BEFORE YOU TAKE YOUR NEXT CIGARETTE OR THINK ABOUT STARTING, YOU NEED TO READ THIS

Smoking is the action of inhaling and exhaling the smoke of tobacco by sucking on the end of a lit cigarette, cigar, pipe etc. The active substance released from burned tobacco contains nicotine, which is very addictive. People pick up the habit of smoking for different reasons such as family or peer influence, stress, loneliness, for warmth in cold weather, to show off, or just because it looks cool Smoking is one of the most common problems worldwide. When someone smokes a cigarette, they not only hurt themselves but everyone around them. It is estimated that annually, millions die prematurely of smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking has many ill effects on your body. For instance, it causes shortness of breath and coughing, respiratory tract infection, lung damage, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and even stroke. It increases the risk of tuberculosis, certain eye diseases and problems with the immune system. Smoking impacts on your well-being; it alters your sense of smell and taste and reduces the ability to perform physical exercises.

Smoking hampers one’s physical appearance by giving stained or yellow teeth, discoloured lips, foul breath and wrinkled skin. Smoking also affects your relationship with your family, friends and colleagues. Thus, a smoker risks depression and anxiety. Importantly too, smoking is an expensive habit that leads to financial loss. Surely, a habit or addiction like smoking with only negative short and long-term effects on you and those around you should be stopped or avoided to increase the quality of lives and lengthen life expectancies.

Regardless of why you started smoking (or want to start), if you are an occasional smoker or a slave to cigarettes, it is never too late to quit smoking. Like any other habit, it is possible to stop if you set your mind to it and are determined. Why not make today the day you decide to say, “No to smoking” and get rid of those cigarettes. You may have tried to stop but failed. Do not lose hope. Everyone who successfully stopped smoking started with one quit attempt and a few relapses, but they persisted. To reinforce your quit attempts, get help. Contact Rounding Up The Edges (ROUTE) International, a Soft Skilling company, to journey with you to overcome this habit and turn your resolve into reality, by giving you the necessary skills, counseling and behavioral support. You will be glad you did.

Staying smoke-free will give you more energy, better health and looks, more money in your pocket, improve your relationships and in the long run, more life to live!