Smoking is a habit that you may acquire at will but coming out of it can be virtually impossible for many. There has been a constant research going on to figure out the best to kick the butt, but only two out of three smokers try to quit it every year. And only half of those who try succeed. Addiction to tobacco, especially smoking, is a major health problem globally and is the cause for serious respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as tuberculosis and lung cancer. Adolescents who smoke are more likely to suffer chronic respiratory disorders and risk permanent damage to their lungs. The lungs continue to grow well into adulthood, but inhaling the toxins found in tobacco smoke, especially nicotine, slows this process and causes potentially irreversible lung damage.
Nicotine abuse similar to heroin
Anyone who starts using tobacco, especially during their teens, can become addicted to nicotine: The younger you are when you begin to smoke, the more likely you are to become addicted to nicotine much like cocaine, heroin or other drugs. The repeated, compulsive seeking or use of a substance despite its harmful effects and unwanted consequences is addiction which is also marked by a mental or emotional dependence on the substance.
Using tobacco products regularly leads to addiction as they are easily absorbed into the blood through the lungs and quickly spreads throughout the body. Nicotine causes pleasant feelings and distracts you from unpleasant feelings, when taken in small amounts. It reaches the brain within seconds after taking a puff and the chemistry of the brain and central nervous system affects the mood of the user and makes the user want to use more.
When the effects of nicotine start to wear off after a few minutes, the user may start to feel irritated and edgy and may experience irritability, nervousness, headaches, and trouble in sleeping, though it does not amount to serious withdrawal symptoms. As the body adapts to nicotine, smokers tend to increase the amount of tobacco they take in which raises the amount of the substance in their blood, eventually creating tolerance.
Smoking erodes vascular walls
Nicotine works much like other drugs and energises the reward circuits of the brain with a chemical called dopamine and also gives adrenaline rush that is enough to speed up the card and raise blood pressure. Each time an extra level of nicotine reaches our brain, it causes the body to activate its fight or flight stress defenses which immediately releases stored fats, intended to be used to provide the instant energy needed to the stress factors, into the bloodstream.
Nicotine affects the Blood Vessels and Heart
Nicotine also affects the blood vessels and causes erosion of the vessel wall, known as endothelium. The substance promotes functional and structural changes in vascular walls and stimulates catecholamine release, responsible for altering heart rate variability, increasing risk of ventricular and supraventricular arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, i.e. heart failure. In fact, smoking is the most complex cardiovascular risk factor and researchers have found that abstaining from smoking for as less as eight weeks can help reverse the endothelial damage caused by smoking but may still risk your heart.
People who have used tobacco regularly for a few weeks or longer will have withdrawal symptoms if they suddenly stop or greatly reduce the amount they use. There’s no danger in nicotine withdrawal, but the symptoms can be uncomfortable. Trying to quit smoking, tobacco or using any other form does not limit itself to the physical abstention, it also calls for tremendous mental and emotional stamina, and professional guidance to this end is an absolute must for better returns. Systematic approach through medication and Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help reduce the severity of urges and cravings.
Smokers have a harder time healing from surgeries, and have more overall health issues than do nonsmokers. This results in more time away from work, and more doctor and hospital visits. Smoking compromises a person's health in so many ways.
* Smokers are more likely to be absent from work than nonsmokers, and their illnesses last longer.
* Smokers tend to incur more medical costs, to see physicians more often in the outpatient setting, and to be admitted to the hospital more often and for longer periods than nonsmokers.
* Smokers have a lower survival rate after surgery compared to that of nonsmokers because of damage to the body's host defenses, delayed wound healing, and reduced immune response. Smokers are at greater risk for complications following surgery, including wound infections, postoperative pneumonia, and other respiratory complications.
* Periodontitis is a serious gum disease that can result in the loss of teeth and bone loss. Smoking is causally related to periodontitis. This may be because smoking affects the body's
ability to fight infection and repair tissue.
