Stephanie Lizzul, staff reporter Smoke Until You Croak

When smoking first became popular, people weren’t aware of lung cancer. In the first decades of the twentieth century lung cancer was rare. People had just smoked because they weren’t aware of the different diseases that they can lead to.

Negative effects
Through the years the death of lung cancer from cigarettes had increased. The death rate for men who had lung cancer increased from nineteen thirty to nineteen ninety. In nineteen thirty there was a death rate of four point nine per one hundred thousand men. In nineteen ninety the death of lung cancer in men has increased to seventy five point six per one hundred thousand men.

Smoking also causes other health conditions such as heart disease, laryngeal cancer, atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease and oral cancer. Smoking can cause many deaths but they can also be prevented. From the years nineteen sixty four to nineteen ninety two approximately one point six million deaths caused by smoking were prevented.
Smokers as well as put others in danger. According to the world health organization from www.who.int/tobacco/en/ second hand smoking is a serious issue. Six hundred thousand people die every year because of second hand smoking. “Putting yourself in danger is bad enough, but increasing the chance or sickness or death for someone else is just killing you both slowly,” stated sophomore, Kristina Rusin. According to the World Health Association by twenty thirty there will be up to eight million deaths if no action is taken. Many of the users don’t understand the risks that they are putting themselves and others in. Smoking should be prevented and those who are daily smokers should seek help and help themselves live longer lives.

Quitting
There are different ways that a person can quit smoking. One of the ways to quit is by setting up a date that you want to begin. Another way in which you can quit smoking is by getting help. Some people are able to quit smoking right away but many others need to seek help.

The best way to get help is by asking a friend or even a psychologist to help begin our goal according to cancernetwork.com  Swapping habits is a good way to forget about cigarettes. If a person is craving one, he or she can simply just start to chew gum or even drink a glass of water. Stick to the goal and take it on day at a time. Sticking to goals can be simple as long as they aren’t so long.

“It would be difficult to help someone quit because they have to be determined and actually want to quit for it to happen, but I would tell them the possibilities of what could happen and that it’s not only harming them,” said sophomore, Caitlin Perriera.

Always think “I can always have one tomorrow,” just to stop thinking about the cigarette for a while. Lastly, a reward can be given for keeping a goal by buying something or treating oneself to something special.