Why is the denial and self-deception of tobacco smoking so strong?
The English word "addiction" originates from Latin "addictus," the past participle of "addicere." The Latin word "adictum" referred to the document "assigned by decree" given during the days of the Roman Empire to a free person to lawfully enslave another person. Thus, the true meaning of the word "addiction" is "enslavement."
Paradoxically, in modern culture each of us is born free, yet tobacco addiction roars in the U.S. and throughout the world. With smoking-related diseases causing nearly half a million American deaths annually, this addiction has been identified as the most important source of preventable morbidity and premature mortality in the country, not to mention the $150 billion in annual in health-care costs.
Common self-deceptions of the tobacco slave :
"Nicotine originates from plants so it is a natural creation." So are rattlesnakes!
"Nicotine is not responsible for adverse health effects." Arguably true. Nicotine is responsible for addiction, which sustains tobacco product use. It is the other chemicals in tobacco products which are responsible for the adverse health effects, diseases and death. Cigarettes deliver nicotine along with 4,800 other compounds, including more than 69 known carcinogens!
"I smoke because it helps me to relax." This only makes sense when you don't think about it. It actually does the opposite. Just observe how relaxed a smoker is when a meal, a meeting or a lecture has lasted on longer than expected.
"Nicotine when taken by itself is just as unhealthful as smoking." Nicotine is safe when used as medically directed.
"Smoking occasionally here and there will not cause addition." Although its psychoactive effects are less dramatic, nicotine is as addictive as alcohol, heroin, cocaine or morphine. In fact it's easier to quit heroin than smoking regular cigarettes. What could possess a heart attack victim to light up a cigarette the moment she/he is wheeled out of the coronary care unit? Well, at this very moment that person prefers smoking to living.
"Smoking helps me to concentrate." Nicotine shuts down the ability of the blood capillary microcirculation in the brain to contract or extend. Thus, the lumen of the brain blood vessels remains the same regardless of the blood pressure in the body. Consequently, less oxygen and nutrients flow to the brain than it actually needs. Also, because of the blood vessel stiffness in the brain, the risk is much higher for blood pressure-related capillary rupture and eventual stroke.
"I like the taste of a cigarette." Why then you do still remember your first smoking experiences?
"I've smoked for so long the damage is already done." The damage caused by smoking is cumulative, and the longer a person smokes, the greater the risk of life-threatening ailments.
"Cigarette smoking makes me cool." Nicotine debilitates your visceral blood capillary microcirculation causing premature and irreversible aging of the skin. Over time, smokers don't look cool -- especially their skin.
"I'm safe because I smoke low-tar cigarettes." There is no safe cigarette. An addict unconsciously and unintentionally takes deeper and more frequent puffs and smokes the cigarettes to a shorter butt length.
"I can quit smoking whenever I want." Your brain won't. Most smokers actually want to quit. Brain chemistry and brain function are very different in smokers. Many smokers are highly intelligent people with impressive levels of control over institutions, budgets, employees and public and political affairs. Yet after repeated attempts to give up smoking they find that they cannot control this aspect of their behavior.
"I tried quitting once and failed, so it's no use trying again." Most smokers try several times before quitting for good. So your initial failure shouldn't deter you from trying again. Each time you try, you learn things that could be useful for the next attempt at quitting.
