Royal College Curepipe

So exactly what does happen when you smoke?

Every puff on your cigarette delivers, via the lungs to the brain a small dose of nicotine that actually acts more rapidly than a dose of heroin an addict may inject into his veins.

Because nicotine is a quick-acting drug the levels in the bloodstream drop quickly to about half within a half an hour and a quarter within an hour of finishing a cigarette.

As soon as a smoker extinguishes a cigarette, the nicotine rapidly begins to leave the bloodstream and the smoker begins to suffer withdrawal symptoms - that restless feeling that says "I want a cigarette".

What does the smoker then do?

He has another cigarette of course and within seven seconds, fresh nicotine is supplied and the craving ends ..........but soon starts again .....and again.........and again.............and the chain goes on and it is a chain for life UNLESS we break it.

So whenever you feel like a cigarette - and we all know the feeling - that senseless desire to smoke - realize that it is nothing but that 'little monster', nicotine - requesting it's hourly dose of poison.

That's all!

Not some large, terrifying, all-powerful force that we must fear and obey at all costs.

It is just that 'little terror' trying to send a message to the brain - usually every hour - 'I need more poison. Nicotine now please."

When you smoke...

Your heart rate increases.

You expose yourself to some 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke and 40 of these chemicals cause cancer.

You are much more likely to get lung cancer than a nonsmoker.

Men are 22 times more likely to develop lung cancer, while women who smoke are 12 times more likely.

You are twice as likely to have a heart attack as a nonsmoker.

You increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, some types of cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and other lung diseases.

You are hurting not only your own health, but the health of anyone who breathes the smoke, including nonsmokers