The history of smoking
Smoking can be dated to as early as 500 BC as many ancient civilizations such as the Israelite s and the Chinese burnt incense for religious rituals.
Later on even the Catholic Church joined in on smoking. They used among others, dried snake skins, butter and cannabis for these rituals while other types of smoking were used for medicinal purposes.
Today tobacco is the most smoked item but before discovering tobacco, people used to smoke cannabis.
Cannabis was introduced the larger Sub-Saharan Africa by traders in the 13th century who discovered it in Ethiopia and spread its use throughout their trade routes.
Cannabis gained worldwide popularity but along came tobacco which was introduced to people as a form of medication just like opium, tea and coffee.
Its uptake was through various means such as snorting, chewing and the most popular being smoking through cigarettes.
A cigarette being a small cylinder of finely chopped tobacco leaves rolled in a thin paper. Its spread started in France and from there it reached England.
In Africa it was introduced by Portuguese merchants in the sixteen hundreds.
As soon as smoking took roots in the society, there has been much opposition from and defense of smoking from right across the board of society with religious leaders in the front-line in seeing smoking as a vice, immoral and blasphemous rather than a form of confirming social relations among people as the smokers see it.
Effects Of Smoking
So how does a plant elicit so much emotion and division in the society?
Well for the users, tobacco smoking raises alertness, euphoria and gives them a sensation of being relaxed.
From a scientific or medical perspective, the cons of cigarette smoking outweigh the pros.
Nicotine being the primary chemical in tobacco is named after a French national, Jean Nicot, is highly addictive.
Depending on the dosage, nicotine is considered a sedative and a stimulant as nicotine’s stimulation of the adrenal glands results in the release of adrenaline.
Another nicotine effect to the body is the production of less insulin which results in slightly high blood sugar or glucose.
Nicotine is also said to release dopamine, a brain chemical that affects movements, sensations of pleasure and pain, and emotions.
Nicotine also reduces anxiety in users as a result of increased beta-endorphin and also appears to improve memory, concentration and sensation of wakefulness and research shows many alcohol drinkers are also smokers because smoking reduces the sleep-inducing effects that the alcohol has on their body systems.
Nicotine in the bloodstream also acts to make the smoker feel calm.
In large doses however, it is a depressant and inhibits the flow of signals between nerve cells and in even larger doses, it is a lethal poison that affects the heart, blood vessels, and hormones.
A cigarette however does not only consist of nicotine: manufactures add flavors to cover the taste of the chemicals contained in the cigarettes themselves.
These chemicals are said to be other 4000 and 400 other toxins.
These ingredients include nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and arsenic.
As concern grew over these chemicals, manufacturers came up with a filter but as research has revealed in the recent past, filters do little in helping with lessening the negative effects of smoking.
Smoking in general is the leading preventable cause of death in the world, causing more death than alcohol, illegal drug use, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and motor accidents combined.
Smoking is associated with causing cancer in many parts of the body including the bladder, cervix, liver, pancreas, stomach, trachea, lungs and bronchus. Smoking can also trigger asthma attacks or make the attacks worse.
Smoking also increases the risks of cardiovascular diseases to users, stroke and coronary heart disease.
In addition, smoking has negative effects on blood vessel increasing the risks of thickening and growing narrower making the heart beat faster and blood pressure going up and blood clots occurring.
A stroke will occur when a blood clot prevents blood flowing to parts of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.
In reproduction, smoking has a lot of negative effects across both genders.
For women for example, smoking makes it harder for them to conceive and if one conceives, smoking will eventually affect the baby’s health before and after birth.
In many cases, preterm delivery, stillbirth, low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome, ectopic pregnancies and orofacial clefts in infants have been associated to cigarette smoking.
But women past their childbearing years and smoke have a tendency to have weaker bones than those that do not smoke.
For the men, smoking affects their sperms which reduces fertility and increases the risks for miscarriages and birth defects.
Smoking affects gums and teeth leading to discoloring or loss of teeth and also causes rheumatoid arthritis.
It also causes type 2 diabetes and continued use of cigarettes makes it harder to control and also affects eyesight in users.
Now that we have established the negative effects of smoking, it is paramount to also help those that have been chained by this vice through addiction.
Second Hand Smoking
Second hand smoke is smoke that has been exhaled by a smoker.
