believe it is bad for them • Scared of getting a bit fat • Peer pressure • Quitting is hard and not fun! People who smoke should get professional help as this makes them 4 times more likely to succeed. Don’t put it off, the earlier you stop the easier it will be and the less damage will have been done to your body.
Don’t moan at them, they would probably love to quit smoking but as we have seen it is hard. Be supportive, give them ideas of other things they could do instead with all that money, tell them you would be really proud if they quit. If they do want to quit the can contact the Milton Keynes Stop Smoking Service for help and support on 0845 200 23 23.
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