The dangers of smoking began to be identified in the 1950s, and are now generally well-known. Smoking has been linked to cancer, respiratory problems, heart problems, premature ageing, infertility and pregnancy complications. Approximately one out of every four smokers will die from smoking. In most of the world, laws have been passed to discourage people from this dangerous pastime, ranging from criminalising smoking in public places to banning tobacco advertising. Nevertheless, people not only continue to smoke, their ranks swell by the day.
Smoking cigarettes is as addictive as heroine or cocaine.
It takes about seven seconds from the moment a smoker takes a puff for nicotine, the addictive ingredient, to pass down the throat to the lungs, then to the blood stream and, finally, to the brain, where receptors induce the sensations of relaxation, good humour, increased mental alertness and loss of appetite associated with smoking. Sometimes these latter aspects are even more important, when addressing addiction, than the body's need to maintain nicotine in the blood at a constant level, which gives smokers their urge to light up on a regular basis. If nicotine levels drop too low, smokers experience withdrawal symptoms of irritability, nervousness, lack of concentration and even anger. Smokers' need for nicotine, whether social, psychological, physiological, or a combination of these, generally overrides any awareness that nicotine addiction is bad for your health. Still, despite these difficulties, overcoming the urge to smoke is not impossible.