When Adele wanted to quit smoking she went to a celebrity hypnotist in London who charged her around $700 for a three-hour session—that worked! But for the 40 million U.S. adults who smoke cigarettes that doesn’t seem a viable quit-smoking plan.
Fortunately, University of North Carolina researchers came up with an idea to help folks kick the habit: Tell them what they’re inhaling! Seems most folks don’t know about all the cancer-causing, toxic ingredients lurking in their smokes.
There are 600+ chemicals in cigs—and, when burned, they produce over 7,000 chemicals—69 of which are known cancer-causers, many are poisonous. Here are a few: Acetone—nail polish remover; Arsenic—rat poison; Butane—lighter fluid; Cadmium—part of battery acid; Cyanide—poison; Formaldehyde—embalming fluid. No wonder cigarettes account for 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S.
Fully 80 percent of U.S. smokers say they intend to quit, but most folks try six times before succeeding! So to help you quit and stay quit, when you light up repeat this jingle: Arsenic and formaldehyde, butane and cyanide ... not something to take inside. And send for the free Tobacco Treatment Guide at clevelandclinic.org.
Once you stop: In 20 minutes your blood pressure goes down; in eight hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood normalizes; in 48 hours your ability to taste and smell improved. And you’ll have more energy, healthier skin, heart and lungs, an improved sex life and a 10-years-younger RealAge, if you kick a pack-a-day habit!
Medically reviewed in January 2019.