This is also known as mainstream smoke.
Another form of second hand smoking is known as side stream smoke where non-smokers are exposed to Smoke from the lighted end of a cigarette.
Side stream smoke has small and harmful particles that make their way to the lungs, making this more toxic to the human body than the mainstream smoke.
The process of being exposed to second hand smoke is known as involuntary smoking or passive smoking.
Exposure to second hand smoking has much more effects of the people because when one smokes, most of the smoke is exhaled to the surroundings so the risks are more to the second hand smokers.
Children who are still growing and developing are at a much greater danger than adults because they breathe faster than adults.
Some conditions are said to be linked to second hand smoking in children and they include ear infections, chronic coughs, severe and frequent asthma attacks and respiratory infections such as pneumonia.
During pregnancy, an expectant mother exposed to second hand smoking puts her unborn baby at the risk just as one who smokes with some of the outcome being low birth weight, premature delivery or mental health issues to the child.
Second hand smoking is highly prevalent at work, at home and in public places.
Some businesses are afraid to embrace a smoke-free policy because they think it is bad for business which risks exposing nonsmokers to second hand smoking.
It is however positive to note that some governments are prioritizing their citizens’ health by passing laws to curb smoking in public.
How to effectively stop smoking
Nicotine is very addictive and it is not just a drug you can put down but the world today has more people who have quit smoking than those who are actually smoking so quitting smoking as hard as it might be is very possible.
For one to reach the point where they want to quit smoking then this means smoking has affected them in one way or another or they are more informed on the effects of smoking.
That is the first step: identifying that smoking and its addiction is not healthy.
The second step is to identify the best plan of how to quit and stick with it.
With that said, it is obvious that there are more than ways to quit smoking.
It is up to the addict to choose the best route to take.
How to stop smoking while pregnant
Quitting smoking is one of the best thing a mother can ever do for her unborn child.
One reason why smoking affects pregnant women and their children is because the women were afraid to inform their doctors about their smoking habits.
This is because the society in general has a stigma against women who smoke, and especially pregnant ones.
It is imperative to let your doctor or caregiver know of your situations so that mitigation processes can start as soon as possible.
Give yourself a deadline on when to quit and make it within a short period of time because time is of the essence.
After committing to quit, let family members and loved ones about your journey as this will hold you accountable and they are a great source of encouragement and support when faced with cravings.
You can also get professional help from a counselor to help guide you but the most important thing is to be patient with yourself and keep moving forward as the health, well-being and life of your child depends on you succeeding in this program.
Different Ways to Stop Smoking
• Cold turkey. This is whereby one attempts to quit smoking without any professional help or without using any quit smoking products.
One will attempt to quit through developing their own tactics and strategies which may include setting a quit plan or timetable.
For this method to be successful and effective, one has to really change their mindset and daily routine and keep themselves occupied to avoid the thoughts or cigarette cravings.
Although this is the most popular method smokers use while trying to quit smoking, the results are not so positive as success rate being below 10% with most experiencing relapses.
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)
Tar, carbon monoxide and other harmful chemicals in tobacco cause cancer but nicotine has not been proved to be as dangerous.
Nicotine is however the main causes of smoking dependence as it is highly addictive.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy aids smokers who are trying to quit by releasing a smaller, measured dose of nicotine, thus help to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
This method is said to be safe and effective with a success rate of over 50% despite some smokers experiencing mild side effects.
The therapy has many forms and used in different ways.
You choose the one that works best for you as different methods have different results on individuals.
The different types of Nicotine Replacement Therapy include:
Nicotine Patch which can be bought over the counter without any prescription.
It works by placing a patch on a hairless part of the body above the waist and below the neck for a period of 24 hours meaning it is replaced on a daily basis.
Nicotine gum or lozenge: most people prefer gum or lozenges over the nicotine patch because they have control over the dosage.
Nicotine inhaler looks like a plastic cigarette holder and it is more effective when used with the patch.
Nicotine Nasal Spray.
This needs a prescription from a doctor and gives a quick dose of nicotine to satisfy a craving you are unable to ignore.
You should follow the prescription carefully and the spray is not to be used for more than six months.
All nicotine products may cause side effects which include headaches, nausea or problems getting sleep.
All these can be mitigated by lowering the dose one takes.
