Marjie looked reluctantly at her friend, Jess. Her parent’s had told her a hundred times not to ever try smoking a cigarette, but she wanted to be cool. If Jess thought she was scared, or that she wasn’t cool, then Marjie didn’t know what she would do. She took a deep breath and took the cigarette from Jess, shutting her eyes and breathing in deep.

She erupted in a fit of coughing that made Jess laugh. She leaned her head back against the wall, keeping her eyes closed, still clutching the cigarette. Everything was spinning, and she felt sort of sick, but she smiled. It was kind of cool…

It’s the most preventable cause of death in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), each year over 440,000 people die from smoking-related causes. The average woman smoker will lose 15 years of her life if she doesn’t quit. While most of us are familiar with the numbers, the facts still don’t seem to be making an impact. Every day 3,900 kids try their first cigarette.

We know it’s bad. We know it’s killing us, and yet we keep doing it. But why? Why is smoking more addictive than cocaine or heroine, if the widely-touted claim is true?

Cigarette tobacco contains nicotine, which is absorbed into the body when smoke is inhaled. Nicotine activates the “pleasure sensors” of the brain, relieving stress and relaxing the body. As more and more cigarettes are smoked, nicotine begins to grab hold and quickly becomes addictive. A tolerance develops, and any feelings of sickness are gone within the first few cigarettes.

Because of the inhalation process and the large size of the lungs, nicotine is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and reaches the brain in only 7 seconds, faster than any other drug. This means that the pleasurable rewards of smoking are felt almost instantly.

Smoking is also a highly social activity, which contributes to the addiction. Most cigarette smokers start when they’re adolescents, and 42% of those go on to become life-long smokers. Many kids start simply because their friends pick up the habit and they don’t want to be seen as “uncool”.

As the habit develops, smokers quickly learn what they like best about smoking, and what triggers cause them to smoke. The “ritual” and rewards of smoking become almost as addictive as the nicotine in the tobacco. Buying the cigarettes, holding the pack, handling the cigarette, it’s all part of smoking.

People also associate cigarette smoking with certain situations. Going to a coffee shop, hanging out in a bar, meeting new people, having that “last one” before bed, all of these become opportunities to smoke and establish routines.

While smokers know that their habit is bad, most don’t how bad. Sure, they see the numbers on the news every now and again. But they don’t really think about what’s in that little buddy they’re smoking everyday.

Most might be shocked to find out that there are over 599 ingredients in the typical cigarette. While many of the ingredients are harmless, such as coffee and citrus oil, the act of burning them changes their chemical compound, very often for the worse.

There are also extremely dangerous chemicals in cigarette smoke. Just a few are listed below:

• Formaldehyde- this is used to preserve bodily tissue
• Acetone- this can be found in nail polish remover
• Ammonia- this is found in toilet cleaner
• DDT- this is an insecticide
• Methanol- this is found in rocket fuel
• Hydrogen Cyanide- this is a gas chamber poison
• Butane- this is used in cigarette lighter fluid
• Carbon Monoxide- this is car exhaust

Amazing isn’t it? And to think we willingly inhale these products…

So, after reading that list you’re ready to quit, right?

Most smokers have to try to quit 2-3 times before they succeed, thanks to the highly addictive nature of nicotine. The good news is that you can help up that statistic by really wanting to quit. Not because your spouse thinks you should, or you really can’t afford to smoke anymore. If YOU are sick of smoking and are truly ready to live a healthier life then your odds of success are much, much higher. Here are some tips you can use to help you on your way to a better life:

• Write down why you want to quit, and post it somewhere where you’ll see it everyday. If you want to go hiking in Montana in a few months, put up some pictures of that goal. It will keep your mind focused on why you’re doing this.
• Don’t make the move from cigarettes to cigars or a pipe. You’re still giving your body nicotine, and the likelihood that you’ll slip back to cigarettes is much higher than if you quit cold turkey.
• Things will typically get better after the third or fourth day after you quit. Know what to expect during that first stretch and plan some fun activities with friends.
• Put the money you’d normally spend on cigarettes towards something you’d really like to have, like a new TV or a nice vacation.
• When you first quit, try avoiding the situations where you’d normally smoke, like bars or coffee shops.
• Don’t let yourself lapse back into smoking due to a stressful situation. All it takes is one cigarette to ruin all your hard work!

Remember, millions of people quit smoking each year, and you can too. You can visit www.anti-smoking.org for some great tips and resources, or attend a Nicotine Anonymous (www.nicotine-anonymous.org) meeting for group support.