Number one amongst the main causes of preventable diseases and deaths in USA is related precisely to smoking cigarettes. Only in this country, smoking is responsible for more than 480 000 deaths every year. According to the studies conducted in 2015, it is estimated that 36,5 million American people consumed cigarettes at that time, out of which 16 million suffered from a smoking related disease.
Here are some facts:
- smoking causes more deaths every year than HIV, drug and alcohol use, motor vehicle and firearm incidents all together
- smoking causes about 90 percent of lung cancer deaths
- smoking causes about 80 percent of pulmonary diseases
- smoking increases the risk of developing heart diseases, cancer, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and having a stroke.
There are about 600 substances found in tobacco, which create 7000 chemicals while burning. Many of them, like tar, acetone, nicotine and carbon monoxide, are closely related to cancer and have a bad effect on almost every organ in the body. Nicotine is the main habit–forming and mood–altering substance. It reaches the smokers brain in a few seconds and makes them feel more energized. But, after the effect loosens up, you feel tired, anxious, depressed or irritated and you have a desire to smoke more. Nicotine is extremely guilty why it’s so hard to quit smoking.
Smoking not only causes the lung cancer, but also causes the cancer of other organs:
- pancreas
- liver
- cervix
- bladder
- larynx
- stomach
- colon and rectum
- esophagus
- colon and rectum
- blood
If you still choose to smoke, remember that you’re not only harming your own health, but also the health of persons around you.Other than health problems, smoking also causes esthetic imperfections, such as yellow teeth, bad breath, and bad smell in general.
According to Cancer studies UK, second hand smoke, which is the term for inhaling other people’s cigarette smoke, can also cause cancer. Not only it may cause cancer, but it increases the chances of its development by a quarter. It is especially harmful if you smoke around your children. That way, you’re risking not only your life, but theirs as well, as the chance of developing asthma and other respiratory problems significantly increases.
The studies show that the mainstream smoke – the smoke inhaled directly through the mouth, is actually less dangerous than side stream smoke – the smoke that is produced by the burning tip of the cigarette. Side stream smoke is 4 times more toxic than the directly inhaled one, as it consists of 3 times more carbon monoxide. It is also abundant in nitrosamines, which can 10-30 times more be found in side stream smoke, while ammonia levels are up to 300 times higher.
There are many options people opt for to help them when trying to quit smoking. Some of them are nicotine patches and gums, electronic cigarettes, etc.
There is no safe way to smoke.
Nessie L.B.