Each and every one of us is aware that cigarettes are bad for health. We all know that tobacco use leads to a number of dangerous diseases and severely damages not only the health of smokers but also the health of all the people around them.
According to the CDC data and statistics, smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. It causes almost 6 million deaths every year, as it is responsible for cancer, lung diseases, heart disease, emphysema, and increases the risk of quite a lot of other dangerous health problems.
Despite these facts and all the life-threatening effects of smoking, lots of people still continue to enjoy their puffs on a daily basis. They either don’t have the slightest intention to quit or they simply think that they cannot kick the habit. Although tobacco addiction is real, primarily because of nicotine, which is the main addictive chemical in tobacco, it is actually quite possible to quit smoking and start leading a healthy life.
If you are a smoker, you should definitely kick the nasty habit and, even if you are not, you should completely ban cigarette smoke in your home. There are really lots of reasons why you should do that, but take a look at the most crucial ones that will, hopefully, shed some more light on the major threat that cigarette smoke, especially secondhand one, poses on your and everyone else’s health.
Cancer
Cancer is usually the first disease that comes to mind when you think of smoking and the main reason why you should not allow it inside your home. Smoking, and even being exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke, greatly increases the risk of not only lung cancer, but also many other forms of cancer, such as pancreatic cancer, uterine cancer, mouth cancer, breast cancer and many others.
If this doesn’t make you want to quit (and it definitely should) or simply not let anyone bring tobacco into your home, there are some more reasons that you should definitely consider, so read on.
Fire Hazards
You may not think that the risk of fire is that serious when it comes to something as small as cigarettes, but fire hazards caused by indoor smoking are much more common than you may think. There are many things inside your home that could easily catch fire if you are not careful and, before you even know it, your entire home, not to mention everyone in it, could be in immense danger.
Cardiovascular Issues
Smoking also greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease so, if you want you and your loved ones to have a healthy heart, you should seriously consider banning cigarette smoke in your home. If you do that, you will lower the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, because smoking significantly increases blood pressure and can cause blood clots and peripheral vascular disease.
Respiratory Issues
This reason for steering clear of cigarette smoke is pretty obvious since you essentially inhale smoke either actively or passively (secondhand smoke). By bringing cigarette smoke into your lungs, you significantly increase the risk of developing various respiratory issues.
Apart from lung cancer, you increase the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes various lung diseases, such as emphysema, refractory asthma, chronic bronchitis, and a lot of other respiratory problems.
Pregnancy and Infants
It really goes without saying that if you are pregnant (or someone living under the same roof with you), you should absolutely neither smoke nor be exposed to secondhand smoke. Smoking during pregnancy can negatively affect your baby’s health and can even cause a premature birth, miscarriage or stillbirth.
It is also a no-brainer to smoke inside a home when there’s a baby in it, especially because of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and because kids are at a higher risk of developing asthma later in life if they are constantly exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke. They are also more prone to cold, bronchitis, ear infections and various respiratory issues.
Smell
After covering all the life-threatening issues above, this one doesn’t seem to be worth mentioning, does it? However, it doesn’t make this particular problem go away, as it can be pretty tough to get the cigarette smell out of your home.
Yes, there are plenty of air purifiers, air fresheners and air filters that you can use to remove the smell, but you cannot get the smoke out so quickly, especially if you constantly smoke inside your home when even your carpets and walls absorb all the smoke and the unpleasant odour.
Hygiene
Not everyone who is a smoker considers hygiene to be a major issue when it comes to cigarettes because they are simply used to the cigarette smell. However, this is where non-smokers have the greatest advantage because they don’t have to deal with bad dental hygiene due to smoking. If you quit smoking, you will have a fresh breath and you will say goodbye to nicotine-stained fingers.
Furthermore, if you don’t smoke or don’t let other people smoke in your home, your clothes and hair will always stay clean and fresh, without all the cigarette smoke compromising them.
If all of these reasons why you should ban cigarette smoke in your home (and kick the smoking habit while you’re at it) are not compelling enough for you to truly say goodbye to cigarettes once and for all, then just stop for a moment and think about your loved ones.
By smoking next to your friends, children and other family members, you are putting their lives at risk. If you don’t quite protect your own health, think about protecting theirs. This is why you should definitely ban smoking inside your home, which includes not allowing your house guests to do it. It may not exactly be as hospitable as they may like it, but they should ultimately understand because, after all, it’s about health. Health is the greatest asset that you possess, so make sure you take really good care of it.