Another area of concern with nicotine is with pregnant women as their children are born with a faster heart rate making nicotine unsafe for expectant women.
• Behavioral Therapy involves working with a trained counselor to find ways to quit smoking by together finding your triggers (such as emotions or situations that make you want to smoke) and make a plan to get through the cravings and smoking in totality.
• Medication. Prescribed medication such as varenicline help in fighting cravings and withdrawals.
• Combo Treatments is whereby a smoker uses more than one method in trying to quit smoking for example using a nicotine patch and gum may be better than a patch alone or behavioral therapy and nicotine replacement therapy.
These combinations give the smoker a much higher chance of success in quitting rather than using just one method.
• Cut Down to quit method which involves reducing the amount of cigarettes consumed gradually until one stops being nicotine dependent.
This method is preferred to smokers who want to be in control of whatever is going on in their lives as they set the pace at which they will reduce smoking until eventually they quit the habit.
It is important though for one to set a quit date and a program for the same and stick to it.
• Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes is probably the most preferred method to quit smoking. The electronic cigarettes do not have tar deposits but they have nicotine and the smoker will control the amount of dosage consumed.
With the presence of nicotine, these cigarettes have the same effects on a person’s body as regular cigarettes. Intake will definitely affect blood pressure and heartbeat.
The nervous system will also be aroused by the electronic cigarettes and users will have a relaxed feeling and sensation after usage.
As much as electronic cigarettes is a popular mean of quitting, it is in itself a habit that one will find had to kick and has almost the same health concerns as smoking tobacco cigarettes.
• Lasers. This is a method where acupuncture points of the body are targeted by low level lasers. These lasers points related to addiction and stress as well as metabolism. The laser prevent cravings and relieve withdrawal from nicotine.
• Mobile Applications; with the advancement of technology, everything today is migrating to mobile devices. With majority of smokers being young people, mobile applications that help quit smoking have been developed to appeal to this cluster of smokers. The applications aid in tracking your health, nicotine consumption and cravings. Some even shows you just how much money you have saved, as an incentive to keep going.
Best Smoking Apps for android
Android is the mobile operating system developed by Google designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices.
Most people with mobile devices the world over have mobile phones that run on Android.
Targeting them through these applications appeal to their youthful nature and connects them with people experiencing the same challenges from every corner of the world.
There are several android applications that aid smokers quit here are the best:
Quit Smoking:
Cessation Nation-
The application has a five star rating average from users with over one hundred thousand downloads. It is free and brings a community with one goal together. The application is user friendly and very interactive.
The application will show you how long you have gone since your last smoke, the amount of money you have saved over that period of time, the health improvements and distracts you from craving more cigarettes as it comes with a game to keep you busy and your mind occupied.
Kwit is also a free application for android mobile devices to aid in quitting smoking. It has an average user rating of 4 out of 5 stars with over ten thousand downloads. Key features of the application include various games and techniques to aid in the process, unlocking achievements and getting badges, sharing your progress on social media.
Get Rich or Die Smoking.
Another free application for android developed to encourage smokers by showing what they can afford with the money saved from not smoking.
You can also see what other users have bought with the money they saved through their own programs. Your smoke-free days are also tracked as well as health improvements and relapses if any.
Butt Out.
The application though fairly new in the market is picking momentum.
Though it is not a free application, it serves the purpose as it lets users set their own goals and timelines together with motivational quotes and pictures customized entirely by the user.
Best Quit Smoking Apps for iOs
IOS is the mobile operating system created and developed by Apple exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone iPad and iPod Touch.
Some application covered in the Android section also run with the IOS operating system for example Butt Out and Kwit.
Others include:
Smoke Free which is free to all users. The application highlights the money you have saved and the cravings resisted with updates on health improvement being highlighted.
Quit Smoking with Andrew Johnsone.
This application has an average rating of four stars with is saying a lot about the product considering it is not a free application. It goes for just under three dollars.
It is developed by a clinical hypnotherapist, its audio tracks help you achieve a deep, relaxed state, and sends messages to your subconscious to promote quitting.
Quit Smoking — QuitNow!.
This application is available for free. It centers on social needs and structure of humans as it provides a community of over two million and in forty four different languages in which you can share your experience, progress and success story.
