Coffee Break February: World Cancer Day
Published at 31 January, 2024.
World Cancer Day - February 4th, 2024
World Cancer Day raises awareness about the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer, which is the leading cause of death worldwide. Smoking causes at least 15 types of cancer and smoking tobacco is the biggest cause!
Mouth, nose, throat, oesophagus, the voice box, liver, stomach, bowel, pancreas, ovary, and some types of leukaemia, as well as around 7 in 10 lung cancers can be caused by smoking.
When you smoke the DNA in your cells in your body is damaged which can lead to cancer. Your risks of developing cancer can be affected by the amount you smoke and the length of time you have smoked for, so reducing the amount you smoke can help, although there are no safe levels of smoking or using tobacco. There are thousands of chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 70 of which can cause cancer. Rolling tobacco is no safer than manufactured cigarettes and has the same cancer-causing chemicals. You can lower your risk of developing cancer by stopping smoking as soon as you can. It`s never too late to stop smoking, even if you have been smoking for a long time or from an early age. Never give up “giving up” if you have tried before. You can do it this time. Learn from past attempts and remember what helped you before and what you could have done differently.
The benefits to your health begin the moment you stop smoking: Within 20 minutes your blood pressure and pulse return to normal and within a day your lungs begin to work better as carbon monoxide is removed from your body. Did you know that within just 6 months of stopping smoking your risk of heart attack, cancer and other smoking related diseases begins to fall?!
You are not just quitting for you; your whole family and friends will benefit too! People who breathe in your second-hand smoke are more likely to develop the same diseases as smokers such as lung cancer and heart disease. Children are especially susceptible to developing breathing problems, chesty coughs, asthma, and allergies. Pregnant women who are exposed to second hand smoke and passive smoking are at more risk of having a baby with a low-birth-weight or having a premature birth.
Let`s get you started on your journey, to stopping! Make a list of your reasons and motivations to quit. Tell other people who can support you. Write down what triggers you to smoke. This will help you keep busy at these times or avoid them. Contact your Stop Smoking Service for help and advice and products to help you quit and lessen your risk of developing cancer. NHS Stop Smoking Service - Yorkshire Smokefree |https://www.worldcancerday.org/
