1. Why is it worth quitting smoking?

The earlier you give up smoking, the less harm it has caused your body. Smoking started at an early age is particularly harmful. So today is the perfect day to get prepared for not smoking. Instructions for getting started can be found on our site. That’s one decision you won’t have to regret.

There are so many reasons for quitting smoking that the most common ones you’ve probably already heard, but let’s repeat it one more time: Smoking increases the risks of getting lung deceases from breathing infections to lung cancer. Cigarette smoke increases the risk of coronary thrombosis, cerebral thrombosis and cerebral haemorrhage.

Young smokers suffer remarkably more from coughs than non-smokers of the same age. Smoking also has influences on looks, e.g. skin and teeth. It also causes childlessness and impotence.

The list could go on forever, but the good news is, that already two days after quitting smoking the nicotine has already left the body and day by day you start to recover from the damage done by the poisons.

2. How do you know that you are addicted to cigarettes?

On the addiction measurement scale cigarettes are even more addictive than cocaine and heroin. The majority of smokers develop an addiction already after smoking 50 – 100 cigarettes, or 3-5 packs.  In some cases the nicotine addiction has developed already after a few cigarettes.

Think beforehand what to say when you don’t go for a cigarette with others. On a break you can do something you really like: listen to music, read magazines or go for a walk.

When drinking alcohol at parties you can lose control and light a cigarette by accident. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption and, even at parties, don’t go for cigarette with the others. Try to seek the company of non-smokers.

3. What to do when you want to quit, but your friends urge you to continue?

Weight the things that you gain from continued smoking and the things you gain by quitting. When the scale tips towards quitting, it is time to decide and stop smoking.

Quitting is a process and you should go through is step by step. Inform your friends well ahead of time and ask for their support. Be proud of your decision and decisiveness. Maybe some of your friends would like to join you in quitting.

Remember that your smoking friend may unintentionally cause situations where you may feel obliged to smoke to make your friend feel better. Nobody wants to be the sore last smoker of the bunch. Be strong with your own decision and don’t break under pressure!

4. What can you do in school during breaks when others go smoking? What about parties?

Be prepared what to say when others come and ask you to joint them for a smoke. During breaks you can do something that you like: listen to music, read or go for a walk.

In parties alcohol drinking may cause you to loose control and you might light a cigarette without noticing it. During the critical first weeks it is wise to avoid excessive alcohol drinking and smokers’ company.

5. What should you do first when you want to quit?

Think beforehand about the positive things that giving up smoking brings and that make you want to quit. In a difficult situation it is important that those things are clear in your mind. Decide in good time on a date when you will give up smoking. Start to reduce your smoking from that day on.
Giving up smoking doesn’t necessarily happen that easily. It is good to find information on quitting, so that you can be prepared, for example, for the withdrawal symptoms. You’re in the right place for that. Fressis won’t let you down!

6. Where can I find help with quitting?

Look for help with quitting in a pharmacy, the school nurse, groups, Stumppi- help phone (0800-148 484, free of charge) or the internet. Also, a friend who’s given up smoking can help.

In the Fressis smoker’s corner you can always share your experiences and support, when you feel like having a smoke.

7. Are you more likely to quit successfully, if you quit in one go?

Quitting smoking is more successful when well prepared. It is good to remember, that failing is likely. Nevertheless, it doesn’t make you give up. You just have to make a new, stronger decision and remind yourself of your own reasons for quitting.

8. What kinds of withdrawal symptoms follow from quitting smoking?

The withdrawal symptoms are: irritability, restlessness, depression, headaches, sleep disorder (insomnia or drowsiness), concentration problems, slowed heartrate, growing appetite, sweating and craving for nicotine.

These symptoms may last from several days to several weeks. There may even be the occasional craving for cigarettes even after months, showing that, on top of physical symptoms there are other factors connected to nicotine addiction. Remember that your friends’ need for nicotine doesn’t affect your body. You don’t have to smoke because your friend feels like having a cigarette.

9. What should I do when the withdrawal symptoms strike?

It’s possible to ease the symptoms by getting enough sleep, physical exercise and healthy food. Nicotine replacement treatment helps most of the people quitting.

10. Will I start to gain weight, if I replace smoking with snacks?

Quitting smoking doesn’t necessarily mean gaining weight. If you used to replace meals with a cigarette, you should now pay attention to healthy eating habits. You will enjoy the taste of food and drinks more, because your senses work better after quitting.

