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Stop Kissing Butt
By Wayne Hunte
(International Certified Addiction Professional
UWI/CICAD Certified Drug Treatment Provider
Rutgers University (NJ) Trained Tobacco Dependence Treatment Specialist
Membership: International Society for Substance Use Professionals)
Butt kissing is quite common among males, but the activity also targets females by using seductive images that deceptively portray glamour, sex appeal, empowerment and a strong sense of independence.
Smoking is not good for the health
The habit by its very nature is not good for one’s health.
Kissing a cigarette butt goodbye, can be one of the most important investment you can make to improve the quality of your health. Tobacco addiction is a chronic but treatable illness. Therefore, health recovery is possible, but this involves making changes that allow individuals at risk to improve their health and wellbeing.
According to the World Health Organization, tobacco induced illnesses kill one person every eight seconds.
The lungs of a non-smoker and smoker
Think about it! Do you have a persistent cough? Are you short of breath after minimal physical exertion? Are your fingers and lips stained from tobacco use? Do you reach for your first cigarette within 30 minutes after waking? You may want to quit but the cold turkey method seems dawning?
In order to quit smoking, an important question you should ask yourself is: Do I seriously want to quit? If not, wait until such a desire strengthens. The stronger the desire, the more effective the quit attempt would be.
Smoking cessation is best achieved through a combination of behavioural therapy and pharmacological support. These include counselling, administration of pharmaceuticals like the nicotine replacement therapy (patches), group support, learning coping and relapse prevention strategies, etc.
Let us look at some of the benefits of quitting tobacco: 20 minutes after you stop smoking, your blood pressure drops to a safer level; 24 hours after quitting, your chances of suffering from a heart attack lessen; at least one month after quitting – coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue and shortness of breath decreases and your lungs function improve lowering your risk of lung infections; quitting reduces the aging process – less wrinkles – and better sense of taste and smell is enjoyed; blood circulation improves too.
This is particularly important for males. If you continue to smoke, your piston can suffer from poor compression. This condition is medically known as impotence; and if you stop smoking a better-quality life awaits you.
Some practical tips that you should consider in the quitting process includes: throwing out your smoking paraphernalia; avoid smoking buddies and smoking environments; start an exercise programme; substitute the hand mouth behaviour of smoking with munching nuts, carrots, celery or drinking water and fruit juices; make a written list of all the reasons why you should quit smoking; review the list particularly when confronted with the urge to smoke; learn to identify your triggers; save the money you spend on cigarettes and then give yourself a treat; identify a supportive friend who you can call when you feel you might give in to the urge of smoking; seek professional help. Also you can call 602-9758 for more information and support when you decide it is time to quit.
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