Cigarettes are widely known for causing many health issues along with mental and physical issues. Despite this, many people are still smoking and dying from cigarette-related illnesses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 480,000 people are dying every year due to issues that come with smoking cigarettes.
To help lower that number, the CDC has relaunched its campaign, ‘Tips From Former Smokers.’
The campaign focuses on seven former smokers and their journey to becoming cigarette-free.
One of those former smokers is Angie P. She started smoking when she was 13 years old and became addicted to the drug. She struggled to quit for years, but smoking took away her ability to sing and that is when she realized a change was needed.
“I love singing. I loved everything about it, but smoking cigarettes took that away from me,” said Angie P.
Angie P. started her journey to becoming smoke-free after overhearing a guy talking about a program to help people stop smoking. She joined that program, got a counselor and was able to officially call herself a former smoker 27 years after she began smoking.
“I know it’s hard to quit but it’s worth it, your life is worth it and your health is worth it,” Angie P. said.
The CDC says smoking cigarettes, specifically those with menthol in them, makes it hard for people to put them down once they start.
“Menthol is an ingredient that tobacco companies add to cigarettes that makes it easier to start and harder to quit,” said Doctor Kristy Marynack, a Health Scientist at the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health.
The CDC says smoking can cause a multitude of health issues. Those include:
- The ability to harm nearly every organ in the body
- Causes more than 13 types of cancers
- Is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in our country
- Powerfully addictive
“Most people who smoke started when they were very young, wish they had never started and want to quit.” Dr. Marynack said.
You can learn more about quitting cigarettes by heading to the CDC’s website, or by calling 1-800-quit now.