Personal Narrative-It's Time To Stop Tobacco Smoking

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I have been fortunate to live in a tobacco-free household for the majority of my life. Although none of my immediate family use tobacco, I have other family members who did. When I was about three years old, my grandfather passed away from heart complications that developed from long-term tobacco use. Later, my widowed grandmother remarried, and when I was eleven, my step-grandfather also passed away from the repercussions of tobacco use. If it were not for their tobacco use, both of my grandfathers would have otherwise been healthy and could still be here today. I have other family members who smoked but have quit out of fear of what could happen to them. They saw the devastating effects of the cancer caused by smoking and decided that they did not want that to be their fate as well. One of the largest motivators for my other family members to stop smoking was protection of their children. When they learned that second hand smoke was equally or even more dangerous than first hand smoke, they stopped out of fear of exposing their children to something so harmful. Now nobody in my extended family smokes which I think is an excellent decision. They …show more content…

I have witnessed the effects first hand and would not wish them upon anybody. It is important to educate patients so they understand the consequences of using these products. Some people don’t truly understand the risks that accompany tobacco use or do not believe when other people tell them. Hearing it from a health professional rather than a peer may change their perspective. Ideally, everybody would stop using tobacco products. Though that is unlikely, I think it is important for everyone to be warned of the potential consequences of using them. I will encourage my patients to avoid or cease use of tobacco, hoping to protect them and their loved ones the way I wish my grandfathers could have been

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