Wellness Programs: Smoking Cessation

As reported by the American Cancer Society (ACS), health issues and concerns are the central reasons people give for quitting smoking.  Almost half of all smokers that chose to continue smoking will end up dying from the effects of smoking and/or smoking-related illness. Smokers have twice the likelihood of dying from a heart attack than are nonsmokers.

Based on research data collected in the late 1990s, the United States Centers for Disease Control has estimated that adult male smokers have lost an average of 13.2 years of their life and female smokers have lost 14.5 years of life because of their choice to smoke. Individuals who stop smoking prior to age 50 reduce their risk of dying in the next 15 years by 50% as compared with those who continue smoking.

For several decades the U.S. Surgeon General has reported on the many health risks associated with smoking. Regardless of a person's age or their smoking history, there are many advantages to quitting smoking. The U.S.  Surgeon General concluded:

• Quitting smoking has significant and immediate health benefits for both women and men of all ages. Benefits apply to individuals with and individuals without smoking-related diseases.
• Reformed smokers live longer than people that continue to smoke.
• Quitting smoking lowers the risk of lung cancer and other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and even chronic lung disease.
• Women who cease smoking prior to pregnancy or as late as the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy can reduce their risk of having a baby of low birth weight baby.
• The many health benefits of ceasing to smoking far outweigh any risks from the small weight gain (less than 10 pounds) or any minor psychological effects that may follow quitting.

Wellness Programs: Smoking Cessation Benefits

The American Cancer Society notes the following health related statistics:

• 20 minutes after a person stops smoking: heart rate and blood pressure drop
• 12 hours after a person stops smoking: the carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal
• 2 weeks to 3 months after a person stops smoking: circulation and lung function improve
• 1 to 9 months after a person stops smoking: coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection
• 1 year after a person stops smoking: excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's
• 5 years after a person stops smoking: stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker
• 10 years after a person stops smoking: lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker's and the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease
• 15 years after a person stops smoking: risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker's

Wellness Programs: Smoking Cessation Assistance

If you are interested in implementing wellness programs, smoking cessation or other types of health and wellness programs then please let us know.  We'd be more than happy to assist you in your efforts to locate and implement the most affordable, yet effective wellness programs.  Contact us here: Free Wellness Proposals and Information