Frequently asked questions...

Most people start to smoke as teenagers who think it is "cool" to smoke. That can result from peer pressure or promotional influences. Having parents who smoke strongly increases the chances of one becoming a smoker.

Facts reveal that it is not "cool" to smoke. Every day, 3,000 teens smoke their first cigarette, and of those, 1,000 will eventually die of tobacco-related disease.

Your health is affected immediately because tars and carbon monoxide from the smoke and tobacco enter your body. You can also be taking the first step toward nicotine addiction.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services Office on Smoking and Health, the addiction to tobacco use -- like most drug addictions -- is not always constant. From initiation on, the process of graduation from first use to addiction can take months or even years. In fact, initial experiences are sometimes negative and require social pressures and other factors to maintain exposure until the addiction develops.

The Surgeon General reports that adolescents are unaware of, or underestimate, the strength of tobacco addiction, which almost always begins during childhood or adolescence.

A Surgeon General report shows conclusively that cigarettes and other forms of tobacco are addictive in the same sense as drugs such as heroin and cocaine.

Some people cannot accept the notion that tobacco is addicting because it is a legal product; but smokers who repeatedly fail to quit smoking realize smoking is more than just a simple habit.

Lung cancer is a major problem for smokers, who account for 87% of lung cancer deaths in the US. There are other problems, too, such as emphysema, heart disease, circulatory problems, and other types of cancer. In addition, smokers are more susceptible than nonsmokers to upper respiratory infections, colds and flu.

Almost immediately. Blood pressure and pulse rate drop down to normal level within 20 minutes of stopping smoking. Within eight hours, the carbon monoxide level in blood is reduced to normal. Within 24 hours, the chance for a heart attack decreases and within three months, lung function increases by up to 30%. Within one year, risk of a coronary heart disease (chance of a heart attack) is half that of a smoker.

It's both. Nicotine was classified as an addictive substance in 1988 and it is known to be more addicting than heroin. The habit part is the repeated behavior (cigarette while on the phone, in the car, or with a drink) that is most difficult to break and is responsible for the most of the relapses among quitters who don't use the SMOKENDERS program.

In the SMOKENDERS program, it will probably take four weeks, as smokers are encouraged to continue to smoke for the first four weeks. SMOKENDERS promotes a gradual process and doesn't use scare tactics to get you to stop "cold turkey".

On average, quitters gain about six pounds under normal conditions, but you will be healthier and stronger and you will have more energy. Gaining excessive weight results from consuming more calories. It is really an eating problem that adds weight; it is not a direct result of not smoking. SMOKENDERS provides techniques that will minimize weight gain.

All tobacco use is harmful. Usage requires you to put toxins in your mouth and body. Not inhaling is better than inhaling, but is still dangerous enough to pose serious health risks.

Almost half of all deaths among the 46 million smokers in the US are attributable to cigarettes. Despite tobacco industry claims of making safer cigarettes with reduced tar and nicotine, the rate of lung cancer deaths among smokers has increased 500 percent among female smokers and 100 percent among male smokers over the last 30 years.

You may feel worse or you may feel better as the body goes through its physiological adjustment. It is important not to get discouraged. Some people feel restless, angry and agitated. You must remember that these are symptoms of recovery and will dissipate quickly. Others have no problems and even experience a euphoric feeling.

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