Here are Best stop smoking hypnosis android app
Hypnosis is the induction of a state of consciousness in which a person apparently loses the power of voluntary action and is highly responsive to suggestion or direction.
Its use in therapy, typically to recover suppressed memories or to allow modification of behavior by suggestion.
Some mobile applications have been developed to this effect to help addicts quit smoking. Although hypnosis is not as popular as the other methods, some people are giving it a try.
Stop Smoking Hypnosis is an application running on Android to help addicts quit through hypnosis.
The application has instructional videos on how the program works and for best results one has to read and follow these instructions carefully.
Does Stop Smoking Hypnosis Work?
Hypnosis does not have guaranteed results as the process itself is dependent on the patient.
It is said that only 25% of people who have visited hypnotherapists have been hypnotized and out of this not all have be successful in quitting.
Ways to stop smoking naturally
Natural ways to help one quit smoking lessens urge to smoke again, helps in fighting withdrawals and leaves them feeling healthier and fit.
Here are several natural approaches that one can take in the war against smoking and addiction.
Meditation.
This practice has been proven the world over to decrease anxiety and stress. Meditation also taps in the part of the brain that is associated with will power.
With a strong mind, it is easier to fight off urges of any kind and leaves one feeling more relaxed.
Yoga.
Practicing yoga is another way to keep off smoking. Yoga regulates stress hormones and adrenaline released by the body.
Ujayyi breathing exercise for example is one where a person holds his or her breathe for a while and this stretches the lung’s capability thus one will see the need for a healthy set of lungs.
Acupuncture.
Study shows that acupuncture through the release of serotonin helps relieve the symptoms of withdrawal like stress and gastrointestinal issues,
Diet Change.
Res meat, coffee and alcohol will make you desire to smoke more while fresh fruits and vegetables actually makes a cigarette taste bad. In addition to fighting the urge to smoke, a healthy diet help to replenish minerals and vitamins one loses by smoking.
Hydration.
Cigarettes have a drying effect on our bodies and since our bodies ate seventy percent water, it is very advisable to drink water to fight urges to smoke. Water supports the body in cleaning up toxics that had built up while smoking and also helps the digestion process run smoothly.
Getting active.
Physical activities like sports, jogging or long walks leaves one feeling relaxed, less moody and fights off depression. These activities also increase lung capacity.
Herbs.
Herbs are in plenty and different herbs help the body and mind in different ways. They can be chewed smoked or even incorporated in food and drinks.
Some help to relax the body while others like the Valerian root or chamomile helps one to fight insomnia, one effect that comes as a withdrawal from smoking.
Change of routine.
When trying to quit, it is the psychological and emotional patterns that will trigger urges to smoke and experience a relapse in the end.
Mix things up and try new activities. It is also important to avoid people and places that may triggers urges to smoke for example the bar one usually goes to with his or her friends to drink or unwind.
Avoiding alcohol for a while at least until you get over the nicotine addiction is also highly recommended.
Alternative Methods to Stop Smoking
As a smoker who trying to quit the habit, it is important to choose a program that you feel comfortable with and think can help you succeed.
There are alternative ways that have had some success with addicts who are trying to quit.
Stop smoking by magnets. This methods uses magnets placed on either side of the earlobes.
There is no need of piercing your ears as the magnets’ force of attraction will keep them in place.
The magnets induce the release of endorphin and these hormones reduce the cravings for smoking. It is recommended that the magnets are used for a maximum of three to four hours daily, preferably at home when one is calm and relaxed just before sleeping or while having supper.
The manufactures of these magnets boast of huge success in helping smokers quit the habit but the reviews among users is sharply dived.
Some claim that the magnets work as they stopped smoking completely, for some the magnets had no effect whatsoever on them.
Others claim that the magnets only help in reducing the amount of cigarettes one used to smoke.
As this may be encouraging, it is not the goal of the user just to cut down on smoking but to stop completely.
Art and music is one way to pass a message across on the dangers of smoking. Followers and fans of artists tend to take some of the art produced so seriously that whatever message is passed in those forms of art are followed. For example an artist by the name ‘ugly god’ released a song by the name Stop Smoking Black &milds. The song is considered to be discouraging people from smoking.
What is the meaning of Stop Smoking Black and Milds
Ugly god is a hip hop artist who released this song and condemns rather than support it going against the norm that most hip hop artists are associated with like smoking.
