As you puff more cigarettes, your air passages get smaller and make it harder for you to breathe just a few seconds after you inhale.
If you are active in sports such as basketball, volleyball, soccer, or other games, you know that smoking can hurt your performance and give your opponent the winning edge.
The Community Guidance Center sends the strong message through the hundreds of flyers it distributes to the community not to start using tobacco, or if you are already using tobacco, it is time to quit.
CGC said smoking robs your body of oxygen and your heart and other muscles become weaker with less oxygen.
Effects of nicotine
With the presence of nicotine in your system, your heart rate and blood pressure rises.
“Athletes who use tobacco reach their maximum heart rate faster than non-tobacco users. Your performance suffers when you reach your maximum heart rate,” CGC said.
Nicotine makes your concentration and timing suffer. If your brain is not getting as much oxygen as it needs, your timing may be off and your vision, judgment and attentiveness will be weakened.
For example, if you are into boxing or karate, you can expect to be hit more. If you are a volleyball player, you may be slower to jump for a block or a spike. If you play basketball, you might not make the shot because nicotine impairs your vision and judgment.
Nicotine makes more players prone to get sick. This means that players who smoke get more colds and coughs than non-smokers. If you get sick, you could miss more practices and that can affect the overall team performance. Smokers are also apt to feel more sick and tired after a workout or a game.
CGC said several professional athletes have taken a stand against tobacco use. In the CNMI, various sports organizations are also supporting CGC’s call against tobacco including the Northern Marianas International Football Association, Northern Youth Basketball Association, Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization, and the Coalition of Private Schools Sports Association.
If you are a smart athlete who wants to keep your winning edge, CGC urges you to stop using tobacco. Willpower is needed if you want to quit smoking and it takes lots of practice before you can finally succeed.
Prevention
Here are some steps to prevent or stop tobacco use:
• Let your friends and family know you won’t or have quit smoking.
• Make a commitment to always perform at your best.
• Don’t let tobacco make you a second place athlete.
For assistance on how to quit, call CNMI Tobacco Quit Lines at 323-QUIT (7848) (Raquel C. Bagnol)
