The Dangers of Tobacco and Smoking

By Carissa Stella

It has been well documented that smoking presents health hazards in many different forms, but the biggest issue with smoking is the damage it can do to a person’s lungs. The tar and approx. 4,000 carcinogens present in tobacco smoke can decrease the ability of the lungs to provide oxygen to the blood. Additionally, 20 of those carcinogens have been identified as those that cause lung cancer as well as throat cancer and other diseases.

Tobacco smoke – A dangerous enemy

In addition to lung cancer, tobacco smoke is a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke as well chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and high blood pressure. It has been shown that a person who smokes as many as 20 cigarettes a day is more at risk to contract tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

Additional complications of smoking include:

 

• Emphysema
• Bronchitis
• Common cold
• Increased HIV susceptibility

The effects of smoking

Long-time smokers may display some of the same symptoms as those with COPD accompanied by wheezing and what is termed smokers’ cough. As tar builds up in the lungs, their capacity is diminished and they will experience being out of breath much faster than non-smokers. They will also display some of the same symptoms as those who suffer from asthma.

Each cigarette smoked causes damage

When a person breathes, air is drawn in through the mouth and nose and moves through the trachea into the lungs through the bronchi. This carrier is similar to a tree with branches that gradually become smaller as the air moves into the lungs until it reaches the alveoli and its small air pouches lined with cilia.

The cilia in the lungs are small hairs that help move oxygen into the blood stream. These tiny hairs become coated with tar and other chemicals in tobacco smoke and can no longer function properly. In addition to helping move air into the blood, the cilia also helps filter the air so it is clean when it reaches the blood stream. If the air is not clean the lungs become irritated and can cause the bronchi to shrink. This promotes phlegm and makes it much harder to breath and causes coughing. Additionally, carbon monoxide can form in the blood while smoking, displacing oxygen in the blood.

Smoking promotes COPD

When the bronchi become irritated, an excess of mucus is produced that causes coughing and often leads to bronchitis. As smoke continues to irritate the alveoli they are destroyed leading to emphysema. The bronchi will also become narrow, making it much harder for the smoker to exhale. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD is a degenerative disease and its effects are permanent but studies have shown that quitting smoking can stop the progression of the disease.

Smoking causes more than lung cancer

It isn’t just the lungs that are affected by smoking. As tar and the other carcinogens are carried into the lungs they can cause mouth and throat cancer as well as cancer in the esophagus and larynx. It had also been shown that the use of alcohol may increase the chance of contracting these forms of cancer.

Tobacco smoke is also a major trigger for those suffering from asthma, causing extreme difficulty in breathing for asthma sufferers, even when they aren’t the ones smoking. Additionally, it has been shown that pregnant women exposed to cigarette smoke have a higher risk of giving birth to babies that are susceptible to developing asthma. So it’s important to understand the health risks inflicted on others from smoking.

 

Sources: Wedmd.com, MayoClinic.com, Cleveland Clinic

One Response to “The Dangers of Tobacco and Smoking”

1. Defense soap says:

   February 2, 2012 at 1:52 am

   Smokers either have a very dull skin or a glowing skin. But then it is a big risk. You may get a glowing skin on cost of your life.

   Reply