There are many ways that smoking impacts the people you care about. Quitting will reduce their exposure to secondhand smoke, set a good example for others, and give you more quality time with your loved ones.
Why should you quit now?
Your smoking harms those around you, too, particularly young children. This can be hard to hear, especially before you are ready to quit. But...
- Children who breathe in secondhand smoke get sick more often with ear infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
- Children's allergies and asthma get worse if they live with a smoker.
- Adults who live with smokers and breathe in secondhand smoke are more likely to die of lung cancer and heart disease.
When you quit for your loved ones, you can say:
- I will no longer expose my family and friends to secondhand smoke.
- I want to set a good example for my children or grandchildren.
- I will make my family, friends, and coworkers proud of me.
Think about all the things you can do with your loved ones with the extra time you'll have after quitting. Here are some examples of what recent quitters do with their extra time and energy:
- Mary babysits her grandchildren without worrying about her smoking affecting their health—or being called stinky.
- Betty spends days with Robert, a nonsmoker who encouraged her to quit, without worrying about exposing him to secondhand smoke.
- Michael goes on an annual camping trip with his grown sons without missing a minute of the fun.
