According to a study by Dr. Robin J. Mermelstein, a clinical psychologist and director of the Center for Health Behavior Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who specializes in smoking cessation counseling, ‘light smokers’ are exposed to the same serious health risks as heavier smokers, breaking a common myth that ‘social smoking’ is somehow safe.
The new research looked at health behaviors and outcomes in over 42,000 people followed for more than 25 years and was published in the latest issue of Tobacco Control. It shows those who smoke between one to four cigarettes a day are tripling their risk of dying of heart disease and lung cancer1.
Interestingly, according to Dr. Mermelstein, who has studied more than 2,000 smokers in both her counseling and clinical studies, the real myth lies in how easily these people can quit.
Many light smokers habitually look for planned opportunities to ‘slip.’ Often, the few cigarettes they smoke each day are more precious and more engaging, and the act of smoking is a main highlight of their day. This means quitting can often be more complex for light smokers than it is for heavier smokers.
Indeed it is time to dispell some other common smoking myths. While the statistics about lung cancer and its leading cause are well-known, many smokers have misperceptions about dodging the health risks associated with the deadly habit. Aside from the myth mentioned above, recent studies expose other common smoker misperceptions:
A vitamin a day keeps lung cancer at bay – Three out of ten (28 percent) smokers mistakenly believe that if they take vitamins they can counteract most or all of the ill effects of smoking2
Run off those cigarettes – More than half (52 percent) of smokers wrongly believe that exercise can reverse most of the effects of smoking3
It’s in the genes – More than one-third (36 percent) of smokers incorrectly believe lung cancer depends more on genes than anything else4
Stop-smoking products with nicotine are just as harmful as cigarettes – More than one-quarter (26 percent) of smokers mistakenly believe that nicotine replacement therapy products are as harmful as cigarettes5
I periodically comment that people have a propensity to hear or believe what they want to, and a marked disinclination to listen to anything that runs counter to their views. This is unfortunately a human failing, and not merely restricted to those without a higher education, where ideally minds are broadened and critical thinking skills are acquired.
Smokers seem to have a special talent in this regard, for though they are repeatedly exposed to sound health advice telling, showing how and even assisting them in various ways, to quit, they persist in their delusions that nothing bad will happen to them. If they claim to not have such a delusion, yet continue to smoke, then they are displaying dangerous intentional self-harm and are in need of special psychological support.
At Healthy-Vitamin-Choice we provide vital information for smokers. Go and read it. You’ll notice that we give the very best recommendation anyone can possibly give to smokers. That is to quit. Plain and simple, stop smoking.
Yet we know all too well that smokers will persist with their filthy, disgusting, lethal habit like the real losers they are. As frustrating as this is, we nevertheless spell out the nutritional support they need in order to minimize the damage that smoking causes. But the bottom line is the same as the first; they must quit. No amount of nutritional protection can prevent the inevitable health disaster that awaits smokers who persist with their self-destructive behavior.
References
1 Tobacco Control 2005; 14; 315-320 — K Bjartveit and A Tverdal
2 Tobacco Journal 2005; 14; 55-59 — N D Weinstein, S E Marcus and R P Moser
3 Tobacco Journal 2005; 14; 55-59 — N D Weinstein, S E Marcus and R P Moser
4 Tobacco Journal 2005; 14; 55-59 — N D Weinstein, S E Marcus and R P Moser
5 National survey of 3,203 U.S. smokers and ex-smokers, conducted by National Family Opinion
