Giving up cigarettes: risk of heart attack and cancer decreases
Published: Friday, May 31st 2024, 05:50
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After the last cigarette, smokers have to work hard: there are many hurdles to successfully quitting tobacco - from withdrawal symptoms to the "inner bastard". To mark World No Tobacco Day this Friday, here is an overview of why quitting smoking is still worthwhile:
WHAT RISKS ARE REDUCED BY QUITTING SMOKING?
Those who give up cigarettes generally reduce the risk of various diseases. Smoking is directly responsible for around a fifth of all cancers, but heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes and chronic bronchitis can also often be traced back to smoking. Smokers, for example, have a 65 percent higher risk of a heart attack than non-smokers.
Every year, around 9500 people in Switzerland die as a result of tobacco consumption. That is 26 deaths per day and 14 percent of all deaths. People who smoke or used to smoke also have a much higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or rheumatoid arthritis - an inflammation of the joints. Smoking also damages eyes, teeth, the digestive tract and affects fertility.
WHAT ARE THE CONCRETE BENEFITS OF THE WAIVER?
According to experts, respiratory function improves just three days after the last cigarette. After a week, blood pressure drops and with it the risk of a heart attack. After one to nine months, coughing fits, sinus congestion and shortness of breath decrease. The lungs are gradually cleansed as mucus is broken down. The risk of infection is reduced.
Two years after quitting smoking, a former smoker has almost the same risk of cardiovascular disease as a non-smoker. Those who have been smoke-free for five years have the same risk of heart attack as non-smokers. After five years, the risk of cancer in the oral cavity, throat, oesophagus and bladder is also halved. The risk of stroke can also fall to that of a non-smoker after just two to five years.
WHAT ABOUT THE DREADED LUNG CANCER?
Up to 85 percent of lung cancer deaths can be attributed to tobacco consumption - there is no other type of cancer for which quitting smoking can prevent so many deaths. Ten years after quitting, a former smoker has only half the risk of lung cancer than if they had continued to smoke.
The cancer statistics show a mixed picture: While the number of lung cancer cases in men has been falling slightly for several years, it is increasing in women. Experts attribute this to a change in smoking habits. In recent decades, more and more women have smoked, while the number of male smokers has fallen.
HOW DOES QUITTING SMOKING AFFECT YOUR LIFETIME?
According to calculations in Germany, heavy smoking shortens life by an average of ten years. Insurers estimate a reduction of six to seven years. The worst case is an obese heavy smoker who drinks a lot of alcohol and eats a lot of red meat - he loses around 17 years of life expectancy compared to his particularly healthy male peers. For a woman, the difference is almost 14 years.
IS THERE A RISK OF WEIGHT GAIN?
According to studies, former smokers gain an average of two to four kilograms in the first few weeks after quitting. This is due to a reduced metabolism and increased calorie intake after quitting smoking.
Nicotine accelerates metabolic processes and "burns" around 200 extra calories a day. Nicotine also has an appetite-suppressing effect. After quitting smoking, the body burns less energy and many people turn to sweets and snacks instead of cigarettes. A certain genetic predisposition may also increase the risk of weight gain.
HOW MUCH DO YOU SAVE BY STOPPING SMOKING?
The savings potential should not be underestimated. If you consume a pack of cigarettes a day, the total costs add up to more than the equivalent of CHF 36,000 over the course of ten years and a good CHF 165,000 after 30 years, as a model calculation by the comparison portal Verivox shows.
ARE E-CIGARETTES AN ALTERNATIVE?
Experts clearly say no. According to the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), e-inhalants are probably slightly less harmful than tobacco smoking because the liquids are heated rather than burned. However, they are still a health hazard.
According to the German Medical Association, the nicotine contained in most of these products can have a negative impact on brain development and cause addiction. In addition, e-cigarettes, which are also popular with children and young people, contain carcinogenic substances and can attack the respiratory organs and cardiovascular system. The risk of switching to tobacco cigarettes later on is three times higher among young e-cigarette users than among their abstinent peers.
©Keystone/SDA
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