The song is meant to discourage people, especially women from smoking.
After seeing a woman smoke, he is not afraid to call her nasty, unattractive and trashy, telling her how the community she lives in despises her, how her health has taken a downfall.
The artist also shows that smoking has a negative effect not only to thee user but also her child’s well-being as she cannot even afford to by the child basic things.
The woman who smokes has apparently been kicked out of the house by her mother. She apparently smokes to look classy but the artist insists that there is no class in smoking and that is only living a life that is not yours.
Enduring Cravings after quitting smoking
An addict who is trying to quit smoking is constantly battling with the craving of cigarettes and is at a risk of reverting back to his or her old ways.
There are several ways to help one fight these cravings. As one is not able to fight the trigger to want to smoke, it is imperative to have a plan to beat the urge to smoke.
One way to beat the cravings is by getting support from family, friends or even anonymous aid workers who have set up counselling centers open 24 hours a day.
They can be reached through phone calls. You can also think of the reason why you want to quit and this will motivate you to go an extra mile without smoking.
As the old saying goes, ‘an idle mind is the devil’s workshop’ so keeping busy helps fight the urge to smoke.
Do physical activities like jogging or long walks to keep your energy levels up, chew gum to keep the mouth busy and drink more water than you usually do.
Change your daily routine to keep the mind on toes and focused on other things but smoking.
Being in public places also helps as most of them are areas where smoking is prohibited. If you find yourself almost giving in to the temptation of smoking, calculate how much you actually spend on cigarettes.
Smoking is very expensive and once you realize this, you can channel your funds in activities that are more productive but it is your zeal, drive and determination that will eventually get you over the line when it comes to quitting smoking.
Effects of Withdrawal from nicotine
A smoker’s brain will function much more efficiently on nicotine because nicotine releases two chemicals:serotonin and dopamine more than the brain usually does.
These chemicals aid in improving cognitive brain functions such as thinking, multitasking and great memory.
When you decide to quit smoking, your brain and body have to adjust to normal levels of these and other chemicals that are released in the body through smoking.
In reaction to this adjustment, you will begin to experience withdrawal symptoms which start as soon as thirty minutes after your last cigarette because this is when the effects of that cigarette begin to wear off so your entire body system will ask for more nicotine. Since you just had a cigarette recently, it is easy to fight this urge.
After ten hours anxiety will kick in as your body is demanding nicotine and the brain is finding it hard to function without the nicotine and as this goes on, the anxiety switches to frustration and mood changes.
The nicotine withdrawal symptoms are at their peak at twenty four hours after your last smoke. You will become very irritable, moody and set off by very little things but you have to keep all these under control.
At two days without smoking, you will experience severe headaches and increased levels of stress.
You will have trouble focusing and even tasks that are routine to you will seem to be extra complicated and hard to do.
But on a positive note, your sense of smell and taste will improve drastically as your nerve endings start revitalizing.
After three days since the last smoke, the body is completely free of nicotine but this is when the withdrawal gets tough because you will start feeling nauseated and sweaty.
You might also experience chills, cramps, and other physical symptoms.
Alongside which, you may also experience emotional stress, depression, and mood swings.
Depending on your body and the amount of nicotine you used to take, after a week of so the body will have adjusted to life without nicotine and the cravings will not be as strong as before and your lungs will start to return to their usual state.
You might also experience heavy coughing as the lungs are cleaning out stored mucus from all the smoking.
Although nicotine withdrawal is not life threatening, some people might experience rapid weight gain while others experience mental health issues like depression.
Depression is a treatable condition, but it can be life threatening if it’s left untreated so it is best if you talk to a doctor or your care-giver about your symptoms for help and further direction.
Legislation
With increased public awareness of the harmful effects that smoking has on the society, governments have been forced to intervene and put measures in place that ensure the health of the people. Some of these measure include:
• Displaying the health risks of smoking on packaging material
• Banning smoking in public areas
• Gazzeting smoking zones
• Running anti-smoking campaigns on main stream media
• Heavy taxation on tobacco products
Although these measures have in general reduced smoking and deaths from smoking related health issues, there is still a large number of members of the community who are chained to addiction to smoking so more sensitization needs to rake place.
