Why Am I Smoking?

https://philaquitsmoking.com/causes-of-smoking/

The causes of smoking are different for different groups of people. Some people like the smell of cigarette smoke, others enjoy feeling lightheadedness after having a cigarette. Some people smoke after a meal because nicotine increases the production of gastric enzymes and thus improves the digestion of the food. There are many more reasons why people smoke, which we’ll discuss in this article.

Why do people smoke? – is a very common question that smokers ask. What are the causes of smoking and why can’t I quit smoking? – are two major questions you have to answer to be able to quit. In this article, you will find answers to these major questions. You will understand the mechanism of nicotine addiction and the solution.

Why do people smoke?

Nicotine addiction is the answer to the question of why people smoke. Smoking cigarettes is the act of inhaling and exhaling the smoke of a burnt substance that reaches the bloodstream through the lungs. The burnt substance is tobacco and it can either be covered in a paper and filter (cigarette) or it can be in another form. Smoking is injurious to health and it leads to many ailments as well. Christopher Columbus first discovered smoking. In 1531, the first-ever cultivation of tobacco was initiated. The cigarette making machines were then introduced in the late 1800s.

What are the reasons for smoking cigarettes?

People smoke because they feel pleasure and relaxed in doing so or they want themselves to look cool to others. It used to be a fashion statement. Some teenagers start it in the name of fashion and then they start to smoke regularly. Others imitate their friends or relatives. The reason for most smokers is that they want to release stress from their minds and they feel satisfied after smoking. In doing so daily, they become addicted to smoking because of the nicotine which serves as a drug.

Most teenagers start smoking in their group of friends by experiencing how it feels to just puff a cigarette, and in doing so, most of them make it a habit to smoke daily. This puffing then leads to inhaling slowly and gradually which turns into proper smoking. It becomes a habit afterward and such an addictive habit that is very difficult to control and leave. And that’s why people smoke.

Nicotine: Its functions and addiction 

Nicotine is a sedative and stimulant chemical compound with the formula C10H14N2 and is highly toxic. It is found in all types of tobacco. When an individual smokes or uses tobacco in any other form, nicotine stimulates the brain cells and tissues thereby increasing attention and focus.

Nicotine withdrawal or quitting smoking can make a smoker feel uncomfortable and stressed because the amount of nicotine that is regularly being supplied to your body has been stopped. The symptoms of withdrawal include irritation, stress, exasperation, tremors, feelings of depression, uneasiness, and difficulty focusing. It is that nicotine that makes a person addicted to smoking. The more you smoke, the more you get addicted and the more supply of nicotine your body demands.

When a person takes a puff of a cigarette, the nicotine is inhaled into the body and it is absorbed by the lungs into the blood which then goes to the heart and brain. Hence stimulating the cells and tissues to respond more quickly than before. Nicotine increases the reaction time of the smoking individual. Smokers enjoy the process of inhaling a cigarette and for a regular user, it removes the withdrawal symptoms of nicotine which makes a smoker feel relieved. There are different stages of nicotine addiction. Some people have a low-level nicotine addiction; some have severe kinds of addiction which leads to a strong urge to smoke more and more cigarettes.

The effects of nicotine

The effects of nicotine include a faster heart rate as well as the rate of oxygen consumption. It also leads to increased alertness due to the faster rate of brain tissue stimulation. It increases the concentration of the smoker and allows them to have a faster memory.

#1 on the list of reasons for smoking cigarettes

Smoking cigarettes and smoking cigars is not only a result of nicotine addiction – it’s more about the habit of having something (a cigarette, cigar, or pipe) sandwiched between your lips. Just for a second, imagine the smoking process. A smoker grips a cigarette between upper and lower lips making at the same time sucking actions. It looks exactly the same as if a baby is breastfeed by a woman.

Because this action was the first in every human’s life it creates the strongest habit. Even more, the sucking action isn’t just a habit, it is the instinct settled by Mother Nature, and there are no pharmaceutical drugs, patches, or gums that may substitute it. The instinct anatomically located deep in the subconscious mind, and it can be altered only by modifying the subconscious region of the brain.

Forms of smoking

There are different forms of smoking. A cigarette is the most common form of smoking and they are available in different flavors, sizes, and colors. They are exported and imported in bulk quantities. Companies make a lot of money from this. Their production involves the different quality of tobacco for different brands. They keep a specific amount of tar and nicotine for specified brands. Some brands contain a high amount of nicotine while some are just light, but all of them lead to nicotine addiction.

