Many people say it is a "hidden killer"! Seriously, everyone should be careful...

Expert of this article: Shi Zhaowen, deputy chief physician of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

"I just smoke a little, what's wrong?"

"It's just one, nothing serious, don't make such a fuss?"

Yeah, just a cigarette, what's wrong with that?

The smell of cigarettes stays on clothes, hair and furniture for more than 200 days, and children at home silently bear the harm of secondhand smoke...

I just smoke a little, what's wrong?

1. Me – Smoker

There are 308 million smokers in China, and more than 1 million people die from tobacco-related diseases every year.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, 69 of which are carcinogenic. In addition to lung cancer, it may also cause oral cancer, stomach cancer, intestinal cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, leukemia, etc.

2. Family members - second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke

Secondhand smoke refers to the involuntary inhalation of smoke from smokers' tobacco, which contains more than 200 toxic substances, 50 of which are carcinogenic. It is also the main source of indoor PM2.5. The range of these smoke particles is generally smaller than 2μm and can penetrate directly into the terminal airway.

There is a saying on the Internet: "Passive smoking for more than 15 minutes is considered secondhand smoke." Is this true?

In fact, there is no so-called safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Even a small amount of exposure can affect the health of yourself and others.

Secondhand smoke kills more than 600,000 people every year. Children are most seriously harmed by secondhand smoke, causing 165,000 deaths each year.

The foul smell of cigarettes that remains on clothes, hair and furniture after "puffing out smoke" is third-hand smoke, which can continue to cause pollution for more than 200 days even after the cigarette is extinguished.

3. Environmental pollution - high carbon emissions, microplastics

①Tobacco = high carbon emissions = pollution.

*The production of one cigarette will emit 14g of carbon dioxide in its entire life cycle. China's annual CO2 emissions from smoking are about 2.68 million tons. If smokers nationwide smoke one less cigarette a day, carbon emissions can be reduced by about 1.68 million tons a year.

Tobacco farming leads to deforestation and damages ecosystems;

Tobacco cultivation requires large amounts of pesticides and fertilizers, which increases the risk of environmental pollution;

The process of collecting, drying and transporting tobacco relies on a lot of machinery, which generates more carbon emissions;

The burning of countless tobacco leaves releases large amounts of pollutants and greenhouse gases.

②Cigarettes = microplastics = pollution.

Please remember that cigarette filters are a common plastic and are non-biodegradable.

According to the "2020 China Marine Environmental Status Bulletin" released by my country's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the average number of garbage on my country's beaches is 216,689 pieces per square kilometer, of which plastic garbage accounts for the largest amount, accounting for 84.6%, of which plastic garbage mainly includes cigarette filters, foam, plastic fragments, etc.

When the cigarette holders accumulate into particles smaller than 5mm in the ocean, they are called microplastics. Floating microplastics are mainly composed of fibers, fragments, particles and threads that do not degrade for thousands of years. These substances do not exist in nature and are entirely man-made.

Microplastics can cause irreversible damage to the ocean and related organisms. Scientists have found cigarette butts and tobacco debris in the stomachs of 70% of marine life and 30% of birds.

Therefore, smokers, please stop harming yourselves, your families and our living environment.

Why should we be more vigilant about secondhand smoke?

There is no so-called safe exposure level to tobacco smoke. Even a little bit of exposure can affect your own and others' health. The toxic and harmful components in secondhand smoke are no less than those in firsthand smoke, and also contain heavy metals, carcinogens, and even radioactive substances.

The special harm of third-hand smoke is that it stays on the surface of objects for several months without disappearing, and it will even return to the air, polluting family members through inhalation into the lungs, skin contact, hand-to-mouth ingestion, and many other ways.

To put it bluntly: second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke are the “hidden killers” of family health!

What should I do if I want to quit smoking but can’t control myself?

Actively learn about smoking cessation

For example, you can get scientific and real health knowledge through the media, download smoking cessation apps, or join smoking cessation chat groups to analyze experiences and check in every day, encourage and supervise each other. You can also read some smoking cessation autobiography books to learn successful experiences.

Build a smoking cessation mentality

You might want to get a nicotine dependence assessment form to understand the extent of your dependence on tobacco, convert the items you want to buy into cigarette money, smoke one less cigarette or one pack, and then reward yourself with a gift you like when you reach the amount.

Don’t forget that there are 24-hour smoking cessation hotlines in major cities across the country.

Designing a smoke-free environment

Do not carry tobacco, lighters, etc. with you.

Seeing warning photos of tobacco-related diseases, such as lung cancer, on the Internet will naturally make you feel disgusted with tobacco. Have more video chats with non-smoking friends to delay the need to smoke.

Finding a good alternative to tobacco

People who quit smoking often cannot keep their mouths busy, so they need to be well prepared and keep snacks, stomach medicine, diarrhea medicine, vitamin C, throat lozenges, kettles and other things they might need at hand.

Develop a smoking cessation plan and set a countdown. If necessary, take regular smoking cessation medications (such as nicotine replacement drugs, varenicline, bupropion, etc.) under the guidance of a doctor.