Nicotine is the most active ingredient and stimulant found in cigarettes. Nicotine is a chemical that is very addictive – and poisonous. The smoke from tobacco actually contains toxic, carcinogenic compounds such as radium and radon, which are said to be the major causes of lung cancer. Smoking increases the rate of heartbeat and blood pressure because of the stimulation of the nervous system by the nicotine. Smoking cigarettes also lessens the amount of oxygen that goes to the smoker’s brain. Cigarette smoking likewise thickens the blood, thus increasing the risk of blood clots from happening, ultimately leading to cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.

Tar coming from the smoke gets deposited into the lungs and creates damage to the air sacs leading to shortness of breath and other lung problems. Smoking is harmful to women, not only to their health but also to their physical appearances as cigarette smoking can cause premature wrinkles on the skin. It is more dangerous for smoking women who are pregnant. If a pregnant woman continues to smoke, there is a great chance that her child will be exposed and adversely affected by passive smoking. One effect of smoking pregnant women is underweight or malnourished children.

Passive smoking is major problem of the general public nowadays. It occurs when the smoke exhaled by a smoker is then inhaled by people around him. The tar in cigarette smoke is proven to be more deadly than the nicotine found in cigarettes. The other harmful effects of smoking cigarettes are higher risk of heart attacks, diabetes, peptic ulcers, vision problems, back pain, asthma and other allergies, stained skin of the hands and nails, stained teeth and bad breath.

Therefore the harmful effects of smoking can be reduced only when a person decides to quit smoking. People who stop smoking will have a major and immediate health benefits. It is good health that is very important for people all over the world irrespective of the kind of background they belong to and the country they belong. It is the moral responsibility of each individual to make the world a better place to live in.

Many people who smoke don’t really become addicts. Some people are social smokers, they prefer smoking during parties or when with friends or when in vacation and so on. It actually starts that way. People would eagerly look forward for such occasions to find a reason to smoke. Most people resort to smoking after a hard and stressful week at work. 

Once people get the feel of the nicotine, they slowly get into the habit of smoking every time there is a stress related issue or there is something to celebrate .It doesn’t take long for a habit to turn into an addiction. The addiction is one major cause of worry since it deprives people off all the good things in life. Once a smoker, the social circle gets weaned. The health of the smoker gets gradually affected with the taste buds giving away, the sense of smell losing out and finally leads to the lung cancer. 

So to reason out on why a person has to quit smoking at the earliest so that it does not become the master, here are some ; 

• To save money as a packet of cigarettes costs a lot of money. 
• The clothes smell foul with cigarette smell and this prevents the person from having a healthy social group of friends. 
• Health reasons, smoking is the cause of many health problems including cancer. 
• Smoking can be a big turn off to women.  
• Smokers are generally treated as losers who are unable to cope up with the stress and other factors. 

Smoking is not easy to quit, however it is not an impossible task. So with the will power and determination, one can easily get over the habit very well.

So with the right commitment in place, one can get over the smoking habit or addiction. To start with, a smoker should ask himself or herself why and how much they really want to stop smoking. Initially, to make a beginning, one can start penning down some of the vital points such as the reasons to quit smoking. These questions and answers have to be written down in a dairy for keeps. Once there is clarity about why the person wants to stop smoking, the kind of commitment and motivation will be much more highly reinforced and the chances of success will rise. 

The next thing that a smoker has to write down in the dairy will be the date to quit smoking. Most people give themselves that time frame and decide on a specific date that might or might not be of importance, so that they can slowly cut own on the number of cigarettes they smoke in a day. The other reason for giving that time would be to clear the place off any cigarettes or related things like the ash tray and so on. They will also need that time to announce to their friends and relatives about their decision to quit smoking so that they would be in a position to understand their mood swings for the first few weeks of quitting smoking. 

As mentioned earlier, smoking is an addiction so when a person is deprived off something that involves both the physical and emotional needs, there will be a revolt from the body and mind. However, there are many methods to combat this effect on a person. Fortunately one can see the bigger picture there are other better ways, options and choices one can make to continue to feel good without damaging the body by smoking cigarettes. Now to over come the mental and physical urge to smoke, all one has to do is to keep writing in the dairy that he or she is a non-smoker. This is a method of positive reinforcement. By repeating the same lines, it gets imbibed in the body and mind of an individual. 

Irrespective of whether a person uses any of the techniques like Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Hypnosis or just Cold Turkey, to quit smoking, it is up to an individual to ensure that these methods really enhance the process of quitting smoking by constantly writing down the positives of not smoking and to keep telling oneself that he or she is a non – smoker .The more effort a person puts into these exercises, the easier it is to stop smoking for good. 

