Smoking Information sheet

Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK

70% of smokers would like to quit

You can become ill if you smoke yourself or through other people’s smoke (passive smoking or second hand smoke)

In the UK, around 114,000 people die every year from smoking-related illnesses

It’s never too late to benefit from stopping. Quitting not only adds years to yourlife, butit alsogreatly improves the chance of a disease-free, mobile, happier old age

·  Smoking causes around 86% of deaths from lung cancer, around 80% of deaths from bronchitis and emphysema, and about 17% of deaths from heart disease.

·  More than one quarter of all cancer deaths can be attributed to smoking. These include cancer of the lung, mouth, lip, throat, bladder, kidney, stomach, liver and cervix.

·  People who smoke between 1 and 14 cigarettes a day have eight times the risk of dying from lung cancer compared to non-smokers.

·  Smokers under the age of 40 have five times greater risk of a heart

·  Smoking damages your heart and your blood circulation, increasing the risk of conditions such as coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke

Some short term benefits

·  Blood Pressure reduces to normal value

·  Increase in the level of Oxygen in blood.

·  Reduction in the level of anxiety, restlessness and depression

Some long term benefits

·  At 5 years the risk of stroke is the same as a healthy person who has never smoked in his entire life

·  At 10 years the chances of your suffering from any form of cancer are 50% less than as compared to a person who is smoking

·  At 20 years the overall health of the person is the same as a healthy person who has never smoked in their entire life

·  Men who quit smoking by 30 add 10 years to their life.People who kick the habit at 60 add three years to their life

Improved fertility - Non-smokers find it easier to get pregnant. Quitting smoking improves the lining of the womb and can make men’s sperm more potent. Becoming a non-smoker increases the possibility of conceiving through IVF and reduces the likelihood of having a miscarriage. Most importantly, it improves the chances of giving birth to a healthy baby.

Younger looking skin - Stopping smoking has been found to slow facial ageing and delay the appearance of wrinkles. The skin of a non-smoker gets more nutrients, including oxygen, and can reverse the sallow, lined complexion that smokers often have.

Better breathing - People breathe more easily and cough less when they give up smoking becausetheir lung capacity improves by up to 10% within nine months. In your 20s and 30s, the effect of smokingon your lung capacity may not be noticeable until you go for a run, but lung capacity naturally diminishes with age.

Less stress - Nicotine addiction makes smokers stressed from the‘withdrawal’ between cigarettes. The pleasant feeling of satisfying that craving is only temporary and is not a real cure for stress.

Improved smell and taste - Kicking the smoking habit gives your senses of smell and taste a boost. The body isrecovering from being dulled by the hundreds of toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.

More energy - Within 2 to 12 weeks of stopping smoking, the circulation improves. This makes all physical activity, including walking and running, much easier. Quitting boosts the immune system, making it easier to fight off colds and flu. The increase in oxygen in the body makes ex-smokers less tired and less likely to have headaches.

Healthier loved ones - By stopping smoking you'll be protecting the health of your non-smoking friends and family. Passive smoking increases a non-smoker's risk of lung cancer, heart disease and stroke. Second-hand smoke makes children twice at risk of chest illnesses, including pneumonia, croup (swollen airways in the lungs) and bronchitis, plus more ear infections, wheezing and asthma. They also have three times the risk of getting lung cancer in later life compared with children who live with non-smokers. Quitting is good for their health as well as yours.

Once inhaled, smoke from a cigarette cools and condenses. About 70% of the tar in the smoke is deposited in the smoker's lungs.

Gloucestershire NHS Stop Smoking Service - is a free NHS service provided by NHS Gloucestershire, which offers, support and advice to people who are motivated to quit smoking. Telephone 08454 220040. Website www.stopsmokingsupportglos.org.uk

Gloucestershire Community Health Trainers – Offer free and confidential one to one support for adults who would like to improve their health. Topics covered include increasing physical activity, sensible drinking, weight management and healthy eating. Telephone 01452 554408. Website: www.gloshealthtrainers.nhs.uk

NHS Choices - Information from the National Health Service on conditions, treatments, local services and healthy living. Website: www.nhs.uk