Since writing for The Safe Cig, I have shared very little about my life outside of what pertains directly to my smoking and quitting. At the request of one of the company founders, I shared about my school years earlier this week. Tonight, I am sharing some raw emotions after receiving a call about someone [...]

Bullying comes in many forms; teasing, name-calling, hitting, kicking, and spreading rumors are just a few examples. But to be bullying it must happen more than once and over a period of time. Unfortunately, children who are bullied often resort to making poor choices just to fit in with any crowd. For me, smoking was one way to be accepted by someone without hearing or experiencing:

"Oh look! It's the Jolly Green Giant!"

"Hey four-eyes."

"Where did you find that outfit; in the dumpster?"

"It's the stuck-up goody-goody writing in that notebook again. I can't imagine what she's trying to achieve next."

"Just push her down in that puddle of mud."

"She should live in the garbage can. She's just trash."

I was always one of the tallest in my class. I stood on the top riser in choir performances and Christmas pageants. I excelled at high jump. I was a versatile runner with long legs allowing me to sprint and run long distances. With my parents both above 6' tall, genetics were in my favor to tower above those with shorter parents. But instead of seeing what I could do, I spent years being called the Jolly Green Giant and it hurt.

Glasses in the 80's and 90's were not so fashionable as they are today or common. When I was in third grade, I was forced to don these hideous pink, plastic frames on my face to ensure I could see what was on the chalkboard. I listened to four-eyes for months before my glasses happened to not make it home one day after school. I hated wearing them, but hated being teased by the same group of kids that called me the Jolly Green Giant even more than the luxury of seeing. I had many outfits my mom made for me growing up. No matter what was purchased for me, it never fit. I had pants with elastic waste bands and matching shirts as clothing from stores would fall off or be too short in the leg. I never wore clothing from a dumpster, but I certainly donned outfits lacking any style or semblance of fashion. Continue Reading

Smoking is a long-standing addiction that has spanned centuries. In Europe during the 18th century, smoking was banned as the ill health effects were noted. One century later, a British pharmacology textbook stated that smoking tobacco would treat respiratory disorders and diseases. Only a half-century later, tobacco was referenced as "coffin nails" to a person in major US publication. The way tobacco has evolved over the centuries is intriguing and ironic.

So is the thought that it just takes luck to quit smoking. Smoking is addictive. Nicotine is compared to major illegal drugs - heroine most commonly. The knowledge medical professionals have on how a body withdraws from heroine is similar when compared to the withdrawal process of nicotine. Intense cravings, mood swings, and major depression accompany any person looking to end an addiction to a substance that alters how a person feels about himself and his life. Continue Reading

The U.S. Surgeon General's Office stated in a report released on March 8, 2012 that more work needs to be done to keep young Americans from lighting up. The report suggests that increasing bans and raising tobacco taxes will help in this measure.

The concern of the U.S. Surgeon General's report shows that the number of teens who smoke is plateauing at 1 in 5. In prior decades that number was significantly higher and efforts to assist in curbing teens smoking was effective, but with the plateau in the decline, the Surgeon General's office wants states to increase efforts to deter new smokers from ever starting.

Statistically, 99 percent of American's who smoke start prior to the age of 26 with 80 percent lighting up before the age of 18. It is extremely important to prevent teens from trying cigarettes as the earlier a person begins to smoke, the greater the risk of a long-term addiction to nicotine. For teens who begin smoking, the health effects include reduced lung function, impaired lung growth, early heart disease, and other health problems including asthma.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Surgeon General Regina Benjamin said, "In order to end this epidemic, we need to focus on where we can prevent it and where we can see the most effect, and that's with young people. We want to make our next generation tobacco-free, and I think we can." Continue Reading

Pregnant Women who Smoke May Cause Developmental Delays in Children

In a new study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, scientists at the University at Buffalo - Research Institute on Addictions and the School of Public Health and Health Professions, researchers looked at the impact of social and environmental factors on smoking cessation in a sample of low-income, pregnant smokers. The researchers are trying to shed light on why pregnant women do not quit smoking and other questions related to the prevalence and dangers of smoking while pregnant.

In the study, they found that 47 percent of women who smoked also had a partner who smoked. What surprised the researchers, however, was the finding that when a woman's friends smoked, the probability that these pregnant women would continue to smoke increased. Gregory G. Homish, PhD, UB assistant professor in community health and health behavior and first author on the study says that it isn't entirely clear why the influence of friends was greater than the influence of family members. Dr. Homish stated, "It may be related to the amount of time women spend with friends compared to relatives. It is also possible that the nature of the relationship is important to consider." Homish continued on to state "Side-stream smoke readily enters the bloodstream and may have significant physiological and neurological influences on the fetus." This statement is made with great warning as side-stream (secondhand) smoke contains more chemicals and carcinogens than first-hand smoke.

Rina Das Eiden PhD, co-researcher and senior research scientist at the Research Institute on Addictions says the finding "may point to the need for including the woman's social network and partner in smoking cessation treatment." The findings are part of a larger research project known as Prenatal and Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure: Effects on Child Regulation, conducted from 2006 - 2011 the University at Buffalo.  Researchers studied pregnant smokers' social networks, behavior and overall health, as well as the health of their newborn children, up to the age of two. Continue Reading

Doctor Gilboa recently stopped by and shared some great suggestions for parents looking to quit smoking. Her suggestions included integrating your children in the quitting process to help them be an active part of your life-changing, healthy decision.

This week, we would love to know how you would encourage tomorrow's future to abstain from tobacco today. Continue Reading