The Adverse Effects of Smoking

It's not too late to stop.

 

By Stephen James S. Gonda

What is Smoking?

Smoking is a practice in which a substance is burned and the resulting smoke is breathed in to be tasted and absorbed into the bloodstream; the substance used is the dried leaves of the tobacco plant, which have been rolled into a small rectangle of rolling paper to create a small, round cylinder called a "cigarette".

Effects

Smoking can cause dire effects on your body. Developing potential health risks such as Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases, Cancer, or in some cases, death.

Causes

Peer Pressure, nicotine addiction, lack of information, coping mechanism, mental, social or emotional health problems.

Who is Affected?

Primarily Adults. Both men and women. However, people who stand by nearby smokers also experience severe health issues due to secondhand smoke.

Effects on Cardiovascular Health

Cardiovascular Disease. Smoking deals a great risk on affecting the hear and blood vessels

  • It may lead to coronary heart disease

  • Damages blood vessels which make them thicker and narrower. Causing their heart to beat faster and the blood pressure to go up causing the formation of blood clots.

Strokes. It occurs when a clot blocks the blood flow to part of your brain or when a blood vessel in or around your brain bursts

Effects on Respiratory Health

Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging the airways and the small air sacs also known as alveoli found in the lungs.

  • May lead to COPD, which may include emphysema and chronic bronchitis

  • Smoking can trigger an asthma attack for people with asthma

Cancer

Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. However, smoking can deal cancer to almost all parts of the body. From the bladder, blood, cervix, colon, rectum, esophagus, kidney, ureter, larynx, liver, oropharynx, pancreas, stomach, trachea, and the brochus.