Smoking

Smoking: It's bad for your bones and joints

There's a long and infamous list of health reasons why you shouldn't smoke. For starters, it causes COPD, certain types of cancer and heart problems too. Now there's another reason not to smoke—and to give quitting your best shot, if you do still light up: Smoking is bad for your bones. Here are three ways smoking hurts your bones and other parts of your musculoskeletal system. 1. Smoking raises your risk for osteoporosis. If you smoke, you are more likely than a nonsmoker to be diagnosed ...

Rethink Vaping

If you're trying to quit smoking, switching to vaping might seem like a good idea. After all, it's not the same thing as inhaling burned tobacco, right? That's true. But vaping is not without health risks. We're still learning about the long-term effects of using vaping products—such as e-cigarettes, JUUL devices and vape pens. But we do know that the aerosols from these products could expose you to potentially harmful chemicals and particles, including: • Diacetyl, a flavoring that ...

It's a Great Day to Quit Smoking

If you smoke, find your calendar and draw a big red circle around Nov. 16. That's the date for this year's Great American Smokeout--a day that everyone who smokes is encouraged to quit. The Smokeout has fallen on the third Thursday in November since 1976, when the California division of the American Cancer Society ACS convinced nearly 1 million smokers to quit for the day. The ACS took the event nationwide in 1977. Millions more people have quit smoking over the years. According to the American ...

The Anatomy of Smoking

If you’re a smoker, you probably know you should stop. That’s a good start toward quitting, but you need a powerful motivator to follow through. Knowing the truth about how smoking harms your health may be what it takes. An alarming fact is that smoking affects nearly every part of your body, including your: • Airways. Delicate tissues in your lungs become inflamed because of smoking. This can lead to serious disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Smoking can...

It's never too late to quit smoking

Sometimes you run out of time to do things, but it's never too late to put the "ex" in front of smoker. No matter how old you are, quitting smoking has big benefits, some of which happen almost instantly: • Within 20 minutes of parting with tobacco, your heart and blood pressure drop. • In 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops back to normal. • In as few as two weeks, your lungs work better and your circulation improves. You'll also reduce your risk of infecti...

Vaping: Your questions answered

The use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, has become a common alternative to smoking traditional tobacco. However, its long-term health effects are not yet fully known. Here are some common questions about vaping and how it compares to smoking regular tobacco. Q: How does vaping work? A: Vaping refers to the use of electronic cigarettes, which are also known as vaporizers, vape pens, e-cigarettes, mods or electronic nicotine delivery systems ENDS . E-cigarettes vary in shape and size, but they al...

It's a great day to become a quitter

Every year, the American Cancer Society’s ACS Great American Smokeout is a day when everyone who smokes is encouraged to quit. The Smokeout has fallen on the third Thursday in November since 1976, when the California division of the American Cancer Society ACS convinced nearly 1 million smokers to quit for the day. The ACS took the event nationwide in 1977. Millions more people have quit smoking over the years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, slightly more than...

Stop Making Excuses: You Can Quit Smoking Now

Want to quit smoking? It’s possible that you’re going through a laundry list of excuses for why it’s too hard to kick the habit for good. But before you talk yourself out of this life-enhancing decision, consider the following advice: Excuse #1: I'll gain weight if I quit. You can counteract this risk by exercising and eating healthy. While some people can gain an average of less than 10 pounds after quitting, many others don’t gain any weight at all. Excuse #2: Smoking r...