I Plead With You to Stop Smoking

Ever since I was a little girl, I have disliked smoking. During student days, I used to feel miserable looking at fellow students smoking. During post-grad, I was part of a project on anti-smoking. And today, I write here in the hope that someone may read this and give up smoking for good. The reason: I recently lost someone very dear to me, to throat cancer.

 

My father’s close friend was a great guy! He was family to us and I liked him immensely. He was always very cautious about eating healthy. He walked daily for exercise. Was very social and was loved by everyone. Was extremely sensible. Had a vast experience and gave sound advice. The only thing he did not do right was smoking.

He had begun smoking early in life and was a chain smoker till he was diagnosed with advanced throat cancer. Showing a will of steel, he gave up smoking completely, for the first time. He fought hard, underwent radiation, made all the changes required and was declared cancer free. But a few months ago, his cancer came back. And this time the severity was too much for his frail body. Cancer had reached his brain. He passed away.

 

Smoking does you no good. It is going to stab you in your chest today or tomorrow.

 

I can understand that my father’s generation and men before that, smoked. There were no warnings. Not enough knowledge that tobacco could kill. The advertisements of cigarette companies were enticing. But today, we know the dangers of tobacco and smoking. The product packets themselves carry the warnings. We are seeing people die due to smoking. And still people continue to smoke.

 

 

Please allow me to say a few things about smoking.

 

• If you have a child in your house, the child smokes when you smoke. Passive smoke also causes cancer.
• If you smoke, your chances of impotency go up. Ouch! No man would want to invite that in his life.
• If you decide to have children and are smoking, you are passing on unhealthy genes to your unborn child. Let us call that killing your unborn child.
• With pollution levels going up in most parts of the world, we all are at risk of lung cancer. Why drive more nails in our coffin by smoking? The smoke needs to be reduced not increased.
• With every puff of tobacco, you are killing some of your tiny little body cells. That is murder. Those cells work ceaselessly to keep you up & about, and you are murdering them.
• Smoking kills you SLOWLY. Death will come one day to each one of us. There is no point in sketching our death to be slow and extremely painful. Cancer IS slow and painful.
• Your family needs you. Your loved ones need you. Live a healthy long life for them.
• Even if you are alone or don’t care about your family, a slow and painful cancer death is not what you would want in your life.

 

Smoking does you no good. It is going to stab you in your chest today or tomorrow.

 

Smoking causes 16 types of cancer. They are, Cancer of the:

Lungs

Mouth

Nasal cavities

Pharynx

Larynx

Stomach

Kidney

Bowel

Liver

Pancreas

Ureter

Oesophagus

Cervix

Bladder

Ovaries

Myeloid Leukaemia.

 

According to various studies:

• Lung cancer is THE MOST PREVENTABLE FORM of cancer.
• Smoking causes 80% - 90% of the lung cancer.
• Smoking causes 84% of deaths from lung cancer, and 83% of deaths from chronic obstructive lung disease, including bronchitis.

 

 

• Smoking is THE MOST PREVENTABLE CAUSE of cancer.
• All you have to do is STOP SMOKING! And your chances of cancer go down.

 

There are so many types of cancers, whose causes are not known. There is very little control that we have over these cancers.

 

But Smoking is a known and preventable CAUSE of cancer.

 

Throw away that cigarette packet in the dustbin and go for a run.

Laugh with your friends.

Sit in Meditation.

Go watch a movie.

Get out of the house and go sightseeing.

Breathe in some air. But please do not breathe in smoke.

 

I fold my hands and plead with you, give up smoking today.

 

Smoking does you no good. It is going to stab you in your chest today or tomorrow.