Eight Harmful Myths About Smoking Tobacco

There are many harmful myths about smoking tobacco. Furthermore, its negative effects take time to disappear from the body even if you don't smoke a lot. Even if you smoke "light" cigarettes.

Both bad habits and harmful myths about tobacco deter people from quitting smoking. In fact, it continues to be one of the most widely practiced bad habits.

The most worrying thing is thousands of smokers justify their addiction and pretend to minimize the damage it causes them by ignoring how harmful its components are to the body’s tissues and cells.

Thus, we must clarify some of the harmful myths in regard to smoking. This is because there’s much confusion about it. Check them out!

Eight harmful myths about smoking tobacco

The World Health Organization (WHO) asserts this is one of the main threats to public health. In this regard, it suggests that more than half of users lose their lives due to diseases related to smoking tobacco.

However, people continue to use it despite multiple warnings about its harmful effects on the body. Today’s article will reveal the eight most common harmful myths about smoking tobacco that keep people from saying goodbye to such a bad habit.

1. Smoking is relaxing

This is one of the most widespread false beliefs about tobacco. In fact, smokers are totally convinced of it.

Thousands of people pick up the smoking habit because they think it an effective method to channel the effects of anxiety and stress.

There are even some who smoke excessively and don’t quit because they think it’ll be too hard to handle the tension resulting from quitting tobacco.

The truth is that, far from relaxing the body, its toxins affect the nervous system and trigger sudden mood changes, according to some studies. While it may create a momentary false sense of relief, over time it will cause undesired effects.

2. Smoking just a few cigarettes doesn’t do any harm

Smoking just a few cigarettes a day also implies significant health damage, although it is not as aggressive as when consumed in large quantities.

While excessive tobacco consumption increases the risk of suffering from lung cancer alarmingly, smoking moderately is associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases. At least according to a study published in the Circulation journal.

3. Tobacco isn’t harmful when you’re in good shape

Be careful! Being one of the most dangerous myths about tobacco, this has made many people believe that they can smoke without suffering from the harmful side effects of the toxins found in cigarettes. People who have good health quickly reduce their quality of life when they include tobacco in their routine.

4. Smoking “light” cigarettes isn’t as harmful

The popular “light” cigarettes contain lower concentrations of nicotine and tar. But this does not mean that they are free of these ingredients.

This kind of tobacco is still an enemy of your health because the smoke and its toxins affect respiratory health, according to Instituto Nacional de Cancer.

5. Exercise eliminates the toxins from tobacco

It’s true that many of the toxins from tobacco are removed through the sweat produced during exercise. However, a significant percentage remains in the blood and the excretory organs of the body.

The function of sweat is to regulate body temperature; other parts of the body, such as the kidneys or liver, are responsible for eliminating harmful substances.

However, as stated in a study published in the Environment International journal it’s true that, although this isn’t its main task, a minimum amount of toxins can be secreted through sweat. However, this figure is so small it’s irrelevant.

This is why the idea that exercise makes it possible to eliminate toxic substances from tobacco is nothing more than a harmful myth. On the contrary, smoking and exercising will decrease your performance over time and make you tired faster as you’ll lose your breath more easily.

6. It’s impossible to quit smoking

This isn’t true at all! We can’t deny the existence of withdrawal symptoms but anyone can quit smoking.

Addicts must overcome a series of symptoms. Symptoms including nervousness and anxiety, given that the brain demands the dose of nicotine from cigarettes.

Despite this, with the appropriate support and advice, it is possible to quit the habit gradually. Eventually, you’ll no longer feel it necessary to smoke.

7. The damage is already done so, why quit?

It’s never too late to quit smoking tobacco even if you’ve been smoking several cigarettes a day for many years. Anyone with the willpower to do so can benefit from a series of positive changes such as:

• The risk of cancer and lung diseases decreases
• Circulatory health improves
• The heart starts to work better
• Blood pressure is re-established
• The skin starts to recover its health
• In general, it’s possible to maintain an incredible feeling of well-being

8. We’re all going to die of something

Smokers repeat this phrase to justify their addiction. However… would you be willing to live with the effects of chronic disease?

You must consider this kind of thing because those who tend to say this are those who haven’t yet experienced the harmful health effects of tobacco.

Stop believing the harmful myths about smoking tobacco

Do you smoke or have you thought about smoking? If so, and if these dangerous myths about tobacco have crossed your mind, it is worth avoiding it as much as possible so that your quality of life does not reduce over time.