“My name is Silvia and I am addicted to tobacco….” would probably be the format I would choose to begin my piece if I smoked cigarettes- but I don’t. I don’t smoke, I have never tried cigarettes nor have I ever felt the urge to do so either.
Yet here I am, knowing that my chances of being diagnosed with lung cancer are higher than ever because of secondhand smoke. In the future I’ll find myself sarcastically thanking the people who have chosen to walk on the streets while enjoying a cigarette, not realizing the ways in which their surroundings are also being affected.
The irony is that I know I am at risk but I can’t do anything to stop it. It is up to smokers to understand that secondhand smokers are, too, in danger of falling into the lung cancer patients' list. A list, that according to the National Cancer Institute, includes approximately 224,390 new cases with an estimated of at least 158,080 deaths.
It is an understatement to assume that lung cancer is only caused by tobacco however, it has been medically proven to be a risk factor for this disease and the cause of death in 1 out of 5 Americans. According to the American Cancer Society, a greater number of smokers have developed Lung Cancer after smoking for a period of time.
“Smoke responsibly” should be a slogan advocated in society, because secondhand exposure is a real thing and it's as serious as it sounds. Thousands of people continue to become exposed to it and are susceptible to attaining the disease.
Smoke responsibly, and if you need to smoke, stop walking and find a place to do so. Don’t engage yourself in conversation and walk as you smoke. All that smoke will eventually be inhaled by too many people, exposing them to secondhand smoke which at the end of the day becomes just as harmful. Though it is not the only risk I put myself into, it is the ongoing one that I continue to surround myself with. I am tired to have to inhale the smoke of your habits. I don’t need it. I don't want it.
With that being said, it's also understandable that bad habits are not easy to break because though smokers are aware of the ways in which they are endangering their health, cigarettes become part of daily routines.
Ask your doctor about which treatment can help you and say no tobacco. Websites that offer the needed guidance, can be easily found and accessed with just a click of a button. American Cancer Society, as well as National Cancer Institute, are just two of the many sites that can offer live chat and over the phone assistance, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Think of your health and the long term problems you could face if you don’t quit smoking. Prevent yourself from going through it and make a life changing decision today.
Quit for life and make your health a priority.