Being inspired by a friend that is celebrating seven months smoke-free after a very long time spent as a smoker, I wanted to focus this article on the reasons to not smoke. I ran across an article in a local free Spanish classified directory I read frequently called Truck Club Magazine, or La Revista del Transportista, which I wanted to translate because it really does a good job helping shed light on some grim statistics that are related to smoking. For my Spanish speaking and reading friends, click on this link for their article in español or use our Google Translate icon in the upper right-hand corner of the Team Run Smart page you are on.
In their article, they shed light on these 10 alarming facts about tobacco use and listed them as follows:
- Tobacco consumption is the largest preventable principal cause of death worldwide.
- Addiction to tobacco kills nearly six million people annually.
- More than 10% of people that die from tobacco are not smokers.
- More than 80% of tobacco deaths occur in low-to-middle income populations.
- Increasing taxes is especially effective to prevent young children from starting to smoke.
- 1 in 10 adults worldwide die from smoking.
- An increase of 10% in tobacco price can reduce consumption 4% en high-income countries and up to 5% in low-to-middle income countries.
- In 2014, “World No Tobacco Day” aimed to invite the world’s governments to raise taxes and reduce consumption and urged the population to join the cause.
- 90% of deaths from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) happen in countries of low-to-middle income, the main consumers of tobacco.
- It is anticipated that, due to tobacco smoke exposure, COPD deaths will rise more than 30% in the next 10 years.
Among the many health risks and hygiene worries associated with smoking, it seems as though if you are choosing to smoke that you are choosing to be a statistic waiting to happen. Having grown up in a smoking household, experimented with cigarettes when I was younger and having a few years where I became a heavy smoker, I am glad I can look back and say I gave it all up “cold turkey”! With the many options available these days for people who smoke to quit, it is easier than ever to take your health back into your own hands. Choosing to stop smoking is choosing to live longer for you and your loved ones. Your body can only begin to 
heal itself if you take the first step and make the choice to try one of the many alternatives out their to help get control of the habit, but it is important to remember that it is never too late. Kudos to my friend on her journey of ending her tobacco usage with the use of electronic vaporizing, or “vaping”. Although there are critics of this method, I would have to say that when faced with the decision between the “lesser of two evils”, this choice was one for the better!