A: p2-d1.txt

Dear Mr Smith,

Thank you for completing our smoking questionnaire the other day.  It is
clear that you really enjoy smoking, and don't really see any particularly
good reason to stop, particularly because you don't feel that it has had
any serious effect on your health over a number of years, apart from some
trouble with your circulation.

Smoking gets your body used to nicotine, and when the level of nicotine in
your blood falls, having another cigarette brings a lot of pleasure. The
problem is that along with the nicotine in a cigarette there are a lot of
other chemicals which in the long run can cause all sorts of trouble, and
often by the time that has happened it can be difficult and sometimes
impossible to cure the trouble.  Some people will say they know a lot of
older people who have smoked all their days and never had a day's illness,
and while this is true sometimes, I'm afraid that there are plenty of others
who have got into serious trouble with heart attacks, lung cancer, and
disabling breathing difficulties.  I see a lot of people like this, and
they all say that they wished they had stopped smoking before the damage
was done.

Many people have to give up work early because they are just too
breathless to do any physical activity, or circulation trouble in
their legs means they can't walk, even to catch a bus, or to play
bowls, or go to the shops.  You have been lucky to have been able to
keep active, and would find it very frustrating to find you could no
longer go out and about and do the things you enjoy.  If your
circulation gets any worse, any treatment the doctors give you can
only work if you stop smoking, so it might be better to think of
stopping now anyway!

I don't think you are likely to stop smoking unless you really want
to, and what I would like to do is help you to look forward a few
years to think how you might feel if you had stopped smoking, and
compare it with what you would be like if you continue.  Stopping
smoking often isn't as difficult as people think it is, and the money
you spend on cigarettes could go on a lot of other pleasures! Think
about it, and if you would like any more information, I would be glad
to meet with you and have a discussion.

With best wishes.