Smoking - fast facts

The official numbers vary depending on which source you consult, but the general outline for statistics regarding people who attempt to quit smoking each year show that between 35% and 50% of smokers try to either quit smoking by going cold turkey or they make an attempt to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked each day. Typically, under 20% of people actually see this through and become non-smokers. 

One of the reasons for the high failure rate is that smoking is not just an addiction to nicotine. It comes with social etiquette and mannerisms that when removed can leave the individual feeling disconnected. This is one of the reasons that people instead turn to vaping - see 88vape - as this means that they will still have something to hold and put in their mouth and they will still have a reason to take smoking breaks with friends at work, etc. 

Let’s look at some fast facts that could help you to kick the habit and become a non-smoker within 8-12 weeks.

How long does it take to quit?

As mentioned in the previous sentence, the general rule of thumb when it comes to quitting smoking is that a full cessation of cravings for nicotine can be achieved in 8-12 weeks. However, smokers may be pleased to discover that this time frame represents a tailing off of cravings, and that the strongest cravings are felt within the first 72 hours. So, if you can find a way to survive those first three days without smoking, you are theoretically over the worst of it. 

The queue for the coroner 

It’s a stark thing to mention but when talking about smoking we really must mention the death rate. Typically, around 7 million people die each year as a direct result of smoking (meaning that if they hadn’t smoked, they would not have died). But wait. There’s more. For every death, and estimated 30 people are suffering from a smoking related disease - meaning the figures that represent the queue for the coroner (and not just those who actually die), is somewhere in the region of 210 million people. And that’s just the reported cases. The real figure could be as high as a quarter of a billion people who lit up, kept smoking, and didn’t get away with it. 

How many years of life does smoking claim in early deaths?

Continuing the theme of death, it’s perhaps shocking to discover the truth behind claims that smoking only reduces life expectancy by a couple of years and that these years would be your eldest and most frail years anyway. Smoking typically shortens lives by almost 10 years.

Really want to miss out on an entire decade of life? All for the sake of surviving 72 hours without a cigarette? Thought not. To read about the effects smoking has on beauty check out my post.