MYTH # 2:

"I'll know when it's time to stop smoking . . . I'll do it when I start to cough or get short of breath."

THE FACTS

Regardless of how you're feeling, the time to stop smoking is now, before anything else happens. Coughing is indeed a sign that damage has been done to the breathing tubes ("bronchi"), but many other effects of smoking occur without letting you know until it's too late. Smoking is well known to cause emphysema and several cancers, but it is also one of the most important factors in the development of blocked arteries. Stopping smoking will not only slow the progression of blockages, but also allow them to improve over time. More importantly, you get immediate benefit -- the risk of heart attacks and sudden death decrease by 50% right away.

Conclusion

Politics and public relations campaigns aside, stopping smoking is the best thing you can do for yourself, before it's too late. (Haven't they made enough money from you already?)