The human bloodstream is quick to absorb nicotine from tobacco products and cigarettes. It only takes a few seconds for the chemical compound to cross the blood-brain barrier and take effect. The short-term high created by the presence of nicotine in the brain is addictive. Soon enough the smoker’s body craves the rush and smokes one cigarette after another to maintain it.
The price you pay for every cigarette you burn
Unfortunately, the buzz comes with a price, and oftentimes long-term smokers realise too late, how grave the consequences can be. The list of potentially fatal diseases related to long-term smoking is long. At the top of it is lung cancer, followed by malignancies of the mouth, oesophagus, liver, stomach, and reproductive organs. Smokers also experience frequent bouts of respiratory difficulty. For some, the problems escalate and develop into chronic obstructive or restrictive pulmonary diseases. Smokers are also at higher risk for developing heart disease and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or stroke. Most of these medical problems require hospitalisation or expensive and continuous treatments.
Seeking alternatives to cigarettes
People who decide to quit go out of their way to find the best treatment to stop smoking. Many have opted to try alternatives since letting go of the habit immediately is difficult, if not impossible. Unfortunately, the choices available to them pose their own problems.
Cigarettes that do not contain nicotine, the addictive component of cigarettes in the tobacco may also cause cell damage the leads to cancer according to studies. The toxins in electronic cigarettes pose similar health risks as regular products. Cigarettes, which contain herbs other than tobacco and espoused as the healthier alternative, are not as safe as they claim to be. Some cause severe allergic reactions. Studies also show they contain tar and carbon monoxide, which damage lung tissue, and increase the risk of heart disease and damage to other organs.
If you want to quit smoking, perhaps you should make it a goal to stop engaging in the habit altogether instead of substituting regular cigarettes with recommended alternatives.