Information » Health » Smoking and Alcohol
Tobacco and alcohol are legal substances used by thousands of people everyday, however both of these substances have very serious effects on your health.
Smoking is currently the single largest cause of preventable cancer deaths in the UK. Every year around 32,000 people die from lung cancer alone. The more you smoke the more at risk you are, only one or two cigarettes a day can lead to cancer, with lung and heart disease also common amongst smokers.
Smoking can also affect your appearance; Aside from the bad smell clinging to your hair and clothes, smoker´s skin can age quicker, it thins the skin and causes wrinkles. Your fingers might turn yellow as well as your teeth, and smokers have a weaker immune system, leading to more coughs and colds than non-smokers
The benefits of quitting are huge, you´ll cut your risk of cancer and other diseases, breathing will become easier and your sense of taste and smell will get better. You'll also have a lot more money in your pocket - smoking a packet of 10 cigarettes a day, costs around £1,150 a year!
Drinking alcohol in moderation isn't likely to be harmful; in fact some studies suggest drinking a glass of wine a day has some health benefits
However drinking large quantities of alcohol in one go (binge drinking) or regularly can seriously damage your health. As many as 33,000 people in the UK die from alcohol-related causes every year. The health problems that are associated with drinking heavily include liver damage and disease, strokes, heart disease kidney damage and being involved in accidents.
Alcohol reduces inhibitions, can make people feel more sociable and affects judgement; this means that when drunk you might do things that you wouldn't normally do and later regret.
It is illegal to buy alcohol and cigarettes if you are under 18 years of age in the UK.
The following websites can help to answer your questions and concerns, you can also access help lines, professional support and advice.
Organisations
-
Wales Drug and Alcohol Helpline
Dan - the all Wales drug and alcohol helpline Tel . 0800 6335588
-
MEIC
Information, advice and support for your life. Free. Confidential. For you / Gwybodaeth, cyngor a chefnogaeth i dy fywyd. Am ddim. Cyfrinachol. I ti.
-
Stop Smoking Wales
provides a free telephone service offering help for you to stop smoking 0800 0852219
-
Smokers Helpline Wales
offers support from trained counsellors via a free telephone service 0800 1690169
-
Alcoholics Anonymous
Providing information and a number of leaflets to help you decide if you need to access their support for problems with alcohol.
