If you have smoked for 40 years is there any point stopping?

corribdude

As the title says, if you have been a moderate to heavy smoker from 20-60 is there any point stopping or is the damage already done? Is the extra time you can expect to live now negligible compared to the X amount of years you've already knocked off your lifespan?

greendom

corribdude wrote: »

As the title says, if you have been a moderate to heavy smoker from 20-60 is there any point stopping or is the damage already done? Is the extra time you can expect to live now negligible compared to the X amount of years you've already knocked off your lifespan?

All I can give is anecdotal but my dad gave up smoking in '79 aged 50 after more than 30 years smoking (regularly 60 a day) and he went on to live for another 25 years (20 of which were healthy). Unfortunately he didn't have a smoking twin brother as a control but I'd like to think he benefited as a result of giving up. If nothing else though, just think about the money you'll save

Beruthiel

corribdude wrote: »

As the title says, if you have been a moderate to heavy smoker from 20-60 is there any point stopping or is the damage already done?

Unless you intend to lie down and die tomorrow you will reap certain benefits.
You will feel better physically and will have more energy.
Surely that in itself should be enough to get you going.
Not to mention the fortune you will save.

corribdude

Well, Im actually asking on behalf of a relation of mine. Unfortunately the only way this person would consider giving them up is if they added some years on to their lifespan, they love cigarettes and would be of the view that what is the point in giving them up and being miserable about it if the damage is already done.

Creamy Goodness

I thought the benefit of not wasting 8-16 euro a day would be incentive enough judging how much this country is driven by money would make the decision to quit easy. Not to mention the health benefits and not smelling like an ash tray 24-7

Beruthiel

Nothing you say or do will convince a smoker to give up his ciggies.
Until they are ready to give up of their own accord, you are wasting your time.

Buy them the Alan Carr book and leave it on their bed side table.
My b/f left that book on my bed side table and there it stayed untouched for a year.
I read it last week and am off the ciggies 1 week and 12hrs now.

greendom

http://www.ciggyfree.com/cigblog/2008/07/08/the-sooner-you-quit-the-better-it-is/

Rashers

corribdude wrote: »

As the title says, if you have been a moderate to heavy smoker from 20-60 is there any point stopping or is the damage already done? Is the extra time you can expect to live now negligible compared to the X amount of years you've already knocked off your lifespan?

Some damage is probably already done. But in many cases that progressive damage can be arrested and some can even be reversed.

In January I was taken by ambulance from my doctor's surgery to hospital. Without going into the details I was in bad shape, probably going to die. This was due in total to 30+ years of cigarette smoking an average of 30 a day.

I'm now home again and have not smoked one cigarette since that day. The good news is part of my illness has been stopped from developing further and another life threatening problem has been completely reversed.

So yes there IS a point in stopping no matter how long you've smoked.

I'm much happier as a non smoker... more energy.... food tastes so much better.... people tell me I have a light in my eye that they hadn't seen in years (nothing like a bit of pandering to your vanity). Not to mention more money and I make sure to save that money every day and have bought myself a few rewards. Stuff I'd never have bought if I'd been still smoking.

Yes I get a yearning now and then for a cigarette but it passes fairly quickly.... I just have to think back to that day the doctor said, "I can't do anything more for you, I have to call an ambulance." And apart from the fright I got.... the worry I brought upon my family.

Did I mention the sense of freedom you get as an ex smoker? It's good to no longer be a slave to the tobacco companies.

corribdude

You dont have to convince me, I hate cigarettes and always have. But the person in question is not going to give them up for reasons of money or feeling/looking healthier. It just isn't going to be a good enough reason for him, it is for alot of people but not this person. He gave them up a few years ago for about 9 months, after 35 years non stop smoking, before going back on them, I think that was his last real chance to get off them. At this stage I think the only hope of getting him off them would be if he was convinced he could add a few years to his lifespan, otherwise no chance as he really loves cigarettes.

Pal

Smoking is drug addiction.
Thats the only reason anybody does it.

The drug is nicotine.
It is the most addictive drug known.

Money doesn't come in to it.
He/she loves cigarettes (myth) doesn't come in to it.

Is there any point in stopping even after 35 years smoking ?

Go figure.




(suggest to your friend to have a look at whyquit.com
i found this most informative......)