#Smoking is just not cool anymore!

The month of October was labelled Stoptober a campaign ran by the NHS to get people to stop smoking for the month, it has been proven that if you stop smoking for at least 28 days you are more likely to stay smoke free for good, the campaign has been a great success 246860 took part in the challenge for those the health benefits have just begun.


I was a smoker, yes that's right I am a nurse and I have been smoking around 15-20 a day for as long as I can remember. Obviously when I was 15, I started it was just through peer pressure and I did it socially but over time smoking had become a habit an addiction, in fact I can not ever remember not being a non-smoker. To be quite honest avoidance was the key for me I know all the issues associated with smoking how it could/does affect my health and others around me, I just choose to ignore the dangers.

I am going to refresh your mind and my own of the effects of smoking and tell you exactly why it just isn't cool to smoke.


Smoking raises blood pressure, which can cause hypertension (high blood pressure) - a risk factor for heart attacks and stroke.


Couples who smoke are more likely to have fertility problems than couples who are non-smokers
Smoking contributes to making asthma worse and counteracts asthma medication by worsening the inflammation of the airways that the medicine tries to ease.

• The blood vessels in the eye are sensitive and can be easily damaged by smoke, causing a bloodshot appearance and itchiness.

• Heavy smokers are twice as likely to get macular degeneration, resulting in the gradual loss of eyesight.

• Smokers run an increased risk of cataracts.

• Smokers take 25 per cent sick day’s year than non-smokers.

• Smoking stains your teeth and gums.

• Smoking increases your risk of periodontal disease, which causes swollen gums, bad breath and teeth to fall out.

• Smoking causes an acid taste in the mouth and contributes to the development of ulcers.

• Smoking also affects your looks: smokers have paler skin and more wrinkles. This is because smoking reduces the blood supply to the skin and lowers levels of vitamin A.

Most people know that smoking can cause lung cancer, but it can also cause many other cancers and illnesses. The effects of smoking on human health are serious and in many cases deadly. There are approximately 4000 chemicals in cigarettes, hundreds of which are toxic. The ingredients in cigarettes affect everything from the internal functioning of organs to the efficiency of the body's immune system. The effects of cigarette smoking are destructive and widespread.

Lets face it, the bottom line is if you smoke and continue to smoke you will probably die premature, the likely hood that it is going to be a painful death is extremely high. Evey cigarette that you smoke reduces your life span by approximately ten minutes. I know what I would of thought if someone tried to tell me to quit smoking, I would have been like yeah yeah and I would have carried on,


"Why?" because I though It would never to happen me, I would never get ill, maybe not now, maybe not in a year but in the future It could be me who knows what damage I have already done, but hopefully I have just lengthened my life.