Health experts encourage smokers to kick the habit to avoid long-term effects

By Leah Rainwater

A recent study shows that Missouri is ranked fifth when it comes to the most cigarette-related cancer deaths across the U.S., and experts are reminding smokers that cancer isn’t the only health issue they could run into.

The study on nowpatient.com also shows that there’s not much of a difference in percentage when comparing West Virginia, which is the first-ranked state, coming in at 37.8% and Missouri, coming in at 34.4%.

“Alarming statistics show that over 480,000 people in the U.S. die every year from smoking-related causes, which highlights the damage the habit can have on a person’s health. For those who do smoke, quitting can be easier said than done, but there are several steps people can take to slowly reduce how many cigarettes they smoke each day,” said Novin Khosla, a pharmacist at NowPatient.

Currently, Buchanan County ranks above average when it comes to smoking percentages, especially in comparison to Missouri and the United States.

“There are 22% of adults in Buchanan County that smoke cigarettes; that’s compared to 18% in Missouri and 15% in the United States,” said Kay Smith, a health educator for the City of St. Joseph Health Department. “So Buchanan County is a little higher than the average.”

Smith also noted that although smoking may increase chances of lung cancer, it can also cause other detrimental damage to your body.

“Smoking harms nearly every organ in your body, um, there’s of course the diseases that we’re used to hearing, like lung cancer,” Smith said. “But smoking also causes cancers of other parts of the body, it also causes like strokes, heart attacks, things like that. Type II diabetes and COPD, which is a disease of the lung.”

Smoking can cause external issues as well.

“It also causes wrinkling in your skins, can cause your teeth to fall out and can cause you to have gum disease,” Smith said.

And while quitting smoking is easier in theory for many, Smith wants people to know that there are resources available for everyone.

“There are lots of resources available if people … if somebody wants to quit smoking. The first one of course, I would suggest, go to your doctor and they can prescribe tobacco cessation products that are FDA approved,” Smith said. “Whether that be a patch or a pill or gum, of course. And most insurances will cover those.”

One thing that Smith said is also helpful, is state resources.

“In Missouri, we have a quit line, and if you call 1-800-QUIT NOW, those resources are available,” Smith said. “You can get smoking cessation products if you have Medicaid or Medicare, you can get those for free through them. But it’s also, you get support from them, they’ll help you with a quit plan and a quit date, and so it’s a really helpful resource.”

Smith also said the health department offers a special support program for women who are pregnant.

“We do, it’s at the health department here, it’s called ‘Baby and Me, Tobacco Free’ and that program is for women that are pregnant and then after they deliver their baby, it’s a support system for them to help quit smoking for them and their baby and there’s an incentive for that program,” said Smith said.

Smith said there are a lot of things that you’ll start to notice when you quit smoking.

“If you do decide to quit, and you’ll notice things like your heart rate will go down — and these happen very quickly, your blood pressure will go down and things like your food will taste better, of course, cause, you know, that smoke is not covering up that food taste. Your clothes will quit smelling, your breath will smell better and you know how your fingernails get yellow when you smoke? That will start going away. And these are things that will happen quickly after you stop smoking,” Smith said. “And your circulation will improve as well.”