* Peptic ulcers, which are located in the digestive tract (stomach and duodenum), usually occur in people with an infection caused by the Helicobacter pylori bacterium. Among persons with this infection, smokers are more likely to develop peptic ulcers than nonsmokers. In severe cases, peptic ulcers can lead to death.
* Although only a small number of studies have looked at the relationship between smoking and erectile dysfunction, their findings suggest that smoking may be associated with an increased risk for this condition. More studies are needed, however, before researchers can conclude that the effect of smoking is causally related to erectile dysfunction.
If you smoke and want to get pregnant, quitting the habit should be a priority. Smoking can prevent you from getting pregnant in the first place. Even in the first trimester smoking affects the health of your unborn baby. Both male and female smokers are about twice as likely to have issues with fertility compared to nonsmokers, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
Secondhand smoke is just as dangerous to the fetus. The Environmental Protection Agency has classified secondhand smoke as a group A carcinogen. That means it’s known to cause cancer in humans.
Miscarriage and stillbirth
The unexpected loss of a pregnancy is a tragic event at any stage. Miscarriages typically occur in the first three months of pregnancy. On rare occasions, they can occur after 20 weeks of gestation. This is called a stillbirth.
According to the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source, smoking raises the likelihood of both early miscarriage and stillbirth. The dangerous chemicals in cigarettes are often to blame.
Other complications from smoking can lead to problems with the placenta or slow fetal development. These issues can also cause a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Ectopic pregnancy
Nicotine can cause contractions in the fallopian tubes. These contractions can prevent an embryo from passing through. One possible result of this is an ectopic pregnancy. This happens when a fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus, either in the fallopian tube, or in the abdomen. In this situation, the embryo must be removed to avoid life-threatening complications to the mother.
Placental abruption
The placenta is the “lifeline” structure that forms during pregnancy to provide the fetus with nutrients and oxygen. Smoking is a major risk factor for several complications linked to the placenta. One such problem is placenta abruption. This is a condition in which the placenta separates from the uterus before childbirth. Placenta abruption can cause severe bleeding and threaten the life of both the mother and the baby. There’s no surgery or treatment to reattach it. Immediate medical attention may help increase the chance of a healthy birth despite placenta abruption.
Placenta previa
Smoking is also a risk factor for placenta previa. During pregnancy, the placenta normally grows in the uterus towards the top of the womb. This leaves the cervix open for delivery. Placenta previa is when the placenta stays in the lower part of the uterus, partially or fully covering the cervix. The placenta often tears, causing excessive bleeding and depriving the fetus of vital nutrients and oxygen.
Preterm birth
Smoking during pregnancy can cause preterm birth. That’s when a baby is born too early. There are numerous health risks associated with a preterm birth. These can include:
visual and hearing impairments
mental disability
learning and behavioral problems
complications that could result in death
Low birth weight
Smoking can also cause babies to be born with a low birth weight. This doesn’t just mean delivering a small baby. Low birth rate can also lead to other health problems and disabilities. Advances in medical care have reduced the number of deaths as a result of low birth weight. But it’s still a serious condition that can result in:
developmental delay
cerebral palsy
hearing or vision ailments
In extreme cases, low birth weight can cause the death of the newborn.
According to the American Cancer Society, women who quit smoking before getting pregnant lower their risk of having a baby with a low birth weight. Even women who stop smoking during their pregnancy are less likely to have babies with low birth weight than women who keep smoking.
Birth defects
Smoking during pregnancy raises the risk of your baby being born with birth defects. The most common types of problems are congenital heart defects and problems with the structure of the heart. Other health issues that have been linked to smoking while pregnant include cleft lip and cleft palate.
The unfortunate truth
Many pregnant women still smoke despite the known risks the habit will create for themselves and their babies.10 percent of women report that they smoked during the last three months of pregnancy. The only real way to avoid pregnancy complications associated with smoking is to quit.
Tar in cigarettes coats the lungs and can cause lung and throat cancer in smokers. It is also responsible for the yellow–brown staining on smokers' fingers and teeth.
Carbon monoxide in cigarettes robs the muscles, brain and blood of oxygen, making the whole body — especially the heart — work harder.
