There are Reasons to Quit

According to the Centers For Disease Control, approximately 15 out of 100 American adults smoke tobacco. Though this number has declined around 5% since the year 2005, over 36 million American adults still presently smoke cigarettes. There are 1.1 billion tobacco users reported world-wide, and this astounding number is expected to increase to 1.6 billion over the next two decades. Due to the far-reaching popularity of tobacco, the tobacco industry reaped an income of $744 billion dollars in the year 2014. This number is more than the gross domestic product of all but 18 nations in the world. Even though there are many serious consequences associated with tobacco use, many people are addicted to this controlling substance. If you are struggling with this addition, I would like to tenderly remind you of some great reasons to quit.

First, smoking is destructive. While smoking is certainly not the only thing which is harmful to the human body, one cannot deny the negative impacts of tobacco on physical health. There are presently 16 million Americans living with diseases directly caused by smoking. Beyond cancer, to-bacco has been linked to many other serious health maladies such as heart disease, damaged blood vessels, and damaged hormones in the brain. Smoking affects breathing, fertility, skin health, oral health, smell, taste, vision, and hearing. It also creates a weakened immune system. Tobacco effects virtually every organ in the human body. In fact, every cigarette damages your body and impacts your health. Even during pregnancy, studies have shown nicotine crossing the placenta and entering the bloodstream of infants. True, the human body will wear down and decay (Ecclesiastes 12:1-8), but this does not give us a license to just do as we wish to our bodies. God owns and indwells our body (1 Corinthians 6:18-19). We would all do well to remember that we are just the stewards of the bodies given to us.

Second, smoking is deadly. Over 20% of all deaths in America are linked to tobacco. The Cen-ters For Disease Control report tobacco usage as the single largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Cigarette smoking kills more than 480,000 Americans each year, and more than 41,000 of these deaths come from exposure to secondhand smoke. Statistically speaking, smoking kills up to 50% of its consumers. Each cigarette you smoke takes approximately 12 minutes off your life. If you regularly smoke a pack a day (20 cigarettes), then you can deduct 10 years off your life expectancy. The average smoker only lives to be 68 years old. Even if they live longer, they will likely have an impaired state of heath if they have consumed tobacco for many years. Just imagine the time lost with family because of smoking! Think of the time stolen away from serving the Lord! The Scriptures continually uphold the beauty and sanctity of life (cf. Genesis 1:26-27; 9:4-6; Exodus 22:2-3; Leviticus 24:17; etc.). How could a Christian still choose to engage in such a deadly act?

Third, smoking is domineering. Tobacco contains over 4,000 chemicals. Nicotine, one of the leading chemicals in tobacco, is a drug as addictive as heroin and cocaine. Studies have shown how addiction can start quickly after only a few cigarettes. When a person smokes a cigarette, nicotine rushes through the human body and reaches the brain within 10 seconds. One of the reasons why tobacco addiction is so hard to overcome is because it actually changes your brain. According to smokefree.gov, the brain of a smoker develops extra nicotine receptors to accommodate the large doses of nicotine from tobacco. When the brain stops getting the levels of nicotine it has grown to accommodate, the result is nicotine withdrawal. During such agonizing withdrawals, a person will likely feel anxious, irritable, and have strong cravings for nicotine. A person suffering from with-drawals will be unable to focus, feel physically sick, and have an intense longing to satisfy the de-sires of the brain to receive nicotine. The apostle Paul, however, once said, “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by any-thing” (1 Corinthains 6:12). Paul refused to become a slave to anything so he could serve the Savior. We should not be the slave to anything except the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:24; Romans 6:16-18)!

Tobacco usage might be popular, but that doesn’t mean it is a wise decision. These reasons alone ought to be strong motivation for anyone to stop smoking. Nobody is saying it will be easy, but your battle to overcome this addition will be worth it in the end. There are reasons to quit! Let these reasons inspire you to kick the habit and regain your freedom!