One cigarette contains more than 7,000 chemicals, of which 70 are known to cause cancer. Even one cigarette can hurt your lungs, blood vessels, and increase the risk of cancer. Cutting back is not enough, you have to quit entirely.

The most important thing is not to give up on yourself. Many people who quit made several attempts before they finally quit completely. Just remember, each quit attempt can be a chance for you to better understand what triggers a relapse, so you will know what to do or avoid on your next try.

If quitting on your own is not your preferred option, you can also speak to your doctor, pharmacist or call the QuitLine at 1800 438 2000 for more help.

Studies have shown that pharmacotherapy (medication and nicotine replacement therapy), together with counselling, can double your chances of quitting for good.

It is true that you may feel uncomfortable during the quitting process as withdrawal symptoms may set in. However, this is only temporary as your body is in the process of healing itself.

Here are some reasons why you feel this way:

You may not smoke as often as your friend, but “light” smoking can still shorten your life. A study found that even people who averaged less than one cigarette a day over their entire lives were 64% more likely to die earlier than people who never smoked. And for those who smoked between 1 – 10 cigarettes a day, that risk rose to a staggering 87%.

So even if you consider yourself a social smoker, there’s good reason to drop the habit.

You can quit at any age. Your body starts to heal within 8 hours after quitting. In 1 year, the risk of heart diseases is reduced by 50%.

After 2 to 5 years, your risk of stroke is similar to that of a non-smoker.

Filter cigarettes do not reduce the harmful effects of smoking for the following reasons:

1. Smokers subconsciously block the filter vents with their hands and mouth. As a result, the harmful chemicals are not filtered out effectively.
2. Smokers tend to inhale deeply when smoking low-yield cigarettes to get a nicotine high.
3. Smokers are lulled into a false sense of security. Studies show that lower tar levels have little or no effect on reducing the risk of lung and heart diseases and only slightly lower the risk of lung cancer.

E-cigarettes are not risk-free, because they deliver nicotine into your body.

Nicotine is both addictive and harmful as it can decrease your appetite, increase your heart rate and increase blood pressure. Sweating, nausea and diarrhea can even occur in the case of nicotine poisoning.

In addition to nicotine, e-cigarettes, which are illegal in Singapore, can also contain other substances such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde which can increase the risk of cancer.