Tobacco contains a substance called nicotine. It makes people agitated and lethargic. When you smoke, nicotine reaches the brain immediately. One cigarette contains one dose of nicotine. This means that one pack of cigarettes a day consumes about 200 doses of nicotine. This is more than the amount of nicotine found in other drugs. Thus regular use of nicotine is addictive. Symptoms such as anger, depression, insomnia, and restlessness appear when an addicted person is unable to eliminate nicotine.

The Bible helps us to adjust our attitude toward smoking. Romans 6:16 says: “Do you not know that if you submit to obedience to someone else, you will be his slave because you obey him?” If a person’s thoughts and actions are subjugated by tobacco, he becomes a slave to disgusting things. But our Creator, Jehovah, wants us to be free not only from harming our bodies but also from defiling our minds. ( Psalm 83:18 , Holy Bible [ TBS ]; 2 Corinthians 7: 1)) As a person grows in appreciation and respect for Jehovah, he realizes that Jehovah deserves our best service. And he also understands that being a slave to tobacco is not the best way to serve God. Such an understanding gives the person the strength to resist evil.

Olaf from Germany started smoking at the age of 12. Sixteen years later, he managed to break free. He did not think smoking was harmful. But as time went on, I couldn’t live without cigarettes. He says: “One day, I did not have a single cigarette. I was so upset that I swallowed all the dust in the ashtray and wrapped it in a piece of newspaper. I realized later that it was a shame. ” How did he get rid of such a disgusting habit? He said: “The main reason I quit smoking is because Jehovah is pleased with me It is my desire to make it. Also, Jehovah’s love for mankind and the hope he gave me gave me the strength to give up the habit. ”

A book on tobacco says: “Cigarettes. . . It has been scientifically proven to damage almost every organ of the human body and increase morbidity and mortality. ” Many people know that smoking causes cancer, heart and lung diseases. But according to the World Health Organization, smoking is the leading cause of death from communicable diseases such as tuberculosis.

Through his Word, the Bible, Jehovah God teaches us to have the right view of our body, life, and physical and mental abilities. His Son Jesus said: “You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” ( Matthew 22:37 ) Clearly, God wants us to live our lives in the right way and to respect them. As we learn about Jehovah God and his promises, we come to love him and to appreciate all that he has done for us. Then we are motivated to keep away from anything that harms the body.

A doctor named Jaywant from India has been addicted to smoking for 38 years. He says: “I learned about the dangers of smoking from a health magazine. I knew that smoking was harmful, and I advised my patients to quit. I tried five or six times, but I couldn’t. ” What helped him? He says: “Learning the Bible helped me to quit smoking. The desire to please Jehovah helped me to break free. ”

Smoke emitted by a smoker is toxic. This type of smoke can cause cancer and other diseases. Such smoke kills 600,000 people each year. Most of them are women and children. The World Health Organization warns: “Smoke from a smoker Just because a quantity is small does not mean that it does not affect health. ”

Regarding who we should love after Jehovah God, Jesus said: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” ( Matthew 22:39 ) If we do not give up the habit of harming our neighbors — family, relatives, and friends are we loving them? True love for neighbor moves us to follow the Bible’s admonition: “Let each one seek, not his own advantage, but that of another.” – 1 Corinthians 10:24 .

Armen, who lives in Armenia, says: “My smoking habit was affecting my family. So they made me cry to quit smoking. I don’t want to admit that smoking affects them. ” He himself says of how he changed his mind: “Knowledge of the Bible and love for Jehovah helped me quit smoking. And it helped me to admit that I was harming others, not just me. ”

Knowledge of the Bible helped Olaf, Jaywant, and Armen to break free from the disgusting habit of influencing themselves and others. Knowing that smoking is harmful is not the only reason they have given up the habit. Instead, they have succeeded in giving up because they love Jehovah and want to please him. The important role of love is emphasized in 1 John 5: 3 : “To keep the commandments of God is to love him, and his commandments are not burdensome.” Of course, applying Bible principles is not always easy. But if our love for God is deep, his commandments will not be burdensome.

Through a worldwide education campaign, Jehovah God is helping millions to free themselves from the bondage of tobacco. ( Read 1 Timothy 2: 3, 4. ) He will soon destroy the greedy business world that has made millions addicted. He will do this through Jesus, the King of the kingdom in heaven. Jehovah will put an end to the scourge of smoking forever and will make obedient people physically and mentally perfect . Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 19:11,  15 .

If you are struggling to quit smoking, do not give up. By learning to love Jehovah and to have a similar attitude toward smoking, you too can break free from addiction. Jehovah’s Witnesses are eager to meet you and help you to understand and apply Bible principles . If you want to quit, you can be sure that Jehovah will give you the strength you need . — Philippians 4:13 .