A Professor at West China Hospital Says These 6 Claims About Smoking Are Wrong!

"Who says smoking will definitely lead to lung cancer? Look at Aunt Wang's third cousin next door; she has never smoked in her life, yet she was diagnosed with lung cancer!"

"I've been smoking for most of my life, and I'm in my sixties now; there's no need to quit smoking..."

"I know smoking is harmful, but I use a filter tip, which reduces a lot of the harm!"

...

Have you or people around you ever said these things?

I've certainly heard them!!!

But do you know that these ideas are all wrong!!!

Below, Professor Mao Hui and Professor Liang Zongan from the Respiratory Department of West China Hospital will tell everyone about the six major misconceptions about smoking.

Misperception 1: Non-smokers can also get lung cancer, so smoking isn't that harmful...

This is probably the most common "fallacy" that doctors hear!

But indeed, some people have never smoked in their lives and still get lung cancer; what is going on?

Doctors say:

Getting lung cancer is not necessarily due to smoking, but smoking does increase the likelihood of developing lung cancer and related diseases! Let's look at some data:

1. Smokers have a relative risk of lung cancer that is 10-15 times that of non-smokers. A smoker who quits smoking for 10 years will reduce their risk of lung cancer by 30% to 50% compared to those who continue to smoke. The diseases and deaths caused by tobacco do not occur immediately but often manifest 10 to 20 years or even longer after smoking, so the dangers of smoking are often greatly underestimated.

2. Not all smokers will develop COPD or lung cancer, but 80%-90% of patients with COPD or lung cancer are smokers.

These studies are not alarmist; next time someone brings up such a "fallacy," please directly present this evidence to counter them!

Misperception 2: Using a filter tip or low-tar cigarettes reduces harm significantly... Doctors say:

The effectiveness of filter tips cannot be guaranteed, and harm still exists, specifically in two scenarios:

1. Filter tips are ineffective:

The so-called low-tar content is usually achieved through side holes in the cigarette filter, which must be unobstructed to dilute the tar content in the tobacco. However, when most people smoke, they often cover these side holes with their fingers or lips, negating the protective effect of the filter tip. Therefore, for most smokers, the actual tar content inhaled is not reduced.

2. Filter tips are effective:

Even if you use them correctly and reduce the tar content, it doesn't help much!!! Evidence shows that low-tar cigarettes do not reduce carcinogenicity; instead, the lower nicotine content may lead smokers to smoke more to satisfy their cravings.

Misperception 3: There's no need to quit smoking at an older age... Some people believe that after smoking for decades and reaching their sixties or seventies, even if they experience some discomfort, it doesn't matter whether they quit or not.

Doctors say:

Hearing such "give up" attitudes makes doctors very frustrated!

A 50-year study of British male doctors found that smokers die about 10 years earlier than non-smokers on average. Quitting smoking at 60, 50, 40, or 30 years old can gain about 3, 6, 9, or 10 years of expected life, respectively!

Therefore!!! Regardless of age or how long someone has been smoking, quitting successfully will definitely benefit their health.

Remember, quitting smoking at any age can extend life, even if you are already 80 years old.

Misperception 4: Quitting smoking is easy or very difficult... Doctors say:

Quitting smoking is definitely not simple!!! But it is not as hard as landing on the moon! (After all, humans have landed on the moon multiple times; quitting smoking is relatively a small task!)

Smoking is addictive, and some people experience cravings, anxiety, depression, headaches, and other symptoms when they stop smoking. They may want to quit but cannot control themselves! What to do?

Smokers trying to quit without help have a relapse rate of 90%-95%. Therefore, once you decide to quit smoking, you should seek help from a smoking cessation doctor. Guidance from doctors and proper use of cessation medications can increase the success rate by more than two times; if combined with personal willpower, the success rate will be even higher.

West China Hospital has a dedicated smoking cessation clinic; if needed, you can make an appointment to seek help from experts.

Misperception 5: Occasionally smoking one won't cause much harm... If anyone still thinks this way, they really need to reflect!!! Especially those young students!!!

Doctors say: Smoking is very easy to become addictive; occasional smoking can gradually turn into frequent smoking, and then it becomes hard to quit...

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance, and over 95% of smokers become addicted. Moreover, as long as you smoke, regardless of the amount, it will harm your body. The more you smoke, the greater the harm!

However, how much harm can a person's body withstand? After all, besides smoking, there are also late nights, poor diets, lack of exercise... all of these can harm the body!

Misperception 6: Smoking can help with weight loss; quitting smoking will lead to weight gain...

Doctors say: This situation does exist, but body weight is not determined by smoking! If you want to lose weight, please take the right path!

The nicotine in tobacco accelerates physiological functions, especially the rate at which the body metabolizes food. Therefore, when craving a cigarette, some people may have the urge to eat sweets! If you crave a cigarette and eat sweets, you will definitely gain weight!!

Why do people think smoking helps with weight loss? Because smoking lowers insulin levels in the blood, reducing the desire for sweets.

This is the reason behind the theory that smoking helps with weight loss and quitting smoking leads to weight gain!

After reading this, do you have a better understanding of the dangers of smoking? Next time someone presents these incorrect views in front of you, remember to pull out this article to show them!