Finally, to pen down in the dairy, one can think now of all the reasons that he or she doesn’t like smoking, the reasons that it’s bad and the reasons for a person to stop smoking completely. The key words can be written down in the dairy .Then, on the other side of the dairy, one can write down all the reasons as to why a person will feel good when he or she has succeeded in stopping. Once this is done, a person will definitely feel healthier, and in control of his or her own self. Eventually, when a person quits smoking for good, the senses are enhanced, the hair and clothes will smell fresher and finally the person will feel like a new and better person than what he or she used to be when they smoked. Penning down all these vital information will always come in handy when there is a small urge down below to smoke. Thus writing these aspects in a dairy is of utmost importance.

Nicotine addiction is a powerful habit that alters the brain's chemical processes. Alternative smoking-cessation methods are designed to recondition the brain chemistry and redirect corresponding behaviours associated with the experience of nicotine.

Many alternative smoking-cessation methods focus on changing the behaviours associated with smoking. By changing these behaviours, the brain's association with the experience will change accordingly. Other common behavioural approaches involve reducing the amount of nicotine in the system at a gradual rate, in an attempt to wean smokers from nicotine dependence.

Scheduled smoking is one of many alternative technique used to stop smoking. This process involves setting up a "pre-plan" that lists specific times of the day for smoking a cigarette. With each successive day or week nicotine intake is reduced, which allows the body to adapt to a reduced nicotine level. Techniques that attempt to replace the pleasant experience associated with smoking with unpleasant sensations are known as aversive-therapy methods. Another form of aversive technique involves administering electro-shocks as participants go through the motions of smoking a cigarette, from the moment they pick up the pack until the last puff is taken. Silver acetate, a substance that makes nicotine taste bad, is also used as an aversive form of therapy.

Other, methods are hypnosis therapy and acupuncture. Hypnosis involves using the power of suggestion within a relaxed state of consciousness. This method has shown some success, though results are varied. The acupuncture technique makes use of small needles placed on specific areas of the body. This is done to stimulate the release of certain brain chemicals, and reduce cravings and symptoms of withdrawal.

While administering the smoking alternatives, people tend to experience withdrawal symptoms like irritability, lack of concentration, restlessness and so on .Nicotine-replacement therapies deal specifically with the withdrawal experiences, while reducing nicotine intake and quenching the body's cravings. There are also herbal remedies available in the market, however individuals who want to try this herb should seek the approval of a health professional because it might produce an allergic reaction and interact with other drugs.

Regular exercise may improve blood flow and help individuals deal with tensions and stress in life without cigarettes. Studies show that moderate exercise like 30 minutes of jogging and brisk walking may bring many health benefits. In addition to exercise, eating regular meals and cutting down fat in one’s diet may aid in the management of blood sugar changes associated in quitting smoking. A good body massage may also aid in promoting better moods and less anxiety which may lead to fewer and less nicotine cravings

Regardless of the method a person opts for, a certain amount of determination is needed to make any attempt to stop smoking worthwhile. The amount of will power and adhering to the decision of stopping to smoke is absolutely necessary to make any method successful. Thus with the right tools and attitude, quitting smoking can be easier than thought.

 To find the health benefits of quitting smoking, one can visit the doctor and get full checkups. It is likely that the doctor will give a complete list of the health benefits of quitting smoking and this will just act as reinforcement that this has to be done. The bottom line is that if a person aims at looking and feeling better and lives longer, he or she needs to quit smoking.

 When a person is young and smoke, it can be hard to consider the effects of quitting smoking now. There are many long term effects Of Quitting Smoking and the major ones are that you will live longer and healthier life. To see the long term effects of quitting smoking, visit a nursing home. People who smoke generally suffer later in life because they abused their bodies so much. Their bodies do not run efficiently and this makes the person look and feel much older than they really are. This is why one should quit smoking today so that the long term effects of quitting smoking can be reaped.

 Most people know about the health and skin benefits of quitting smoking. One of the most noticeable quitting smoking benefits is that the sense of smell and taste comes back to a person.  Another quitting smoking benefit is that a person no longer spends lots of money on cigarettes and smoking.  Effectively, one will stop setting light to money.  Many smokers report themselves being wealthier and being able to use the extra money to pay off debt or buy extra treats.

 And let's not forget that health is amongst the quitting smoking benefits.  Many smokers decide they're going to stop because they are concerned about the effect smoking is having on their health.  There are, of course, other quitting smoking benefits such as an increase in fertility.  Male smokers can find their sperm quality damaged by smoking.  Plus, for men, smoking can contribute to impotence.  Female smokers can find their chance of miscarriage increases and it takes longer for them to conceive.

 When a person stops smoking, he or she will find that their appearance begins to change for good.  Smoking dries out the skin, and causes it to wrinkle and take on a grey pallor.  Thus when a person quits smoking, the health, wealth and well-being will improve in bounds. Life gains the importance and there is a hope and laughter that spreads.