Cigarette smoking is one of the evils of modern society. Many people take up the habit at alarmingly young ages and often continue to smoke well past their 60s and 70s. Cigarette smoking is definitely associated with health risks and there is a plethora of research to justify the more than casual association of smoking with potentially lethal diseases. Take a look at the number of diseases associated with smoking.

1. Lung cancer.
2. Cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks, worsening hypertension.
3. Peripheral arterial diseases leading to even amputation of the limbs.
4. Worsening of diabetes and elevated cholesterol levels.
5. Cerebro-vascular accidents like strokes.
6. Other forms of cancers including oral cancers especially in people using chewable forms of tobacco.

One cigarette has more than 4000 known carcinogens (substances associated with cancer formation). Smoking leads to increased oxidative damage by way of generating free radicals in the body which then damage cells in the body and transform them into cells with tumorigenic potential.

It is imperative that people are aware of the risks of cigarette smoking and make an all-out effort to give up smoking. What are the benefits from giving up smoking? Plenty as you can see from the following paragraph.

It is just impossible for any smoker to believe that smoking is good for either them or those around them. Take a look at these facts from the US Surgeon General's report and decide for yourself whether you should stop smoking or not.

1. 12 hours after quitting the Carbon Monoxide levels in the blood drop to basal levels.
2. 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting the circulation improves and lung function recovers to a certain extent.
3. 1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath reduces. The cilia in the respiratory tract recover their ability to clear mucus and clean the lungs and thus keep infections at bay.
4. 1 year after quitting the risk of coronary artery disease is half that of a person who never smoked.
5. 5 years after quitting the risk for strokes is almost equal to that of a non-smoker.
6. 10 years after quitting the risk of lung cancer is half that of a person who continues to smoke and the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix and pancreas decreases.
7. 15 years after quitting the risk of coronary artery disease is the same as a non-smoker. Just look at the number of years it takes to get back to normalcy after quitting smoking. However the sooner one quits the better!

Do you want more reasons to consider quitting smoking? Here are a few more.

1. Decreased halitosis: Get ready to face the world with better smelling breath.
2. Whiter teeth: No more need to resort to dental whitening. Get ready for a whiter and brighter smile.
3. Better hygiene: Imagine a wardrobe filled with fresh-smelling clothes without the smell of tobacco pervading them. And of course the hair smells better too!
4. Say goodbye to yellowish discoloration of the fingers and fingernails.
5. Great taste: The tastebuds recover from the assault of tobacco and food begins to taste better which in turn increases appetite to healthier levels.
6. Improved sense of smell: The smells that you were unable to enjoy can be better appreciated.
7. Stamina: Last but not least imagine walking around the block or running up and down stairs without gasping for breath! Imagine being able to play with your kids without being embarrassed. What would you give for being able to do that?
8. Sexual Performance: And did I forget to mention the improvement in sexual performance? Smoking is one of the leading causes of impotence. The macho image of smokers is not definitely worth getting fooled by! If you stop smoking then you can definitely get better performance in the bedroom rather than at bars clinging on to a cigarette!

There are many, many more reasons to give up smoking. I have not possibly outlined everything here but the salient ones above are reasons enough for a person to STOP SMOKING NOW and improve the quality of his or her life. Forget legislations to ban smoking and laws 'outlawing' smokers. All smokers should quit smoking in their own interests and not because of some anti-smoking laws!