There are numerous reasons to quit smoking, and each person's reasons may differ. The most common reason to quit smoking is, by far, health concerns. Smoking drastically increases the risk of cancer, especially lung cancer. Another one of the most common reasons to quit smoking is to save money; the price of cigarettes continue to increase, as do the taxes on cigarettes, which can take a sizable bite out of a monthly budget.
When trying to quit smoking, it is helpful to figure out the reasons that are most individually motivating. This way, if one gets a craving for a cigarette, it may be helpful to review these most personal reasons to quit smoking until the craving passes. The most common reasons to quit smoking are, as mentioned above, health reasons; it is well known that smoking can cause lung cancer, but it can also increase the risk of breast cancer and even stroke or heart attack. Secondhand smoke is also quite harmful to friends or family members, especially small children, which is reason enough for some people to quit smoking.
Many people also use financial reasons as one of the best reasons to quit smoking, especially as the taxes on cigarettes periodically increase. This can be accomplished by adjusting the way one spends money; for instance, using cash for everything rather than a credit card can help to illustrate just how much money is being spent on cigarettes, particularly if one smokes a pack or more per day. It can add up to a shocking amount of money.
Another one of the most common reasons to quit smoking is to improve appearance. Smoking tends to turn the teeth and nails yellow, and give the skin a sallow, wrinkled appearance. Bad breath is also common in smokers. In addition, people who smoke are often more fatigued, with lower energy levels than people who do not smoke; it can be difficult to breathe, and lead to sore throats and persistent coughs. Maintaining a smoking habit in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise plan is virtually impossible.
Smoking is an addiction, and it can be incredibly difficult to break. There are many sources of support, however, including medications that may be prescribed by a doctor, or nicotine replacement patches or gum. Rather than trying to think of reasons to quit smoking, it may be more helpful to try to think of reasons not to quit smoking; it will probably be a short list. After all, while smoking once was seen as a way to be popular, the opposite is often true today.