Just What Are The Disadvantages Of Smoking?
It isn't hard to put together a list of the disadvantages of smoking. Even smokers know they either shouldn't be doing it, or should at least cut back. But as any former smoker can attest, quitting is easier said than done. A former smoker, and I fall in that category, will tell you that he or she had to go through several stages of denial, or at least go through denial numerous times, before finally admitting that the disadvantages of smoking were such that quitting was really the only thing to do.
Rather than compile a laundry list of the disadvantages of smoking, let's just look at what are probably the top three, with the primary disadvantage listed first.
Disadvantage Number 1 - Smoking can ruin your health. Smoking, especially excessive smoking, can't just hurt your health a little bit. Smoking can cause severe health problems, chronic health problems, and terminal diseases. Smoking can affect your appearance, wrinkles from squinting, more wrinkles from skin damage, and yellow teeth, to name three. Nicotine stained fingers could be added to the list.
Smoking can cause throat and nasal passage irritation, leading to chronic congestion and smoker's cough. While neither of these conditions are life threatening, the smoker certainly doesn't feel any better because of them, and while these conditions seem to be an acceptable trade off for the pleasure to be found in puffing on a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, over time this irritation and congestion will take its toll.
Then of course there is the serious stuff, lung disease in the form of emphysema, or cancer, and heart disease. There are a number of other diseases due at least in part to smoking, plus a smoker quite often takes longer to recover from many diseases and disorders. Not to forget, there's the issue of second-hand smoke, where the smoker is not only responsible for his or her own health, the possibly the health of others.
Disadvantage Number 2 - It's addictive. We former smokers often like to tell how many times we were able to quit. Only the last time turned out to be for good. Some former smokers may be critical of their still-smoking brethren, but most of us feel some empathy for the smoker, especially for the one trying to kick the habit. Most of us have spent our time outside in the cold, having a pipe or cigarette, because smoking in the office or building was suddenly prohibited. The days of the smoke-filled office, and the smoke-filled bar for that matter, are past history. Kicking the nicotine habit can be tough, and it would be wonderful if more teenagers just now starting to smoke, realized how tough quitting can be.
Disadvantage Number 3 – In one's social life, the possible disadvantages of smoking used to seldom be given a second thought, but they are becoming more and more evident with each passing year. If you want a reminder of how ingrained smoking was at one time in our lives, just look at a few movies from the 1930's and 1940's. All the men wore hats, the women ballroom gowns, and everybody smoked. Almost every house had ashtrays handy, for both the residents and any guest who might pop in. These days, being a smoker can be a bit tough at times unless you surround yourself with other smokers. That is getting more and more difficult, and if you desperately need to find a place to have a smoke, people seem to be more inclined to let you find a place yourself, and not offer to show you where one might be.
If you're a life-long smoker with no desire to stop, you'll have found nothing new here. If, on the other hand, you've just started, take heed. Stop now or you'll find the disadvantages of smoking are many, and can make life a rough road at times.