The health risks associated with smoking are well known, by smokers and non-smokers alike. According to the Center for Disease Control, the most serious results of smoking are coronary heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. Additionally, smoking can cause severe respiratory disease and cancer in almost any part of the body.
However, few non-smokers have a true understanding of how hard it is to break the smoking habit. In some people, it is a true addiction to nicotine. In others, it is a reliance on the habit or social ritual of smoking. Either way, the addiction or habit can not only create serious health risk but also result in uncomfortable situations socially and at work when smoking is banned. The smoker must excuse themselves and step outside, often even away from buildings, to answer the craving over which they have little conscious control.
Smokers often explore many approaches to quitting include nicotine replacement therapies such as patches or gum containing nicotine, or the newer and now popular e-cigarettes which deliver the nicotine in a vapor. The latest research shows that the e-cigarettes have health risks of their own and are not much more socially accepted than cigarettes themselves.
Once a smoker is 100% committed to quitting, hypnotherapy is a good alternative to quitting cold turkey or simply changing the source of the nicotine. Through hypnotherapy, clients will learn to teach the mind to not require or rely on cigarettes. In some instances, the smoker may be trained to believe he or she never smoked.
| No. of Cigarettes | Cost Per Day | Cost Per Month | Cost Per Year | Cost Per 5 Years | Cost per 10 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Cigarette | $0.40 | $12.00 | $142.40 | $730.00 | $1,460.00 |
| 5 Cigarettes | $2.00 | $60.00 | $730.00 | $3,650.00 | $7,300.00 |
| 10 Cigarettes | $4.00 | $120.00 | $1,460.00 | $7,300.00 | $14,600.00 |
| 15 Cigarettes | $6.00 | $180.00 | $2,190.00 | $10,950.00 | $21,900.00 |
| 1 Pack | $8.00 | $240.00 | $2,920.00 | $14,600.00 | $29,200.00 |
| 2 Packs | $16.00 | $480.00 | $5,840.00 | $29,200.00 | $58,400.00 |
| 3 Packs | $24.00 | $720.00 | $8,760.00 | $43,800.00 | $87,600.00 |
| 4 Packs | $32.00 | $960.00 | $11,680.00 | $58,400.00 | $116,800.00 |
| 5 Packs | $40.00 | $1,200.00 | $14,600.00 | $73,000.00 | $146,000.00 |
| Time After Quiting | Health Benefits |
|---|---|
| 20 Minutes | Heart rate drops |
| 8 Hours | Carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to level of someone who does not smoke |
| 48 Hours | Nerve endings start to regrow. Smell and taste improved. |
| 2 Weeks | Lung function increased by up to one-third. |
| 4 Weeks | Cilia regrow in lungs and airways. |
| 1 Year | Excess risk of heart disease is halved. |
| 5 Year | Risk of stroke similar to non-smoker. |
| 10 Year | Risk of heart disease is that of a non-smoker. |