Smoking: Quit Now

Smoking Overview

Smoking affects more than the lungs and can severely damage several internal organs. For people who wish to quit smoking, there are a number of different strategies.

How Smoking Affects the Body

Upon taking a drag, smoke enters the mouth and then the throat. This can eventually cause an abnormal thickening in the lining of the mouth and airways, which is linked to throat cancer. Not all of the smoke a person inhales goes to the lungs; some goes into the nasal passages and sinuses, and can decrease the senses of smell and taste over time.

Smoking affects other parts of the body, including the:

Lungs. The smoke that enters the lungs weakens natural defenses and stimulates mucus production to protect the lungs from the toxins found in smoke. This makes it increasingly difficult to fight colds and other respiratory illnesses. Smoking also increases the breathing rate, making the lungs work harder and less efficiently, damages the air sacks, which transfer oxygen to the blood, and deposits about one cup of tar into the lungs each year. Therefore, it is not surprising that cigarette smoking causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths.

Heart. Smoking forces the heart to work much harder to pump blood. This blood must travel through narrowed blood vessels, another result of smoking, which increases blood pressure by 10 to 15 percent. Smoking can also contribute to the buildup of plaque in the blood vessels and circulation problems in the arms and legs. These circulation problems increase the risk of amputation. Overall, smoking doubles a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke.

Bones. Smoking can increase the risk of developing brittle bones, a condition called osteoporosis. This, in turn, increases the risk of fractures or breaks.

Skin. Smoking constricts the blood vessels in the skin and reduces the oxygen transferred to this organ. This makes skin more likely to develop wrinkles. Smoking can also increase the risk of getting chronically cold hands and feet.

Teeth, nails and hair. Smoking can stain teeth and hinder saliva flow and function, which can lead to tooth decay. Smoking increases the risk for developing cancers of the mouth. Smoking promotes rapid hair loss and may also stain fingernails a yellow color.

In addition to these changes, smoking can affect sex drive. Men who smoke have more trouble getting and keeping an erection. Their sperm count may also be decreased. For women, smoking can decrease the ability to conceive and maintain a pregnancy. Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to give birth prematurely to a child who is sick, and who is at increase risk of dying.

How Quitting Affects the Body

The body can begin healing almost immediately after a person quits smoking. The following timeline provides an example of the changes that are possible:

• 20 minutes after quitting, heart rate and blood pressure will decrease.
• 12 hours after quitting, carbon monoxide levels in the blood will drop to normal.
• One day after quitting, the risk of heart attack is decreased.
• Two days after quitting, the sense of smell and taste will begin to recover.
• Two to three weeks after quitting, lung function and circulation will improve, making walking and exercising easier.
• One to nine months after quitting, the smoker’s cough and shortness of breath should decrease as the lungs continue to recover. This reduces the risk of infection.
• Five years after quitting, the risk of developing cancers of the mouth, throat and esophagus is cut in half. The risk of stroke and heart disease decreases to that of a non-smoker.
• Ten years after quitting, the risk of dying from lung cancer is no longer higher than that of a non-smoker.

Smoking Cessation Strategies

Although some people may be able to give up smoking instantly, many will not. In fact, it takes most people several tries before they are able to quit successfully. Smoking cessation programs are offered by a range of organizations, including local government and employers, and may help some people. Medical options are also available from a doctor. One of the most common medical strategies for quitting is called nicotine replacement therapy, which gradually weans the body from nicotine and relieves some withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine replacement therapy comes in many over-the-counter forms, including:

Patch. The patch slowly releases nicotine into the bloodstream through the skin. A patch is placed on the body and replaced every day. The standard length of therapy is eight weeks, and the dosage of nicotine is lowered as the therapy progresses. 

Gum. Nicotine gum is chewed and then placed between the cheek and gum so that nicotine is absorbed through the lining of the mouth into the bloodstream. In general, a new piece of gum can be chewed about every one to two hours to keep a steady level of nicotine in the body. Gradually, people use less gum until they no longer need it.

Lozenge. The lozenge is also placed between the gum and cheek to release nicotine into the bloodstream. It tends to be most effective when a new lozenge is used every one to two hours.

There are also prescription medicines available. These include:

Nasal sprays. These are a type of nicotine replacement therapy. Treatment typically lasts 12 weeks. People may need up to 30 sprays a day when they begin therapy, but the number of sprays will decrease over time.

Nicotine inhalers. Inhalers deliver nicotine in a vaporized form through a mouthpiece. Unlike smoking, the nicotine is not sent to the lungs. Instead, most of it is absorbed when it passes through the mouth and throat.

Antidepressants. Buproprion may be prescribed along with nicotine replacement therapies or by itself to reduce withdrawal symptoms.

Varenicline. This medication does not contain nicotine and works by blocking the effect of nicotine on the brain. This reduces the satisfaction gained from smoking and may help some people to quit.

Alternative therapies. These include hypnosis, acupuncture, acupressure and laser therapies. Although not proven, these therapies may help to reduce the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal, like stress, anxiety or insomnia.

Sources

Making the Decision to Quit Tobacco. Bethesda, MD: US National Library of Medicine, 2010. (Accessed on July 28, 2010 at view more.)

Quit Guide: Preparing to Quit Medicines That Help With Withdrawal. Bethesda, MD.: Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute, 2009. (Accessed on July 28, 2010 at view more.)

Stop Smoking Recovery Timetable. Goose Creek, SC.: Why Quit.com, 2009. (Accessed July 28, 2010 at view more.)

Varenicline: Drug Information. Waltham, MA.: UpToDate, 2009. (Accessed July 28, 2010  at view more.)

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