Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Research shows that nearly all (88%) of adult smokers began smoking before the age of 18. While the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s surveys have shown tobacco use declining over time, the issue has renewed in the form of alternative tobacco products. These include electronic cigarettes (vapes, e-cigs), cigars, smokeless tobacco, and hookah, among others. These can contain higher levels of nicotine and create dependence in youths who otherwise would not consider smoking.

Casual smoking crosses over into tobacco use disorder when people become dependent on the drug nicotine. This can be assessed through a basic questionnaire, consisting of questions like “How many cigarettes do you smoke in a day?” and “How soon after you wake up do you smoke or chew?”

There’s no shortage of reasons to quit smoking. Countless studies have shown the harmful effects that nicotine and its associated products have on your health. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that men who smoke lose an average of 13.2 years off of their life expectancy, while women lose 14.5 years. This is primarily due to the diseases that come with tobacco use, including but not limited to lung cancer, emphysema, stroke, coronary artery disease, and a suppressed immune system.

Beyond health risks, there are so many benefits to discontinuing your tobacco use. Your senses will sharpen, making food taste and smell better. Your clothing, home, and person will smell better too – no more lingering smoke on your jackets. Your endurance and physical abilities will return, as you’re able to breathe more normally. Beyond this, you’ll set a better example for young people and children in your life – those who see their parents smoke are more likely to begin smoking themselves, and they also suffer health consequences from secondhand smoke.