Smoking: Health Risks and Benefits of Quitting

Benefits of quitting smoking

Smoking increases disease risk and cause serious complications for those with chronic medical conditions.

Every cigarette takes seven minutes off a smoker’s life. On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than non-smokers.

Smoking increases disease risks and causes serious complications for those with chronic medical conditions.

More than 2,500 Singaporeans die each year from smoking-related illnesses. Patients who have chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, lipid disorders, stroke, asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and who smoke, have a much greater risk of developing disease-related complications, greatly reducing their quality of life and causing premature death.

Higher risk of diseases

Lung cancer

90 per cent of all lung cancer cases in Singaporean males occur among smokers.
Smokers are 20 times more likely to develop lung cancer.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

COPD is the 7th highest cause of death in Singapore.
This disease is mostly caused by smoking, which narrows the airways and destroys the air sacs in the lungs, resulting in breathing difficulty.
Approximately 80-90 per cent of COPD deaths are caused by smoking.

Heart disease and stroke

Smoking causes fatty deposits to build up in the blood vessels.
About 40 per cent of deaths due to heart disease before the age of 65 are related to smoking.
Smokers have more than four times the risk of having a stroke as compared with people who have never smoked.

Cancers

Smokers risk developing cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney and bladder.

Other diseases

Smokers have a 40 per cent higher risk of developing cataracts, which are caused by cigarette smoke irritation to the eyes or chemicals released into the lungs that get into the eyes through the bloodstream.
Smokers are also more prone to tooth decay and gum disease due to excessive formation of plaque.

How smoking affects chronic medical conditions

Condition Type	Effects
Diabetes	Aggravates complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, foot disorders, retina disorders and neuropathy.
Hypertension	Increase the risk of stroke and heart disease.
Lipid disorders	Leads to the increased level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and lowered levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in the blood. Promotes atherosclerosis, which can lead to stroke, heart attack or peripheral artery disease.
Stroke	Increases the risk of transient ischaemic attacks or another stroke.
COPD	Increases the risk of COPD, a lung disease that make difficult to breathe.
Asthma	Increases the risk of an asthma attack. Could permanently damage the smoker's airways, and block the benefit of any asthma medicines taken.

Benefits of quitting smoking

Health benefits:

Lower risks of smoking-related diseases.
Improved stamina and endurance.
Sperm quality and fertility level return to normal.
Less coughing and respiratory illness.

Physical benefits:

Fresher breath and whiter teeth.
Better skin texture and elasticity.

Emotional benefits:

Improved sense of well-being.
Increased self-confidence and sense of control of life.
Sense of accomplishment and pride in being able to stop smoking.
Improved relationship with loved ones.

Social benefits:

Better concentration and higher productivity at the workplace as you will not be distracted by the urge to smoke and the need to take smoke breaks.
This also equates to more time for work, family and friends.
You no longer face restrictions at public places such as restaurants with non-smoking policies.
Wider circle of friends as 87 per cent of Singaporeans are non-smokers.

Financial benefits:

Savings from not having to buy cigarettes, e.g. a person who smokes 20 cigarettes a day can save $77 a week or $4,015 a year!
You no longer have to pay higher insurance premiums that smokers are subjected to.
You can save on medical costs of smoking-related illnesses.

For a helping hand, call QuitLine: 1800 438 2000, Health Promotion Board (HPB)

Ref: V10

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