10 Powerful reasons to quit tobacco

We all know we shouldn’t smoke or vape. But everyone has different reasons to quit. And naming yours is a crucial starting point if you’re going to quit successfully.

Here are 10 key reasons to give up smoking or vaping that might be meaningful to you.

1. Your body

You already know smoking isn’t good for your health. Smokers suffer from stroke, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, emphysema and other life-threatening illnesses far more than non-smokers. And if you already have a condition like diabetes or high blood pressure, your risk of complications skyrockets if you use tobacco. It’s a dangerous gamble.

But you may not know that by quitting tobacco now, it’s possible to reverse damage to your body!

According to the American Lung Association:

• 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your heart rate goes back to normal
• 1 day after your final drag, your risk of heart attack falls drastically
• Within a few months, your lungs start to work as normal
• 1 year after quitting, your risk of coronary artery disease falls to half that of someone who still smokes
• About 10 years after you quit, your risk of certain cancers drops significantly

Over time, your body will heal and repair itself. Unless permanent damage has been done, it is possible to reverse the harm from tobacco!

What’s the biggest health motivator for you? What lower risk will give you the greatest sense of relief after you quit?

2. Your family and friends

Smoking is dangerous. And secondhand smoke can be just as harmful. It has been linked to breathing problems in others and, according to the CDC, a much higher risk for SIDS deaths among babies. Even thirdhand smoke (the smoke particles that linger on your clothes, skin, hair, car and furniture after smoking) may pose a health risk for people.

You can protect your friends, loved ones, coworkers and even your pets by quitting smoking or vaping.

How would you feel knowing you could help the people closest to you by breaking up with nicotine?

3. Your money

The average price for a pack of cigarettes in the United States is about $7. If you smoke a pack a day, that’s $2,555 per year wasted on tobacco! And vaping or using e-cigarettes can be even more expensive. What could you do with all that money instead?

Think about it! You could:

• Take a vacation
• Free yourself from debt
• Put money toward schooling for yourself or your children
• Boost a down payment on a new car or home
• Buy a sleek designer outfit
• Save for retirement
• Treat yourself to a year’s worth of concerts and fun activities
• Donate to important causes
• And more!

What would you spend the money on?

4. Your time

Addictions are inconvenient. They rob us of precious time we’d rather spend doing other things. If it takes about 10 minutes to finish each cigarette, a pack-a-day smoker would spend over three hours smoking every day!

Instead of feeling like a slave to your cigarette or vape breaks, what could you do with your time instead?

• Catch up with a loved one
• Take your partner on a date
• Spend more time with your kids or pets
• See a new part of your neighborhood
• Get more work done
• Read a chapter from a book you love
• Listen to songs or a podcast you enjoy
• Catch up on a gripping TV series
• Work on a creative project
• Finish chores around the house you’ve been putting off
• Enjoy a workout that makes you feel strong and energized
• Or, of course, still take your breaks—just without the nicotine!

What would you do with an extra hour each day?