**Tobacco is a killer. If you smoke, you're more likely to develop disease and die earlier than if you don't smoke.

If you smoke, you probably worry about what it's doing to your health. You probably worry too about how hard it will be to quit smoking. Nicotine is highly addictive and to quit smoking, especially without help, can be very difficult.
In fact, most people fail the first time they try to quit smoking.
But just because you fail once or more than once, doesn't mean you can't succeed or that you shouldn't try again.
Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs. Your lungs are two spongy organs in your chest that take in oxygen when you inhale and release carbon dioxide when you exhale.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, among both men and women.
Lung cancer claims more lives each year than colon, prostate, ovarian, lymph and breast cancers combined.
People who smoke have the greatest risk of lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer increases with the length of time and number of cigarettes smoked.
If you quit smoking, even after smoking for many years, you can significantly reduce your chances of developing lung cancer.
**Take that first step:
Decide to quit smoking and set a stop date. And then take advantage of the multitude of resources available to help you successfully quit smoking.
**Quit-smoking action plan
The way to succeed at anything is to have a plan.
Now that you have decided to quit smoking, it's time to map out your quit-smoking action plan.
And the first step of your quit-smoking action plan should be ""get support.""
Support can come from family, friends, your doctor, a counselor, a support group or a telephone quit line. Support can also come from medications, including nicotine delivery systems and non-nicotine medications.
The second item on your quit-smoking action plan is
**Living smoke-free
Congratulations on living smoke-free! Beating tobacco takes willpower and determination.
You've met the challenge and you're reaping the rewards.
What does living smoke-free mean? Living smoke-free means better health and greater longevity.
By the end of your first year, your risk of heart attack decreases by half.
By five years it's almost the same as someone who never smoked.
Living smoke-free also means better quality of life, improved taste and smell and more stamina.
But living smoke-free doesn't mean living stress-free.
In fact, smokers often cite stress as a reason for relapsing.
As a smoker you used nicotine to cope with stress. Now you must learn new ways to cope. Be proactive. Learn about stress management online or at the library.
For more help, talk with your doctor or a mental health provider
(Source: mayoclinic.com