Top 10 Reasons for NOT Smoking!

I posted this on our car club's website in August of 2003 when my mom was sick with lung cancer. She died on October 9 of that same year. Since it's almost the 4th anniversary of her death, I thought I'd focus on the dangers of smoking this week. If you're a smoker, I hope you're offended enough to quit. Debate with me if you wish. I've heard all the excuses in the book. There is no good excuse for smoking. Read on:

Top 10 Reasons for NOT Smoking!
10. It's disgusting.

9. Smokers lose more teeth than non-smokers. Real pretty, huh?

8. Pregnant women who smoke risk the health and lives of their unborn babies. (ACS)

7. Smokers die younger. In fact, smoking shortens a person's life span by 13 to 14.5 years. (American Cancer Society)

6. It's disgusting.

5. Smoking causes cancer. Tobacco smoke contains at least 43 substances that cause cancer. Tobacco use accounts for about one-third of all cancer deaths in the United States. (ACS)

4. Smoking can kill everyone around you. ETS (Environmental tobacco smoke) causes 3,000 lung cancer deaths each year in healthy nonsmokers. (ACS)

3. A disturbing statistic: Based on current smoking patterns, smoking will kill about 500 million people alive in the world today.(ACS)

2. You look really stupid standing outside Wal-Mart in January trying to puff away while you're shivering uncontrollably because you just can't wait for your spouse to finish shopping before you get your fix.

1. IT'S DISGUSTING!!! Get a clue! Your breath, hair, clothes, car, house and everything around you stinks. Do you know how hard it is to clean that crap off of car windshields, walls, and even from inside computers???

I must vent. I hate smoking. I see what it has and is doing to my mom every day. For those of you who don't know, she has advanced, inoperable lung cancer, and is going down hill day after day. She's currently in the hospital again for the third stay since January.

I've watched her go through months of chemo and radiation that has made her sick, tired, and lose about 45 pounds. Her skin is hanging off her and the right side of her face is swollen so badly that her eye is almost completely shut. Now she is developing blood clots that have her in the hospital on a heparin IV. But guess what? She still finds the strength to wheel her IV pole outside to get her nicotine fix.

One would think that after developing lung cancer, that a person would wake up and realize that they need to quit smoking. However, the nicotine (which by the way, is as addictive as cocaine and heroin) has such a control on all smokers, that even that won't stop them.

I've heard every excuse in the book trying to justify smoking.

To name a few:
1. "Smoking doesn't cause all cancers". Well, duh. Lots of people get cancer who don't smoke. However, smoking DOES cause almost 90% of all lung cancers, plus several others.

2. "You gotta die of something." P--lease!!! What kind of lame excuse is that? Why don't you just go jump off a roof or shoot yourself in the head? It's quicker, less painful, and cheaper.

3. "I could be doing worse things." Like....?? Maybe shooting your family at point-blank range? Again, quicker and less painful.

4. "I just don't believe it's as dangerous as they say it is." Well, do you believe the world is flat just because it LOOKS that way? Thousands of websites, articles, and scientific evidence is out there proving that smoking is deadly. The cigarette packs even say so--gees!

5. "I can't afford to buy patches, gum, etc to help me quit." But you can afford to die? Sorry, to go through months of chemo, radiation, hospital stays, and then die? Honestly...

Guess what? There is no excuse to smoke. If you think you have one, you're wrong. Smoking is stupid and deadly. The only reason this drug addiction is legal is the huge profits the tobacco companies are making for Washington. If you smoke, please do yourself and your family a favor, and do whatever it takes to quit!! There are many, many resources out there to help you.

Even if you're smoked for 30 years, quitting now can greatly improve your lifespan and quality of your life and the lives of those around you. You have to quit for yourself. But, please think of your family.

If you are thick-headed and decide to continue to smoke, even after you get lung cancer, emphysema, etc., don't ask them to leave their homes and spouses for days and weeks at a time to come clean up after you because you're too tired and sick from all the chemo and radiation to do anything but sit around and smoke.

It's very demeaning for me to have to go through this every week. I love my mom so much--that is why I travel 150 miles every week for days at a time to help her and my dad (who is disabled) out around the house. Yet, to see her keep killing herself and refuse to try and quit makes me want to drag her out and beat some sense into her. It is torture to live through this. Please don't do this to your family. I am done with my rant now.