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Cigarette smoking is a highly addictive and dangerous habit that sees millions of North Americans trying to quit everyday. Thanks to the efforts of science, a great deal more is known today about the dangers of smoking than ever before. Increased publicity has led to better education of the general public on the hazards of cigarette smoke. Unfortunately, although many smokers know that smoking can lead to lung disease and cancer, few are aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is present in every cigarette causing a legitimate threat to a person's health. Anyone who smokes, regardless of how often, should know about carbon monoxide and how it affects the body when it is inhaled.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is known as the silent killer because it is colorless and odorless and thus virtually impossible for a human to detect. The symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure are typically seemingly harmless, which is why detection of CO poisoning often comes too late. In the body of a smoker, CO blocks the absorption of oxygen into the bloodstream from the lungs. This process has the effect of poisoning the red blood cells in a way that prevents them from carrying oxygen. When body tissues do not receive a constant and adequate supply of oxygen, they cease to function.

In the same way that a car's tail pipe releases CO, so does a lit cigarette when someone smokes it. Studies have indicated that a CO molecule more closely resembles hemoglobin than an oxygen molecule. This means that the CO found in cigarettes replaces oxygen in the blood. When this happens it becomes difficult for the red blood cells to do their job and carry oxygen throughout the body. Research has shown that a person who smokes a pack of cigarettes in an 8-hour time period will see their CO blood saturation rise to between 7 and 15 percent, thus reducing the availability of oxygen to the body. This seems especially dangerous when you consider that the normal rate of CO in the blood is between 0 and 8 parts per million.

Compared to most cases of carbon monoxide exposure, cigarette smoking appears to be the lesser threat. Smoking cigarettes typically does not create carbon monoxide levels that pose an imminent threat; however, this is not to say that the body does not suffer from exposure to the CO found in cigarettes. As an immediate effect, the CO in cigarettes can cause shortness of breath and an increased heart rate. Over time, a smoker's risk escalates and prolonged CO exposure, even at low levels, can lead to heart disease. In addition, CO in cigarettes also contributes to a buildup of fat on the artery walls. This buildup is potentially dangerous and often the cause of heart failure.

There are many dangers associated with smoking and unfortunately, many people do not realize that carbon monoxide exposure is one of them. Although carbon monoxide levels caused by cigarettes are relatively low, there are still some long and short-term risks that should be recognized. Carbon monoxide in cigarettes is just one more reason why smoking is a habit to kick!

About the Author

Alexandria Haber is a freelance writer and is the head researcher and content manager for A Guide to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning.

You may not realize it, but smoking affects your social life as well as your physical well being. How often have you avoided going places because they were non-smoking, or ducked out of a party at the height of the action to satisfy your nicotine cravings?

When you quit smoking, you can also increase your confidence, meet new people, and join new activities. An improved social life is just one more reason to quit smoking!

Gain confidence.

Smokers become addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes and tobacco. Cigarettes, cigars, and pipes all emit smoke that holds thousands of other chemicals, in addition to the nicotine. When a person's body becomes addicted to nicotine, the chemical temporarily creates pleasant physical and mental effects, which keeps the smoker coming back time and again.

When you successfully quit smoking, you overcome this physical and mental addiction. Overcoming such a powerful addiction is no easy task. Once you've accomplished it, you'll have more confidence to face other difficult tasks in your life, armed with the knowledge that you have succeeded at one of the most challenging hurdles many people encounter. If you can quit smoking, what is there that you can't accomplish?

Meet others trying to quit.

Hopefully your family and friends will be supportive of your efforts to quit smoking. However, non one can truly empathize with you except someone that is going through the same trials and tribulations. Join an online or local community that offers support to people who are quitting smoking.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) offers phone counseling at 1-800-QUIT-NOW. WhyQuit offers discussion groups for both first-time quitters and ones that have tried before. WhyQuit focuses on abrupt nicotine cessation (as opposed to smoking cessation with a gradual decrease in nicotine intake).

Many forums are geared toward quitting with the aid of a specific medication. However, forums that are more general include:

American Lung Association's Freedom from Smoking® offers modules to walk a quitter through the process and associated message boards.

The Quit Smoking Company's message boards are visually sparse, but offer visitors many opportunities for discussion with others trying to quit.

Quit Smoking Support has been helping smokers quit for over nine years through peer-to-peer support and encouragement.

To meet people in your local area and have a face-to-face discussion on quitting smoking, visit Nicotine Anonymous, Smart Recovery, or check with your insurance and health providers. Get more support for your efforts, and make new friends!

Learn new activities.

Many experts recommend taking up new activities to fill up your time and keep you from thinking about smoking. As your health improves, you can join a local gym, recreational sports league, or take fitness classes.

To keep their hands busy and away from cigarettes, some people take up hobbies like knitting, crocheting, or doing puzzles. What will you do with your new energy and time? The possibilities are endless!

Get out of the house.

When first quitting, smokers are often urged to spend a lot of time in public places where smoking is prohibited, such as libraries, malls, theatres, or museums. Revel in the fact that you can stay inside as long as you like–no need to run outside and satisfy a nicotine craving!

Make a point to meet friends and families for dinner at non-smoking restaurants that you may have avoided in the past. As the amount of time since your last cigarette increases, your sense of taste will improve and you can enjoy the food more.

Enjoy your financial freedom.

A big part of quitting smoking is giving yourself rewards when you reach an important goal, whether it's going a day without smoking or six months. How can you reward yourself?

Tally up all of the money that you would be spending on cigarettes and think of ways to spend it. You can save up for a big trip or larger purchase, or spend it on weekly social activities like dining out, going to the theatre, or taking hobby or fitness classes. Use your extra money to improve your social life and reward yourself for resisting the temptation to buy another pack of cigarettes.

When someone quits smoking, their physical, mental, and emotional well-being all improve dramatically. Quitting smoking can take your social life to new heights since you'll have time and money for new hobbies, and will be able to venture out in public without fear of finding someplace to smoke your next cigarette. Once you've quit smoking, your social life will be on fire!

About the Author

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