When you eat regularly, the hunger won’t become unbearable. Eat slowly and enjoy the food. You could also keep some healthy snacks, such as carrots and fruits at hand. A hint: always have chewing gum in your pocket or purse! Also remember to drink enough, especially fresh water. Cigarettes steal your time. Now you should organise something nice to do; interesting conversations, a walk on a cosy autumn evening or light summer night, playing, movie-evenings, listening to music, a new hobby, whatever, to replace the killer habit.

And remember that a little struggle with your appetite won’t risk your health, whereas regular smoking will.

11. What bad things are cigarettes doing right now?

For young people, especially girls, the negative effects of smoking on fertility may be significant. Fertility will be affetced even if you quit smoking at a young age.

For boys, smoking may also influence sexual potency. Many do not like this “small” affliction and have consequently quit.  A smoker does not have the energy to move as much as a non-smoker. Smokers also suffer from more respiratory diseases.

12. Does smoking have an influence on looks?

The skin of a smoker is grayer because smoking weakens the surface blood circulation and the metabolism. For the same reason the skin of a smoker will lose its firmness earlier than a non-smoker’s skin.

The risk of getting acne is double compared to non-smokers. The amount of cigarettes smoked daily has an influence on the amount of acne and how severe it is.

The appearance of a smoker is less neat than non-smokers because the breath and clothes smell, fingers and teeth are yellowish. Fingernails might turn yellow, because the chemical combinations in tobacco affect nails via blood circulation. Bad breath is caused by a continuous gingivitis, which affects the connective tissue and results in loosened teeth. 

13. Does smoking have an influence on sex?

Smoking may cause or worsen, amongst other things, impotency and infertility. Smokers smell worse and they are not as desirable as others. Also, looks get worse by smoking.

14. What kind of future is to be expected if one continues smoking for 20 more years?

The risk of suffering from different kind of diseases caused by smoking is great. A 40 year-old person who’s been smoking for 20 years looks 60 years old. His fingers and teeth have turned yellow. Most women also have unsightly hair growing on their face. Many men have problems with sexual potency.

Only every second smoker dies of cigarettes while they smoke.

15. Is passive cigarette smoke harmful?

Studies have shown that being continuously surrounded by cigarette smoke may also have a bad influence on the health of a non-smoker. Passive smoking increases the risk of getting lung cancer and might also cause coronary and vascular diseases. Breathing cigarette smoke is especially dangerous for children and those suffering from allergies, coronary or lung diseases. Children of smoking parents have twice as many ear infections, coughs, flu, pneumonia and bronchitis during their first year as the children of non-smokers.

Cigarette smoke may also damage the health of pets.

16. How can I help a friend who has decided to quit smoking?

Try to support your friend in his decision. If you have quit yourself, give your friend some hints. If you still smoke, don’t tempt him to go for a cigarette with you. It is a bad favour to make your friend smoke so that you wouldn’t feel that bad yourself.

17. Who does it affect, if you’ve decided to smoke and don’t feel like quitting?

More than four fifths of the tobacco crop is grown in developing countries. Those working in tobacco production in developing countries do dangerous and badly paid work, and they are exposed to pesticides and chemicals. Due to insufficient knowledge and farmer’s low education, fertiliser is often being used in a way that it is harmful to the workers and the environment. Fertilisers may spread into the water reserves and pollute the water used by locals.

The tobacco industry destroys forests, water reserves and agriculture in developing countries. Wood is needed for growing and drying tobacco. Large areas of forest are being cut down in order to be burned for drying tobacco, and forest felling causes erosion. Each year, an area the size of  300 000 football fields of forest are destroyed for tobacco production. The destruction is taking place in Africa, different parts of Asia, South America and in the Caribbean.

Each year, the tobacco industry produces a thousand million kilos of waste – solvent, oil, grease, paper, wood, plastic, wrapping material and air pollution. In industrial countries, cigarette smoke is the number one in polluting indoor air.

So, if you consider yourself a person of at least reasonable intelligence, you should understand that it is not possible to argue for smoking in a morally enduring way. Smoking won’t harm only you, but also the people who are in a weaker position than you, animals and the entire ecosystem. And no, this list is not a reason to have a smoke to calm your nerves, rather a reason to consider quitting smoking.