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Ebook: Dealing with Addiction

Dealing with Addiction

Providing the facts about substance abuse, gambling, gaming & other psychological addictions. Addresses ways to help people recover from addiction.

  • Age range: 12 years and upwards
  • Category: Schools
  • Last revised: 2021
  • Pages: 83
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Price: £10.99 Now: £5.49

Most of us know that smoking is bad for our physical health, and we have all heard the government warnings that smoking kills. Did you know that tobacco smoke is the main cause of preventable illness and death worldwide? Smoking is the leading cause of cancer and globally it is responsible for 90% of lung cancers. So why do people start smoking?

Many people start smoking when they are young, often due to peer pressure. Very often, once they start, it is very difficult to stop smoking due to the addictive nature of nicotine.

Smokers are almost 25 times more likely to get lung cancer than non-smokers, and life expectancy for smokers is at least 10 years shorter than for non-smokers. Therefore if a smoker does not want to die early from smoking, they need to take steps to quit as soon as possible.

What is Tobacco Addiction?

Many smokers are addicted to tobacco, but they are mainly addicted to nicotine, which is present in the tobacco plant. Nicotine is highly addictive and nicotine addiction is as difficult to fight as heroin addiction.

So how bad is smoking for our health, and what illnesses does smoking cause?

There are a number of tobacco related diseases and illnesses caused by smoking and they include:

  • Lung cancer — globally it is the leading cause of this type of cancer
  • Cancer of the mouth, head and neck
  • Breast cancer
  • Bladder cancer
  • Kidney cancer
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart disease

There are over 4000 toxic chemicals in one cigarette including:

  • Arsenic
  • Lead
  • Butane
  • Formaldehyde
  • Carbon monoxide
  • Tar

How to Stop Smoking

If someone wants to stop smoking, there are many places to get free information and advice. There are also products available to help wean the smoker off cigarettes or vape kits e.g. nicotine patches or tablets such as Varenicline (previously known as Champix) — a medicine that reduces nicotine cravings and also helps with withdrawal symptoms. It is only available on prescription, so you will need to see your GP.

The withdrawal symptoms from stopping may be unpleasant, but if someone is determined to quit smoking, they must remember that the physical symptoms will taper off. They will still need support to deal with any mental and emotional difficulties like depression and anxiety, so it is a good idea for them to visit their doctor if they want to stop smoking.

Some ideas that may help people stop smoking are:

  • Asking your GP about anti-smoking tablets, nicotine patches or other products
  • Calling one of the no smoking helplines
  • Using one of the freely available apps
  • Self-help books
  • Going cold turkey and just quitting!

Websites and Helplines to Help Quit Smoking

Smokefree National Helpline — 0300 123 1044 (England), NHS — Quit Smoking

HSE — Quit Smoking — 1800 201 203 (Ireland)

Quit Your Way Scotland — 0800 84 84 84 (Scotland)

Help Me Quit — 0800 085 2219 (Wales)

Stop Smoking (Northern Ireland)