Topic: quitting smoking

Why People Smoke: Mental Illness Is A Big Factor, Says New CDC Report

Why People Smoke: Mental Illness Is A Big Factor, Says New CDC Report

You barely have to look at smoking statistics to know that it’s terrible for your health, and with so many anti smoking campaigns educating Americans about why they should quit smoking (and never start), it’s hard to imagine why people smoke at all. But a new CDC report says that it isn’t just because of advertising that covertly appeals to teens, or movies that still make it look cool: Mental illness could be a big factor, too. More »

How Much Weight Will You Gain If You Quit Smoking? 10 Pounds, On Average

How Much Weight Will You Gain If You Quit Smoking? 10 Pounds, On Average

“How much weight will I gain if I quit smoking?” is a question many women ask when they’re contemplating their last cigarette, and according to French and British researchers, quitters who don’t use any supplements or quitting aids gain an average of ten pounds in the first 12 months after they quit. That’s not only higher than the standard answer given (most quitting lit cites a figure around six pounds) but it’s also twice the amount that many female smokers say they’d be comfortable gaining. But researchers still emphasize that, even considering the health risks associated with weight gain, quitting is the better choice, and that the data doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll gain that much weight. More »

Quitting Smoking, Week 3: How Bupropion Is Helping Me Not Miss Cigarettes

Quitting Smoking, Week 3: How Bupropion Is Helping Me Not Miss Cigarettes

I’m happy to report that I made it another week in my quest to quit smoking without any relapses. I’m actually amazed at how little I’ve thought about cigarettes at all—even grabbing a drink in a smoky bar didn’t set me to pining. I think the bupropion pills I’m taking must be making a difference, because it can’t naturally be this easy for your brain or body to get over a long-term smoking habit. So for my quitting smoking chronicles this week, I thought I’d explore a little further just how bupropion works to help people quit smoking. More »

Light Up Your Memory, Not A Cigarette—Quitting Smoking Boosts Recall Function

Light Up Your Memory, Not A CigaretteâQuitting Smoking Boosts Recall Function

Add decreased memory function to the list of health ailments that smoking can cause: A new study shows smokers have worse memories than non-smokers. Ditching the cigarettes, however, could bring back some of that memory function. On a practical recall test, people who had quit smoking for a few years performed 25% better than current smokers; people who had never smoked scored 37% better. More »

How I’m Passive-Agressively Getting My Boyfriend To Quit Smoking

How I'm Passive-Agressively Getting My Boyfriend To Quit Smoking

Everyone has their relationship dealbreakers: living in different cities, disagreeing about kids, not being the same religion. My dealbreaker was specific: smoking. I’m allergic, despite the fact that I grew up in North Carolina. The allergy is mild (I cough, but no throwing up or breaking out in hives), but I’ve always found the habit gross. Now that I live in New York, where there are laws banning smoking in many public places, I’ve forgotten what it was like to come home from a bar with clothes reeking of smoke. My lungs were happier. My hair was happier. And then I fell madly in love – with a smoker. More »

Am I Wired To Be a Smoker?

Am I Wired To Be a Smoker?

I am a failed ex-smoker. Why, when quitting smoking is the single most important thing I could do for my health, do I not do it? I have no idea. But maybe, just maybe, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania do. “For the first time we’ve identified a mechanism that explains why people with a particular genetic background may be more prone to relapse when they try to quit smoking,” says study author Caryn Lerman. More »

Smoking Advice From The Marlboro Man: Quitting Is Easy

Smoking Advice From The Marlboro Man: Quitting Is Easy

Is this the man you should be taking smoking advice from? Say Hello to Louis C. Camillieri, CEO of Philip Morris International, the producer of Marlboros. He’s a longtime smoker who quit once for three months while he was sick, and apparently found it quite easy to do so. In response to the overwhelming data proving nicotine’s highly-addictive properties, he recently said:

…whilst it is addictive, it is not that hard to quit. … There are more previous smokers in America today than current smokers.

More »

Click for more posts