The Dangers of Smoking and Your Child

You look at you precious child sleeping peacefully as you sit on the porch and drag on yet another cigarette and battle with many thoughts attacking your mind. “Why am I smoking again?", "Why can’t I give it up?", and “Am I really hurting my child?” The truth may be hard to hear but cigarette smoke will not only hurt you and your child, it may also lead to death. Many studies have been done that reveal just how dangerous smoking is to you and those around you.

Research shows that when you smoke a cigarette the dangerous chemicals stay on your clothes and hands for hours. When you hold your child the chemicals then seep into their delicate skin passing the dangerous effects on to your child.

No matter how much you try to sugar coat it actions do speak much louder than words. You may tell your kids over and over again not to smoke and tell them how dangerous it is, they will most likely follow the example that you have set for them. A frightening statistic is that over 3,000 kids become regular smokers’ everyday and the numbers continue to grow. Kids do what they see you do, not what you tell them they should do, be a positive role model for your child.

Smoking can hurt your child in countless ways, but just knowing of one example should be enough for you to quit your habit. Research shows that smoking during pregnancy may cause you to miscarry, bring on a premature birth, and cause difficulty during labor and delivery. It can also cause low birth weight or the child to die soon after birth.

After birth the danger continues. Children of parents that smoke have been shown to get sick a lot, and are a lot more likely to develop ear infections, asthma, other breathing difficulties, and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). In the long run a child’s exposure to second hand smoke contributes to lung cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses that can lead to death. Second hand smoke kills about 3,000 non-smokers each year from lung cancer. It also causes up to 300,000 lung infections like pneumonia and bronchitis in babies and young children each year. It fills the air with many of the same poisons that can be found in the air at a toxic waste dump.

If you smoke, it is in the best interest of your child to quit.

For the smoker the effects are a lot more detrimental. The sad fact is that smoking the number one moist preventable cause of death in the United States. Yet people choose to light that cigarette every day, turning their back to the effects that smoking has on their life and the lives of people affected around them. It can cause hearing and vision loss, arthritis, chronic cough, heartburn, diarrhea, decreased circulation of fingers and toes, bad breath, wrinkles, and a decrease in athletic performance. Then it continues and causes cancer of the mouth, gum disease, tooth decay; yellowing of your teeth, toe nails, and finger nails. It only gets worse causing peptic ulcers, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, kidney and liver damage, and ultimately can take your life, living your child to fend on their own without their parent.

Now that the obvious fact is that you have to quit, the bigger questions is how to do it. The good news is that it is very possible, but it will take some hard work and a true commitment. There are many aides that have been developed and great resources out there to help you hold fast to your decision. From gum to patches and inhalers to prescriptions the possibilities are endless. A great resource to know is the QuitNet (http://www.quitnet.com). It’s got great advice in helping you to quit and you can be a part of a great support group. If you say that you’ve tried everything and still haven’t had success try a trip to your doctor. Prescriptions drugs have been developed that can help some deal with their overwhelming nicotine addiction and a prescription aid could get them on the road to recovery and quit all together.

Quitting smoking is not easy but the benefits are undeniable and out weight any difficulties that you may have to get through. Research shows that 400,000 people die each year from smoking related illnesses, don’t let your life turn out to be a statistic, choose a quit day now! You will succeed and it will put you on a path for a better life for you and your child.

 

Copyright © 2007-2008 Nat Doroshenko of Healthy Male Enhancement.

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About The Author

Nat Doroshenko is the CEO and owner of the male enhancement products company that is dedicated to provide consumers with the real truth about an all natural male enhancement product that guarantees results.