The Health Risks of Smoking + How to Quit

December 30, 2021Healthy Living

Reviewed by

Helena Regan B.Sc. (Pharm), R.Ph.

6 mins read

Smoking can harm your overall health and get in the way of you living a long and healthy life. Read this post to learn how to quit smoking once and for all!

Did you know that tobacco is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in Canada? 48,000 Canadians die each year due to smoking, while many others suffer from chronic diseases caused by smoking.

These statistics are even more surprising when you learn that “more Canadians die each year as a result of a tobacco-related disease than due to traffic accidents in Canada and the US combined.”

If you smoke or know someone who does, it’s important to know the health consequences. In this post, we will share the health risks of smoking, along with proven tips for quitting.

Let’s get started!

Why Quitting is so Hard

You may already know that smoking is bad for your health, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s easy to stop. Especially if you have been smoking for a while. Before we go over the health risks of smoking and how to quit, let’s take a moment to review why smoking becomes an addiction in the first place.

The tobacco in cigarettes contains nicotine, which changes the way your brain works. It is known to produce feelings of relaxation and other temporary mood changes, making it highly addictive.

Additionally, the habit is not just a psychological one but is also physical too. Even the physical act of picking up a cigarette after a long day can produce feelings of relaxation as your body and mind already know what to expect. When smoking becomes a part of your daily routine, it can eventually become an automatic response that you do without any awareness.

In many cases, people who regularly deal with chronic stress, depression, boredom, or anxiety turn to smoking. This is because they may not be aware of healthier coping methods or treatment options.

When making the decision to quit smoking, the first step is to educate yourself about the health risks. This can help motivate you to take action and reduce your chances of falling back into your old habits.

The Health Risks of Smoking

The different chemicals in commercial tobacco smoke are toxic, and some are even known to cause cancer. Additionally, smokers are at high risk of developing hypertension, stroke, heart disease, damage to the kidneys and eyes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and other cancers.

Smoking also increases the risk of speeding up age-related eye conditions. For this reason, it is best to stop smoking if you are looking to maintain your vision as you age.

Besides the long term risks mentioned above, there are also many short-term effects of smoking, such as:

Coughing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing
More prone to colds, cases of flu, and allergies
Dulled sense of smell and taste
Weaker immune system, harder to fight off infections
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Fatigue, difficulty maintaining muscle mass
Psoriasis, acne, and scarring
Dry, itchy eyes

For those wanting to live a long and healthy life, it is essential to quit smoking as soon as possible. Though it is difficult to quit (especially if you have been smoking for a long time), there is still hope. Approximately 9.9% of Canadians of Canadians currently smoke, and that number is trending downwards from year to year.

By implementing a strategy that works, you can successfully quit smoking and lead a healthier lifestyle. If you are unsure where to begin, we recommend looking into the BC Smoking Cessation Program.

The BC Smoking Cessation Program

Are you ready to stop smoking or using other tobacco products? Then take advantage of this free program!

British Columbia has a government-funded Smoking Cessation Program covering 100% of the cost of non-prescription Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) products, including Nicorette gum, Nicorette lozenge, Nicorette inhaler, and Nicoderm patch.

This program also includes prescription medications varenicline (brand name Champix) and bupropion (brand name Zyban) as part of the BC PharmaCare program, which means you may need to pay for all of the cost, part of the cost, or none of the cost, depending on your PharmaCare coverage.

Eligible BC residents can choose between either the NRT products or the prescription medications. Every calendar year, you can receive a single continuous course of treatment up to 12 weeks or 84 days in a row.

We can help you take advantage of the government-funded Smoking Cessation program. Visit your local Wellness Pharmacy to talk to a pharmacist to determine the course of action that is right for you. We will need to know if you:

are pregnant
are breastfeeding
have any chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, kidney disease and breathing problems
were recently in the hospital
are taking prescription medications

Additional Tips to Help You Quit Smoking

There are many helpful resources to guide you through the challenging process of quitting smoking. QuitNow.ca offers the following tips as a plan to help you quit for good:

1. Identify your reasons: Knowing why you want to quit smoking will help keep you motivated when things get tricky.

2. Explore the methods you can use: Every journey to quitting smoking is different, so be aware of the various methods available to you and find what works best.

3. Know your triggers: Many different “triggers” can cause you to start smoking. Become aware of what these triggers are and do your best to avoid them.

4. Prepare for withdrawal: Quitting smoking can cause you to experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Learn what you can do to make these symptoms less intense.

You can also find additional resources to help you quit vaping here.

Closing Thoughts

When you stop smoking, lung damage can be partially reversible. Smoking cessation can even extend your life span. If you remain smoke-free for 15 years and have not sustained permanent lung damage or cancer, your risk of a heart attack is as low as someone who has never smoked. In fact, remaining smoke-free for just ONE year cuts your risk of a heart attack in half.

At Wellness Pharmacy, we want to support you during your journey to quitting smoking so that you can enjoy a longer, healthier life. Speak with one of our helpful pharmacists today to determine the course of action that is best for you.

Resources: