Mondays Matter: Week 51

Taken from the book Every Monday Matters: 52 Ways To Make A Difference by Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza

NO NICOTINE

-Nicotine is as addictive as heroin or cocaine.

-12 million deaths have been caused by cigarette smoking over the last 40 years.

-80% of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18.

-70% of smokers say they want to quit.

-Nicotine can be found in the umbilical cord blood of a fetus during pregnancy as well as in breast milk?

-91.2% of all successful long-term quitters quit cold turkey, without the assistance of patches, gum, hypnosis, acupuncture, inhalers, or prescriptions.

ACTION STEPS

1. Stop smoking - do it today - cold turkey. Don't light up! And if you chew tobacco, avoid even a pinch today. You can do it!

2. Quit with a friend so that you can hold each other accountable.

3. If necessary, use one of the many nicotine replacement therapies.

4. If you are a nonsmoker, "adopt" a smoker. Support them by giving encouragement, exercising together, going out where there isn't likely to be smoking, and providing comfort and accountablility.

This is the absolute best gift you can give someone this Christmas. Quit smoking! You have just added days to your life and to the lives of your loved ones (if you smoke around them). You have brightened up your skin and your teeth, you smell better, and you feel better. You will also have more money in your wallet. I will never understand the addiction to smoking, but the facts are smoking is detrimental to your health. Just for one day....don't light up. See how it goes, then tomorrow, don't light up. Do it for yourself, for you spouse, for your children, for your friends. May this one day off be the first day of the rest of your tobacco-free life.