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50% of long-term smokers will die as a result of smoking.
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1 cigarette contains over 4000 chemicals, and at least 400 toxic substances.
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On average smokers die 16 years younger than non-smokers.
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Smoking 20 cigarettes a day could cost you over £200 a month.
Got your attention? Good.
Why quit?
- Stopping smoking can improve your skin; you’ll have fewer spots, a better complexion, and it can delay the ageing process caused by smoking.
- Breathe more easily! Quitting smoking can increase your lung capacity by 10%, and that makes a lot of difference whether you’re going for a long run or just walking up the stairs.
- Quit before you turn 30 and add up to 10 years to your life expectancy.
- Taste & smell improves; what student doesn’t love food?! Well it tastes even better when your a non-smoker!
- Increased blood flow increases oxygen supply, which improves your immune system. This means you’re much less likely to get those pesky spring/summer/winter colds or the dreaded freshers flu.
How can I quit?
So now I’ve told you all the scary facts, and the benefits of quitting, but what about how to quit??
Research has shown that smokers are more than four times more likely to quit smoking with the help of an advisor or support group. Coventry University has our very own resident stop smoking advisor, Sumera Hussain, who is available every Tuesday, in The Hub from 8:30am-12pm.
Sumera is part of the NHS Stop4Life team who offer free smoking cessation advice, consultations, a range of nicotine replacement prescriptions and referrals for alternative treatments.She can provide you with one-to-one support during your journey to living smoke-free. She will help you to meet your quitting targets by setting achievable goals, and can also provide information and prescription services to help with those niggily cravings.
Don’t wait for Stoptober
Stopping smoking has immediate health affects that can instantly improve your quality of life . This timeline shows just some of the benefits of stopping smoking, and why you shouldn’t put off quitting:
Other tools
There are some great apps available to help you on your journey to a smoke free journey. They offer updates on how your health has improved, and what’s changed in the time since your last cigarette. Even better for students, they let you know how much money you’ve saved through quitting. There’s nothing like a financial reward, and a 20-a-day smoker will spend over £900 in six months on cigarettes – think what you could do with that money instead!
We’re not saying it’s easy to stop smoking, but it is so important for your health, and your wallet! If you want to quit, then take this opportunity to work with Sumera.