Over time this causes airways to narrow and blood pressure to rise, and can lead to heart attack and stroke. High levels of CO, together with nicotine, increase the risk of heart disease, hardening of the arteries and other circulatory problems. A first-time smoker will often feel dizzy and sick.
‘Light’ or ‘low tar’ cigarettes
Research has shown that there is little difference between the amount of chemicals inhaled by people who smoke ‘light’ or ‘low tar’ cigarettes and those who smoke regular cigarettes. People who smoke ‘light’ cigarettes have the same risk of developing smoking-related diseases as people who smoke regular cigarettes.
Immediate effects
Soon after smoking tobacco, the following effects may be experienced:
* initial stimulation, then reduction in brain and nervous system activity;
* enhanced alertness and concentration;
* mild euphoria;
* feelings of relaxation;
* increased blood pressure and heart rate;
* decreased blood flow to body extremities like the fingers and toes;
* dizziness, nausea, watery eyes and acid in the stomach; and
* decreased appetite, taste and smell.
Overdose
Although rare, it is possible to overdose on the nicotine in tobacco. Very large doses of nicotine can result in an increase in the unpleasant effects, including feelings of faintness and confusion,
and a rapid decrease in blood pressure and breathing rate.
In some cases, it can lead to convulsions and death from respiratory failure. 60 milligrams of nicotine taken orally can be fatal for an adult.
Long-term effects
It is estimated that more than 140,000 hospital episodes and 19,000 deaths in Australia can be attributed to tobacco use every year. The principal diagnoses are cancer, heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Passive smoking
Passive smoking can cause a number of health problems including heart disease, lung cancer and irritation of the eyes and nose. It involves breathing in tobacco smoke from other people's cigarettes:
smoke that has been exhaled or smoke from the end of a lit cigarette.
50 Australians die every day from smoking, compared to 10 who die from alcohol-related conditions and 4 who die as a result of road accidents. Tolerance and dependence
People who use tobacco tend to develop a tolerance to the effects of the nicotine in the tobacco very quickly. This means they need to smoke more and more in order to get the same effect.
With repeated use of tobacco, the risk of dependence on nicotine is high. Dependence on nicotine can be physiological, psychological or both.
People who are physically dependent on nicotine find their body has become used to functioning with the nicotine present and may experience withdrawal symptoms when they reduce their nicotine intake.
People who are psychologically dependent on nicotine may find they feel an urge to smoke when they are in specific surroundings, such as at the pub, or in particular situations such as during their lunch break or socialising with friends.
Research has shown that smoking is often associated with different roles and meanings for smokers, including the following.:
* Social roles, such as enjoyment of the company of friends, the drinking of coffee or alcohol, and promoting social confidence and feelings of independence (particularly for young women).
*Emotional roles — caring for the self, such as helping to deal with stress and anxiety, weight control and providing ‘companionship’.
* Temporal roles, such as connecting the flow of events or time in the smoker's day, providing a break from work or activities and relieving boredom.This may be why smoking is sometimes referred to as the most difficult drug to give up.
Withdrawal
If a person who is dependent on the nicotine in tobacco suddenly stops using it or reduces the amount they use, they will experience withdrawal symptoms because their body has to readjust to functioning without the drug.
Most of these symptoms will disappear within days or weeks of quitting smoking, but cravings may persist for years after stopping using tobacco.
Symptoms include:
* cravings;
* irritability, agitation, depression and anxiety;
* insomnia and disturbed sleeping patterns;
* increased appetite and weight gain;
* restlessness and loss of concentration;
* headaches;
* coughing and sore throat;
* body aches and pains; and
* stomach and bowel upsets.
Seniors face increased risks associated with smoking which include hip fractures, cataracts, and COPD. It's never too late to quit smoking. The health benefits of cessation start within minutes of the last cigarette.
Smoking reduces bone density among menopausal women.
Smoking is casually related to an increased risk for hip fractures in men and women.
