Mustafa al'Absi

1 INTRODUCTION Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of disease and mortality worldwide. An estimated 50% of the risk of developing CVD is attributed to conventional risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and smoking (Dimsdale, 2008; Schneiderman, 2022). Tobacco smoking reportedly accounts for 8 million deaths globally each year (World Health Organisation, 2024).

Quitting smoking is no easy task, especially if periodically reaching for a cigarette is a part of your daily routine. Those who are able to quit often report one unfavorable side effect: weight gain. Let's set the record straight—smoking cessation is the best move for your overall health, despite any undesirable side effects.

SHORT COMMUNICATION Mustafa al'Absi Corresponding Author malabsi@umn.edu Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, US Correspondence: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mustafa al'Absi, Email: malabsi@umn.edu; Tel: (218) 726‐7144 Search for more papers by this author This research was supported, in part, by the National Institutes of Health (R01DA016351 and R01DA027232).