Fancy a Fag?
Did you know that more than 50% of gay men smoke cigarettes, which is
twice as high as the national average?
From 1st July, there will be a ban on smoking in pubs and clubs
and workplaces too, making it more difficult and less socially
acceptable to smoke.
If you are a smoker why not use this opportunity to stop and be well
ahead of the game. Not only that but you could save money and feel the
health benefits too.
What can be gained from stopping?
Financial benefits
Money can sometimes be tight and with the cost of a pack of cigarettes
between £4.80 and £5.00 smoking can be an expensive habit to feed. To
find out how much money you spend on cigarettes and how much you could
save if you stopped, visit the
No Smoking Day (NSD) website , type in how many a day you smoke
and you can easily see what it adds up to.
For a 20 a day smoker this would be enough money saved in:
1
week |
 ...for 3 CDs |
2
weeks |
 ...for a cheap
return flight to Europe |
2
months |
 ...for a new
computer! |
Health benefits
The health benefits start within just 20 minutes of stopping
smoking as blood pressure and pulse return to normal.
Within 8 hours oxygen levels return to normal and within 24
to 72 hours the lungs start to clear out and energy levels
increase.
Longer term the benefits can be more dramatic as from between 3 -9
months coughing, wheezing and breathing problems improve as lung
functions are increased by up to 10%.
After 5 years and onwards the risk of heart attacks and cancers begin
to decrease.
The other benefits
In addition to the medical and financial gains there are some other
gains which can affect how you feel about yourself.
-
Clothes and hair can smell fresh again
-
Skin can retain a healthier glow (less premature
ageing and wrinkles)
-
Reduction of stains of teeth, gums, fingers and nails
-
Reduce the chance of
periodontal (mouth and teeth) disease, which causes swollen gums,
bad breath and teeth to fall out
-
Reduce the chance of erectile dysfunction (problems
getting or keeping an erection) as you get older
Smoking kills around 6 times more people in the UK than road traffic
accidents, other accidents, poisoning, overdose, murder, manslaughter,
suicide & HIV disease combined. (Source Quit.org.uk).
Quitting smoking can be very difficult, especially if you have tried
before and feel like you have failed, or are scared about how you
would manage without cigarettes. Perhaps you have never tried to stop
and don’t know how? If you are thinking about stopping smoking or want
to stop smoking, then
Positive East can help you quit so you don’t have to do it alone.
You
can also find where your local
free NHS
stop
smoking service is by calling
0800 169 0 169 or visiting
www.givingupsmoking.co.uk
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