Of the 850,000 fractures among those over age 65 in the United States each year, 300,000 are hip fractures. Persons with a hip fracture are 12% to 20% more likely to die than those without a hip fracture. Estimated costs related to hip fractures range from $7 billion to $10 billion each year.
Smoking is related to nuclear cataracts of the lens of the eye, the most common type of cataract in the United States. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness worldwide and a leading cause of visual loss in the United States. Smokers have two to three times the risk of developing cataracts as nonsmokers.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is consistently among the top 10 most common chronic health conditions and among the top 10 conditions that limit daily activities. Prevalence of COPD is highest in men and women 65 years of age and older (16.7% among men and 12.6% among women).
When people think of cancers caused by smoking, the first one that comes to mind is always lung cancer. Most cases of lung cancer death, close to 90% in men, and 80% in women are caused by cigarette smoking. There are several other forms of cancer attributed to smoking as well, and they include cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, bladder, stomach, cervix, kidney and pancreas, and acute myeloid leukemia. The list of additives allowed in the manufacture of cigarettes consists of 599 possible ingredients. When burned, cigarette smoke contains over 4000 chemicals, with over 40 of them being known carcinogens.
* Cancer is the second leading cause of death and was among the first diseases causally linked to smoking.
* Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, and cigarette smoking causes most cases.
* Compared to nonsmokers, men who smoke are about 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer and women who smoke are about 13 times more likely. Smoking causes about 90% of lung cancer deaths in men and almost 80% in women.
* In 2003, an estimated 171,900 new cases of lung cancer occurred and approximately 157,200 people died from lung cancer.
* The 2004 Surgeon General's report adds more evidence to previous conclusions that smoking causes cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, lung and bladder.
* Cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) in tobacco smoke damage important genes that control the growth of cells, causing them to grow abnormally or to reproduce too rapidly.
* Cigarette smoking is a major cause of esophageal cancer in the United States. Reductions in smoking and smokeless tobacco use could prevent many of the approximately 12,300 new cases and 12,100 deaths from esophgeal cancer that occur annually.
* The combination of smoking and alcohol consumption causes most laryngeal cancer cases. In 2003, an estimated 3800 deaths occurred from laryngeal cancer.
* In 2003, an estimated 57,400 new cases of bladder cancer were diagnosed and an estimated 12,500 died from the disease.
* For smoking-attributable cancers, the risk generally increases with the number of cigarettes smoked and the number of years of smoking, and generally decreases after quitting completely.
* Smoking cigarettes that have a lower yield of tar does not substantially reduce the risk for lung cancer.
* Cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing mouth cancers. This risk also increases among people who smoke pipes and cigars.
* Reductions in the number of people who smoke cigarettes, pipes, cigars, and other tobacco products or use smokeless tobacco could prevent most of the estimated 30,200 new cases and 7,800 deaths from oral cavity and pharynx cancers annually in the United States.
New cancers confirmed by this report:
* The 2004 Surgeon General's report newly identifies other cancers caused by smoking, including cancers of the stomach, cervix, kidney, and pancreas and acute myeloid leukemia.
* In 2003, an estimated 22,400 new cases of stomach cancer were diagnosed, and an estimated 12,100 deaths were expected to occur.
* Former smokers have lower rates of stomach cancer than those who continue to smoke.
* For women, the risk of cervical cancer increases with the duration of smoking.
* In 2003, an estimated 31,900 new cases of kidney cancer were diagnosed, and an estimated 11,900 people died from the disease.
* In 2003, an estimated 30,700 new cases of pancreatic cancer were diagnosed, attributing to 30,000 deaths. The median time from diagnosis to death from pancreatic cancer is about 3 months.
* In 2003, approximately 10,500 cases of acute myeloid leukemia were diagnosed in adults.
* Benzene is a known cause of acute myleoid leukemia, and cigarette smoke is a major source of benzene exposure. Among U.S. smokers, 90% of benzene exposures come from cigarettes.
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and has negative health impacts on people at all stages of life. It harms unborn babies, infants, children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. The effects of smoking.... health-effects-of-smoking.
