Smoking and tobacco use are a worldwide concern where 1 in 10 adults are smokers. In the United States, the number of smokers is about double, at one in five. According to statistics, every fifth person has an “addiction” to a tobacco product, including cigarettes, pipes, chewing tobacco, dipping tobacco, smokeless tobacco, and snuff.

Many diseases are linked to tobacco. Tobacco use causes more than 5 million deaths a year, and for every 1 person who dies from smoking, 20 more suffer from a smoking-related illness. For example, nicotine has been shown to accelerate cardiovascular disease and cancer of the lungs, larynx, neck, and mouth. Smoking also exacerbates asthma. On the average, smokers die 13 to 14 years earlier than non-smokers.  Tobacco-related illnesses are responsible for the deaths of 480,000 U.S. citizens per year—more Americans than the number who died in World War I and the Vietnam War combined. A very common manifestation of compulsive behavior is cigarette smoking. In spite of the research, I do not believe that the body craving nicotine is the big deterrent to quitting, but it is the dependency of an anxious spirit. As we have discussed before, I believe the soul’s enslavement is stronger than the body’s. The body is quite happy at the decrease of carbon monoxide down the lungs. But the ripping of the soul from the world affects body and soul. The withdrawals spiritually are hard to measure and vary from soul to soul.

If a person will redirect his focus from himself to God each time he feels the urge to smoke, he will reduce three packs a day down to zero. Keep a log and watch, for it is no different than ending head hunger. This is true not only of tobacco abuse, but also of alcohol and pills. Instead of the body being dependent on nicotine, it shows signs immediately that it loves any decrease or even quitting “cold turkey.” Though it can be temporarily very uncomfortable, I have never seen anyone harmed yet everyone helped when they ate less food, smoked fewer cigarettes, drank significantly less alcohol, or took fewer antidepressants. However, I see the withdrawal being severe if this gap or void is not filled in with God. The withdrawal is the soul ripping itself away from the world. It hurts. Only the Savior can dissolve this kind of superglue.

All these truths set you free to do what is right, and you will be blessed doing what is right! End the lies now. There is a place in the WeighDown workbooks for lies versus the truth.  Write them down, because it will set you so free to take responsibility and behave differently every day.

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