Why do people get sick from smoking or get health problems? That is because of nicotine. Nicotine is a natural part of the tabacco leaf--the only place nicotine has ever been found. It's an addictive drug. It's a stimulant and a very poisonous alkaloid that in its pure state is a colorless pungent oily liquid, having an acrid burning taste. Nicotine has ben used to kill insects too. When a person smokes, the nicotine works on his brain and other parts of the nervous system.

So while a person is smoking, nicotine reaches the brain faster than drugs that enter th body directly through the veins. For example, the brain feels the effects of nicotine faster than it feels the effects of a shot of heroin in the arms. When smokers breathe in smoke, they draw nicotine into their lungs, then their bloodstream picks it up and it is quickly pumped by the heart right into the brain. Within just seven seconds nicoine reaches the brain. This sudden burst of nicotine causes and instant "high". Also, nicotine makes the heart beat faster. This in turn increases the breathing rate and causes the body to use more oxygen. It can make blood vessels narrow and the blood travels through them more slowly. This can increase the blood pressure. Nicotine also appears to increase the tendency of the blood to clot and has been linked to disease of the blood vesels and heart. Nicotine can cause indigestion and dull the appetite, too. So researchers link smoking with heart disease, lung cancer and other diseases.

And, smoking does not just hurt the smoker. It also hurts others--family members, co-workers and others who breathe the smoker's cigarette, cigar or pipe smoke. We call this second-hand smoke. In fact, the smoke from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar or pipe that goes directly to the air is more dangerous to everyone around the smoker than the smoke the smoker breathes out.

These are some of the problems of second-hand smoke:

One thing we've just talked about above is the 300,000 infants to 18 months of age who have cases of bronchitis and pneumonia each year. The second one is: second-hand smoke from a parent's cigarette increases a child's chances for middle ear problems, causes coughing and wheezing and worsens asthma conditions. The third one is: pregnant women who smoke are more likely to deliver babies whose weights are too low for babies' good health. The fourth one is: for pregnant women who smoke during pregnancy, their child will be hurt as well because the nicotine in cigarettes can go to parts of the body. So the burst of nicotine also reaches the fetus through connecting blood vessels. The last one is: if both parents smoke, a teenager is more than twice as likely to smoke than a young person whose parents are nonsmokers. In households where where only one parent smokes, young people are also more likely to start smoking.

Since smoking causes so many problems, we must quit smoking. We quit smoking to: ...reduce the risk of lung cancer an many other cancers, heart disease, stroke and other lung diseases and other respiratory illnesses, so you'll have a longer life. ...save many babies' and fetus' lives. It also prevents babies from getting diseases. ...make a difference right away--you can taste and smell food better. Your breath smells better; your cough goes away; you feel better! ...save money. A pack-a-day smoker who pays Rs.30 per pack can expect to save more than Rs.10000 a year. It appears that the price of cigarettes will continue to rise in coming years. ...make your family feel better too! Reduce family's arguments, wife and husband's arguments. Of course, maybe people who quit smoking may have some symptoms during the first few weeks. For example: trouble sleeping, lack of concentration, feeling anxious, restless, headaches, fatigue, or dry mouth, etc. And some smokers maybe worry about gaining weight.

But you should be aware, even if these symptoms are real, that they will not last long. As long as you build up your confidence, you'll have the willpower to quit and it'll get better. Now we give you some tips for quitting smoking: You can join a stop-smoking program like "Freedom from Smoking" from the American Lung Association. The program gives lots of ideas on how to quit and stay quit. Pick a good time to quit. (Don't try to quit when you're under stress or around a holiday.) Get plenty of sleep, eat a balanced diet and drink lots of water. Be aware that quitting smoking is good for yourself and people around you. If you really need help, ask family friends and co-workers to help. Be sure to get more exercise everyday. Walking is a great way to reduce the stress of quitting.