​​Did you know that tobacco is as addictive as heroin? It's true! Tobacco has a chemical called nicotine​. Nictone is a very strong stimulant, and ingesting it makes a chemical in your brain called ​​dopamine​​. It feels good and makes you feel relaxed, but the effects only last for a short period of time. Th​ere is nothing wrong with having dopamine in your brain, but when it wears off, it creates a strong urge for more of what stimulated it, and that leads to addiction.

​There are many​ reasons to quit other than controlling your addiction and the costs associated with it. Folks that smoke have to miss twice the work from illness and may be spending enough on tobacco to affect what they can afford for transportation, housing, food, and healthcare. Tobacco smoke can harm the people around you, too - it increases their risk of cancer, asthma, and bronchitis. The truth is that you have more illness in your life and you don't live as long. It can be hard, but you can quit!

​It is important to get support from other people if you can. The Freedom from Smoking Program helps you find the reason to quit, the support you need, and the tools to do it. Your doctors can also help you get medications to help with anxiety while quitting, weaning off of nicotine, and dealing with other tobacco-related health consequences.

Below is the link to a video on the harmful effects smoking can have on your lungs. Click to learn more: