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these uncomfortable feelin gs,
which occur when denied usual
tobacco intake for sorne reason, are
classic d rug withdrawal symptoms.
Common characteristics of ad–
dictive drugs are that they are psy–
choactive. They create brain and
ne rvous system dependence and
lead to compulsive use. They are
associated with physiological and
psychological distress in users who
abrupt ly are deprived of them.
Such withdrawal symptoms often
include headache, stomach discom–
fort , nervou sness, ir ritability,
sweating, change in beart and blood
pressure and lower excretion of
sorne hormones affecting the ner–
vous system.
Major Publlc Health Crisis
A little more than a year ago, the
U.S. Surgeon General , C. Everett
Coop, warned, "Cigarette smoking
is clearly ident ified as the chief
preventable cause of death in our
society and the
most important
public health issue of our times"
(emphasis ours). Dr. Coop esti–
mates smoking is responsible for
340,000 deaths annually in the
U.S.
lt
is a major factor in the
development of many cases of can–
cer, heart t rouble, cbronic lung and
respiratory diseases and other ail–
ments. Smoking " causes more ill–
ness and death than all the other
drugs," adds the pamphlet issued
by the S urgeon General 's office.
Smoking has been demonstrated
to be a serious health threat to
more than smokers. Specific stud–
ies indicate even nonsmokers who
are forced to breathe others' smoke
can also suffer damaging health
consequences. Such facts should be
a powerful motivation to stop.
Smokers can break themselves of
the addictive smoking habit. Every
year hund reds of thousands do, but
this can be difficult.
The tough new U.S. antismoking
government pamphlet offers hints
on quitting the nation's most wide–
spread type of drug dependence.
It
suggests:
• Recognize smoking is a drug
dependence that compromises your
freedom of choice by its effects on
the brain and nervous system.
• Realize quitting for most smok–
ers is rarely an easy accomplish–
ment, but a long- term effort.
28
• Consider help from a clinic or
stop-smoking group.
You will , however, need to eval–
uate approaches among various
stop-smoking systems o ffered.
Help is listed in many telephone
books or from health agencies.
Detailed plans to help individuals
stop smoking are available in vi r–
tually every country, many of them
free.
You CAN Overcome
Here are additional suggestions to
help those who want to free them–
selves of this obnoxious and enslav–
ing smoking habit:
• Clearly define and write down
your objectives for not smoking.
List health, family , fi nancia! and
Even though you're
a smoker, a life free from
the taste of tar
residue, a life of reduced
cancer and coronary
risk and improved
pbysical vitality
can lie before you.
other reasons. Keep your eyes on
your obj ectives; never Jet your goal
disappear or become hazy. Try to
look beyond the initial difficult
days of fighting the habit to the
time you will be happily unshack–
led from nicotine addiction .
• Stop all smoking completely.
Tapering off on the amount you
smoke doesn 't work for most
people. It's not easy to quit sudden–
ly, but it's presently the most suc–
cessful way. Find someone to help
you and to be a positive support.
Commit yourself- throw away and
destroy all pipes and tobacco stock.
As the Bible says, " make no provi–
sion for the flesh , to gratify its
desires" (Rom. 13: 14, RSV) .
• Avoid compromising situations.
Don' t Iet friends, relatives or stress–
fui si tuations cause you to give in.
Experience shows that man y
former smokers quickly relapse
into their former habits after "just
one little puff."
Avoid situations where you would
previously have lit up, such as large
parties or long t rips in a car. If you
must attend social occasions where
many smoke, announce to people
that you've quit. Puta little positive
pressure on yourself to toe the line of
your commitment.
• Don't be discouraged or fearful
of failure. If you happen to slip,
don't give up. The actual unpleasant–
ness of nicotine withdrawal usually
subsides within 72 hours of your last
cigarette (depends on tbe person),
but the psychological temptations
remain much longer. You may ini–
tially experience tension, hunger,
sorne constipation and symptoms of
restlessness, but be assured- they
wi/1
subside shortly.
• Utilize the power avai lable to
you from God! God promises help
to those who humble themselves
and seek him in prayer (Ps. 103: 11 -
14; Isa. 55:7-8). If you'd like to
know how to fully util ize this awe–
some source of real power, write for
our free reprint articles " How to
Be an Overcomer" and "How You
Can Be Imbued wi th the Power of
God ." (See inside cover for address
nearest you. )
Even though you're a smoker, a
life free from the taste of tar resi–
due, a life of reduced cancer and
coronary risk and improved physi–
cal vitality can li e before you.
T here's a price to pay, but it's
worth it.
Ed i tor- in-chief Herbert W .
Armstrong, once a light smoker,
squarely confronted the question
over
·so
years ago, approaching the
smoking issue with unique insight.
He has put it this way to readers:
" 1 then asked myself:
' Why
do 1
smoke? l s it to express outgoing
love to God?' Most assuredly not!
'Am 1 smoking to express outgoing
love and concern for the welfare of
other humans?' 1 had to answer in
the negative."
He rightly concluded that smok–
ing is "a form of seif-desire" that is
damaging socially and spiritually.
This
seif-desire
pulls millions of
people into what many authorit ies
cal! the number one drug addict ion
problem. We have shown our read–
ers here a way out of this problem.
Smoking can be overcome. You can
replace this dirty old habit with a
new, clean li fe-style!
o
The PLAIN TRUTH