On this Valentine’s day, make love your reason for committing to quit smoking.

Each year millions of people around the world lose their loved ones to harmful effects of smoking tobacco.

The World Health Organisation states that more than 7million people die due to direct use of tobacco products, while 1.2 million deaths are of non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoking.

There is no safe level of exposure to tobacco, all forms are harmful. Cigarettes contain about 7000 chemicals and from every inhalation of tobacco smoke an individual is exposed to toxins that contribute to both short- and long-term health effects.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information reported that in a short course of time from starting a smoking habit, smokers are likely to experience diminished health status such as reporting poor self-health, physiological changes such as bad breath and become vulnerable to acute illnesses including respiratory distress. They also experience intermittent absence from usual daily activities, due to the habits resulting from cigarette smoking addiction. This frequent act of smoking usually draws smokers away from their loved ones.

Among the long-term effects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that cigarette smoking causes major diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking is also known to increase the risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

Cost of treating diseases to prevent permanent disability and deaths caused by tobacco are substantial. Tobacco use also greatly contributes to poverty as cost needed for basic needs such as food, housing and education, are used to cater for tobacco needs. Needless to say that money saved from kicking the habit may be used to buy loved ones a gift on a day like this.

Cessation can be achieved with the assistance of tobacco cessation programmes, which are proven to help people successfully quit smoking. Every smoker needs to take this bold step of kicking the habit on their own or seeking help, on a day like this to demonstrate love for themselves and those who care about them.

Leave a comment below and let us know on how you planning to quit this valentines day.