$Unique_ID{BRK00862}
$Pretitle{Community and Social Problems}
$Title{What Keeps People Smoking?}
$Subject{smoking hazards addiction}
$Volume{Q-23}
$Log{
Figure 1*0007301.scf
Figure 2*0007302.scf}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What Keeps People Smoking?


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QUESTION:  I can't understand how some people keep smoking, when all the
scientific evidence shows it to be a real health hazard.  What keeps these
people puffing away?

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ANSWER:  It may be hard to believe, but approximately one-third of all adults
still smoke cigarettes.  Though some statistics show that smoking has declined
in recent years, most of this decrease can be attributed to people who have
quit rather than a decrease in people who begin to smoke.  Therefore, just as
many people seem to be taking up this dangerous habit.
     Cigarette smoking, like drug use, is addictive.  When people begin to
smoke, the chances are that eventually they will become "addictive smokers."
This means that even if they smoke infrequently at first, gradually, they will
build up a desire for repeated cigarettes and ultimately they will have both a
psychological and physical dependence on them.  Psychologically, the act of
smoking becomes addictive, and some people become dependent on it in
situations which cause anxiety or tension, or when they simply want to relax.
Physically, people become addicted to nicotine, the major substance in
tobacco.  When one has a craving to smoke, nicotine is inhaled, and the
craving subsides.  A certain amount of nicotine must be inhaled in order to
continually relieve this craving; if not, there are severe withdrawal
symptoms, which can last for days, or even months.  These symptoms can include
nausea, headaches, diarrhea, constipation, insomnia, irritability, an
inability to concentrate, and an increase in appetite.
     Another reason that people continue to smoke, therefore, is because it is
so difficult to quit.  However, people do quit, and most individuals do so on
their own, without any professional help.  For those people who can not quit
on their own, programs are offered by organizations such as the American
Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and American Lung Association.
These programs have about a 25% success rate.
     It seems that quitting "cold turkey" is a better strategy than gradually
reducing the number of cigarettes smoked.  Studies have shown that people can
generally cut down to about twelve cigarettes a day, but they are unable to
reduce their smoking further, because each remaining cigarette becomes more
and more important to them.  It becomes extremely difficult to eliminate them.
     There are people who successfully quit and then, for one reason or
another, start up again.  This usually occurs very soon after the person has
quit, and is usually triggered by stress and anxiety.  However, the chances
are very good that if someone has been without a cigarette for a year or more,
they will remain "cigarette free."
     There are many social support systems and other kinds of reinforcement
that a person can seek if the urge to smoke occurs.  Support from one's
spouse, family members, or friends can help to reduce the likelihood of
relapse.  And more and more today, Family Physicians are getting active in the
most important medical care of all, preventing diseases caused by tobacco use.
But regardless of the support systems available, the most important factor in
determining whether a person will be able to achieve and maintain a life free
from cigarettes is the level of their own motivation to do so.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
