Stop Smoking

Health risks of smoking cigarettes and tobacco

Smoking damages almost all of the body's organs and causes sickness and impairment. 

In addition to emphysema and chronic bronchitis, smoking increases the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung conditions, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It raises the risk of developing tuberculosis, several eye conditions, and immune system issues, such as rheumatoid arthritis. 

Each year, 400 baby deaths and 41,000 fatalities among non-smoking adults are attributed to secondhand smoke exposure. Those exposed to secondhand smoke develop coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke.

What are the dangerous chemicals in tobacco smoke?

1. Tar

The solid particles suspended in tobacco smoke are referred to as tar. Chemicals, including ones that cause cancer, are present in the particles (carcinogens). Tar is a dark, sticky substance that stains lung tissue, teeth, and fingernails.

2. Carbon monoxide 

Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas. It has no smell or color, and when used in sufficient quantities, it causes death by replacing the oxygen in the blood. Smokers' blood contains carbon monoxide, which interferes with oxygen delivery to their muscles and organs.

3. Oxidizing chemicals

Oxidizing chemicals are extremely reactive substances that can harm a smoker's heart, muscles, and blood vessels. As they interact with cholesterol, fatty deposits form on arterial walls. Their conduct contributes to blood vessel damage, heart disease, and stroke.

4. Metals

Smoking tobacco exposes you to several carcinogenic metals, such as arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead, and nickel.

5. Radioactive compounds

Smoke from cigarettes contains radioactive compounds that are known to cause cancer. 

What is a smoker's cough?

Numerous substances and particles in tobacco smoke can irritate the lungs and upper airways. The body attempts to get rid of these compounds when a person inhales them by producing mucus and inducing a cough. 

Smokers frequently experience an early morning cough for a variety of reasons. Usually, microscopic hair-like structures in the airways are called cilia to assist in clearing dangerous substances from the lungs. Nevertheless, cigarette smoke delays this sweeping motion, allowing some particles and mucus to remain in the airways and lungs. Some cilia repair and begin functioning once more while the individual sleeps (and does not smoke).

The person coughs when they first wake up because their lungs attempt to expel mucus and irritation from the previous day. 

A smoker's cough is sometimes a precursor to COPD.

What are the problems caused by long-term smoking?

A lifetime smoker runs a significant chance of contracting many potentially fatal conditions, such as: 

• Heart disease

• Stroke

• Intestinal ulcers

• Osteoporosis

• hip fractures 

• Cancer of the lung, mouth, nose, larynx, tongue, nasal sinus, esophagus, throat, pancreas, kidney, cervix, ovary, ureter, liver, bladder, and stomach

•  Lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes obstructive bronchial

• Type 2 diabetes

• Rheumatoid arthritis.

How does smoking affect your lungs?

Smoking harms your lungs' tiny air sacs and airways. As soon as a person starts smoking, lung function deteriorates over time. However, it can take some time before the issue is obvious enough to identify lung illness. 

Serious long-term lung disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can develop due to lung smoke damage (COPD). Smoking can worsen some existing lung conditions, such as asthma, and increase the risk of lung infections, including pneumonia and tuberculosis.

How does smoking affect your heart and blood vessels?

Your cardiovascular system, including your heart and blood vessels, is harmed by smoking, which raises your risk of heart attack and stroke. 

Coronary heart disease (CHD), in which the heart's arteries are unable to deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle, is caused by smoking. The primary reason for heart attacks and the number one killer is CHD. 

Smoking raises blood pressure, reduces exercise capacity, and increases the likelihood of blood clotting. Moreover, it lowers blood levels of HDL (good) cholesterol. 

A significant risk factor for peripheral arterial disease is smoking (PAD). Plaque accumulates in the arteries that provide blood to the brain, organs, and limbs in PAD—the risk of heart attack, heart disease, and stroke increases. 

Aortic aneurysm risk is increased by smoking. The aorta, the principal artery supplying blood from the heart to other organs, has a balloon-like bulge. It results from the aorta's wall deteriorating. Aortic aneurysms can enlarge over time and pose a hazard to life if they burst. Walking may become painful, and open sores that don't heal may develop. 

Smoking might hinder the body's capacity to heal from cuts because it alters blood flow. Because of this, many doctors refuse to perform specific procedures on patients unless they quit smoking.

What are the effects of smoking on sexual organs?

The male body is more susceptible to the following conditions as a result of tobacco smoke: 

• Low sperm count 

• increased proportion of sperm with defects 

• The impact of smoking on blood flow and harm to the blood vessels of the penis may cause genetic damage that results in sperm impotence. 

The following are some impacts of tobacco smoke on the female body: 

If a smoker is over 35 years old, uses the pill, and has lower fertility, irregular menstrual cycles, or no menstruation, their risk of developing cervical cancer increases significantly. They also have a significantly higher risk of stroke and heart attack.

Getting help

Inform your GP if you want to quit smoking or face any of the above problems. He can give you a better idea of how to get rid of it.