Some cigarettes contain flavors like mint, strawberry, chocolate, etc. Some of the most widely used cigarettes are Marlboro, Dunhill, and Gold Leaf, etc. Cigarettes are least banned worldwide. Cigarettes are harmful to the human body and its parts including the mouth, lungs, esophagus, heart, as well as the brain and nervous system.

Why are people smoking cigars?

Cigars are another form of smoking. It is more harmful than smoking cigarettes because they do not have a filter that blocks most of the harmful chemicals and poisonous gases. One large cigar is said to contain 40 times more nicotine than a pack of cigarettes. The cigar has a larger quantity of tobacco than a cigarette. The people who die from smoking cigarettes are far less than people who die from the smoking cigars.

Why are people smoking Hookah or shisha?

Hookah or shisha is another form of smoking and thus nicotine addiction. It consists of a metallic body followed by a pipe from a person who inhales the smoke. The tobacco is kept at the top plate where it burns and smoke evolves which is then inhaled by the individual holding the pipe. Hookahs have different types like Mouassal which uses molasses of tobacco and another is “Jrak” which uses rotten fruits to add sweet taste in inhaling. All these kinds of shishas use fermented materials.

Some people use flavors, chocolate, mint, strawberry, etc., on the top pot placed on shisha. That pot has an aluminum foil on it in which the flavor is placed and holes are made in the foil and burnt coal is kept on then so that flavor is heated up and when are person inhales from the pipe the flavor comes along which increases the flavor and taste of the smoke. Shishas can cause lip, mouth, and throat cancers. Smoking shisha for an hour or two is equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes. Smoking shisha is performed in a closed room, it can cause suffocation and headache, a person may become unconscious if they stay in the room for a long time.

Why do people smoke chewed tobacco?

Another form is to chew tobacco in the mouth. This is known as smoking without smoke. It is commonly known as “Naswar” in many countries. It is moist powdered tobacco mostly used by the people of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, India, and Russia. It is placed beneath the lips, cheeks and below the tongue for quite a long time. It is made by using water in a cement tub and then mixing it with sun-dried tobacco. It is included in the narcotics of many countries as well.

Some chewing tobacco is made by mixing flavors of different kinds. This form of smoking releases the most amount of nicotine in the body than any of the other forms of smoking so it can be termed as the most addictive form of smoking. Chewing tobacco leads to severe nicotine addiction.

Why do people smoke electronic cigarettes/vape?

Nowadays, electronic cigarettes are available to use continuously. A liquid is filled into the cavity and the electronic cigarette is charged and when a person puffs it, the liquid heats up and the smoke goes through the lungs into the blood. They are safer than tobacco cigarettes but their health effects are uncertain. The main question “does vaping cause cancer?” is still unanswered. Extra charging of the device or keeping it at a maximum voltage rating can result in an explosion due to the heating up of the device. There have been many cases of explosions of such e-cigarettes.

Passive smoking

Passive smoking is a term widely used in literature. A passive smoker is one who inhales the smokes exhaled by smokers or who sits in the environment of smoke rather than smoking themself. Passive smoking is also dangerous regarding health. In passive smoking, a person inhales the burning cigarette smoke as well as the exhaled smoke. So, it becomes equivalent to smoking.

How to fight nicotine addiction

Nicotine can be removed from the human body, after two hours of the intake of nicotine, the amount of nicotine reduces to half of its quantity. Due to this immediate effect, people feel the urge to smoke more again after some time. But a smoker can fight this urge of nicotine and quit smoking by following some proper precautions and procedures. It depends on how long has the smoker been smoking cigarettes. The longer the period, the longer the nicotine takes to leave the blood. The people who smoke fewer cigarettes per day can fight nicotine withdrawal easily in comparison to chain smokers. By drinking plenty of water regularly, exercising daily for a specified amount of time, it can lead to effective blood circulation. Having a healthier diet that is rich in antioxidants can be very helpful in lowering the nicotine level in blood. Counseling can also be a very good option.

For smokers who are addicted to strong cigarettes or chewing tobacco, they need to smoke light cigarettes and to decrease this use daily. Suddenly quitting can be dangerous for them. But most important of all, the precautions are the self-intention of leaving this habit because it serves as the main step. Slow and gradual precautions as mentioned above can be helpful in quit smoking.

Treatment for Nicotine addiction in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Quit Smoking Center, the division of Philadelphia Addiction Center treats patients with nicotine addiction using acupuncture, hypnosis, and natural homeopathic remedies. Contact our center at (267) 284-4145 to book an appointment with Dr. Tsan and to discuss your customized treatment for nicotine addiction.