Experts say tobacco can damage a woman's reproductive health. It has been linked to reduced fertility, a higher risk of miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth and infant death.

Other health problems caused by smoking are gum disease, cataracts, hip fractures, peptic ulcers and macular degeneration, an eye disease that can cause blindness.

Aside from this, smoking also affects non-smokers. Cigarette smoke can irritate the eyes, cause headaches and coughs in other people. Those who are surrounded by smokers are exposed to the same health hazards mentioned above although in a reduced way.

"But not all of the health problems related to smoking result in deaths. Smoking generally affects a smoker's health, harming nearly every organ of the body, and causing many diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2000, about 8.6 million people had at least one chronic disease because they smoked or had smoked. Many of these people were suffering from more than one smoking-related condition," revealed the American Cancer Society (ACS).

"The diseases that occurred most often were chronic bronchitis, emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, and cancer. These diseases can steal away a person's quality of life long before death. Smoking-related illness can limit a person's activities by making it harder to breathe, get around, work, or play," added the ACS.

In spite of these hazards, many people find it difficult to stop smoking simply because they are addicted to nicotine and are likely to suffer from withdrawal symptoms. If you stop smoking suddenly, you may experience intense craving, depression, anxiety, restlessness, disturbed sleep, altered time perception, difficulty concentrating, sweating, low blood pres¬sure and heart rate as well as gastrointestinal problems.

The trick, therefore, is to remind yourself that you are slowly but surely killing yourself with every cigarette you smoke. This will help you cut down on cigarettes.

Change your favorite brand to one you don't like. Avoid friends who smoke and go to "no smoking" areas. Find new interests or attend to your hobbies. Stay away from smokers and clear your surroundings of ashtrays, matches, and other smoking paraphernalia.

Eat fruits, sweets or chew gum to curb your desire to smoke. Try talking to those who have stopped smoking to get help. Sometimes, all you need is a little discipline to avoid cigarettes. Once you have this, nothing is impossible.

"People who stop smoking when they are young get the greatest health benefits from quitting. Those who quit in their 30s may avoid most of the risk due to tobacco use. However, even smokers who quit after age 50 largely reduce their risk of dying early. The argument that it is too late to quit smoking because the damage is already done is not true. It is never too late to quit smoking!" the ACS concluded.

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