Are There any Benefits to Smoking?

Almost all of us are well aware of the fact that the habit of smoking is not good for the health. Still, people do smoke. Why do they do so if there is not anything at all that they find beneficial in this activity? Could there actually be benefits to the smoker? Are there many such benefits that need consideration?

Scientists have revealed that the brain becomes more alert as a result of smoking a cigarette. Smoking cigarettes can suppress the appetite, so people who want to stay slim often smoke to do so. Most smokers claim that they benefit from:

* More focus and concentration
 
* Improved memory and improved learning ability at times

* Improved alertness

* Lower stress levels - smoking alleviates the pressure built

* Better relaxation - smoking allows the smoker to chill out

* Improved metabolism - smoking raises the metabolic rate and hence helps to maintain healthy weight

These are some of the major claims put forth by smokers advocating their habitual addiction towards smoking cigarettes. Constipation cannot be attributed towards the benefits of smoking. It could be a symptom of nicotine withdrawal. Some of the adolescents and even elderly individuals are of the opinion that the components in the cigarette smoke have a shielding effect and protect the smoker from the development of acne.

Lower interest towards the intake of food could be an advantage of smoking at times. Similarly, there is statistical data that provides foolproof evidence that the percentage of non-smoking individuals affected by Parkinson’s disease is higher. The figures denote that most of the people with the disease are non smokers rather than smokers. Similar correlations are drawn in the same approach for variety of other ailments such as skin cancer and so on. The statistics are presented as part of research papers in the top most journals in the field of science and technology.

One should understand the fact that these do not by any means constitute foolproof absolute evidence which confirms that smoking is a good habit and that it is part of a healthy life style. The negligible or minor advantages that might be there cannot be exaggerated to sideline the major disadvantages of smoking. Even passive smoking is not healthy at all. One should avoid gatherings attended by large numbers of smokers. It could happen in the corporate environment during breaks after sessions or presentations, that a group of smokers tend to smoke in the presence of one or two non-smokers that join the conversation as well. It is not healthy to do so.

If you are smart enough you should pick up the essential aspect that you are benefiting from when you are smoking. Try to find the alternative means in which you could get the same benefit, provided that it is not worse than the habit of smoking. There are so many people that believe that the digestion rates are better after smoking a cigarette. Do not try chewing tobacco to replace the smoking of a cigarette so that you can get the same effect. It is not a better replacement at all. Drink a cup of hot tea just after a good meal as this paves the way for effective digestion. Cut down the soda that accompanies meals. This enhances the digestion rate and ensures longevity as well.

The conclusion is simple. Yes, there are benefits that could be associated with the habit of smoking. There are statistics, reports and studies that reveal such facts and validate them. Still, none of these benefits can be significant when compared to the enormous number of detrimental effects that smoking can cause an individual. The probability of getting one or other type of cancer is not something that should be ignored while advocating smoking to have a few negligible benefits. It is crystal clear that smoking is bad for the health. If you are not a smoker and you wonder about these benefits, then there is no necessity or urge to start to smoke as it will only be detrimental to your health and nothing else.

There are plenty of ways in which you can quit smoking. Rehabilitation centres are there to teach smokers how to overcome their habit effectively. In general, willpower is the ultimate key to success.