Nora Brighton
Gloria Shirey
ENG 132.60
8 June 2010


The Effects of Smoking

Smoking and tobacco use is an addiction that has caused major health issues forcing it into the spotlight. It has made headlines multiple times over the last 20 years as a result of lawsuit after lawsuit against the tobacco companies. Smoking is a highly discussed issue because it remains the most preventable cause of death in the United States that people are aware of. However, according to the American Lung Association at least 400,000 Americans die a year from the various tobacco related diseases out there. The risk from smoking are so great that every 72 seconds someone dies from the dangerous effects it has on the body, this equals to more deaths than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, fires, murders and suicides combined.
On average, smokers will die 10-15 years earlier than if they were a non-smoker. Smokers often have premature deaths because of the many incurable diseases, that may have been prevented. There are three main diseases that smoking may cause or bring sooner. While there are many heart attack and cardiovascular deaths each year, at least 30% of them are related to smoking. Likewise, there are many different kinds of cancer and smoking is related to 30% of these, but 87% of lung cancer that kills a person smoking is responsible for. Also many of these various lung problems such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema; smoking is related to 82% of these cases. (“Smoking”) Even though smoking is responsible for those three main diseases, it is also
responsible for exacerbating other diseases or conditions. For example, smoking can delay the healing of peptic ulcers, cause chronic leg pain, wrinkling of facial skin sooner, earlier menopause, reduced fertility, impairs erections, and increased rate of osteoporosis. Smokers also get sick more frequently compared to non-smokers. Smokers have an increased risk of getting regular headaches and sinus congestion, high blood pressure, colds, coughing, migraines and fatigue. Another major issue associated with smoking that continues to make headlines is women who smoke while pregnant. A pregnant who smokes can cause damage that will last throughout the child’s life, including increasing the risk of miscarriage, premature birth and death of the baby. (Slowik)
There is also a lot of damage that smokers can do to the people that surround them this is called passive smoking or second-hand smoking this is the combination of smoke from a burning cigarette and smoke exhaled by a smoker and inhaled by a non-smoker. The smoke that burns off the end of any tobacco product actually contains more harmful substances than the smoke being inhaled by the smoker. There are more than 4,000 chemical compounds in tobacco, 60 of which can cause cancer. (“Secondhand”) Some of these chemicals include; arsenic, main ingredient in pesticides; benzene, an additive in gasoline; cyanide, which we know better as poison; lead, ammonia and even carbon monoxide. That’s just a few. (“Tobacco”)
The chances of developing serious smoking-related illnesses increase every time someone is exposed to the harmful smoke. These illnesses include; lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema and many more. Secondhand smoke is rapidly absorbed into the blood, thus decreasing the coronary flow of blood in the body and increasing the risk of heart attack and respiratory diseases to non-smokers. (“Dangers”) According to the National Cancer Institute there are approximately 3,000 deaths related to lung cancer, in which the victims were non smokers. Take Dana Reeve, wife of Christopher Reeve, for example who was victimized by second hand smoking. Dana Reeve had never smoked a cigarette in her life but died from lung cancer after being exposed to second-hand smoke. She was only 52 years old.
There are certain people who are more susceptible to these harmful effects; including pregnant women, infants and children. Second-hand smoke not only harms the mom to be, but her little one inside of her. The baby is at risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, allergies, etc. Infants and children don’t always have the choice to leave a smoking environment; they are vulnerable to these health risks as well. As mentioned earlier, many people don’t realize when they are victimized by second-hand smoke. When we are dining at restaurants we are sometimes exposed, at bars and even at work.
Even with all of the known dangerous risks to smoking especially the dangers to our loved ones, why is it that people continue to smoke? Lots of the smokers may have a smoking addiction, which is an uncontrollable dependence on cigarettes, and if they were it would cause severe emotional, mental or physical reactions. Many of the people who smoke do try to quit but only 1 in 3 people actually succeed in permanently stopping before the age of sixty and by this time most of the irreversible damage has been done. The main reason as to why it takes at least three attempts to quit is because of the person extreme addiction which makes it more difficult. Smoking is addictive to people because of the nicotine that is in the tobacco, nicotine can be as addictive as heroin or cocaine to some people, stimulating electrical activity of the brain. One reason why nicotine addicts people is because it can have a calming effect during stressful times and activates “pleasure centers” in the brain. (“Tobacco”)
Each year 1.3 million smokers actually succeed in quitting due to the use of smoking cessation therapies. (Slowik) Over 20- 40% of smokers who quit are able to stop for more than one year. Luckily, smoking is an addiction with many different options of ways to make quitting possible. One of the most popular ways to quit is with nicotine replacement therapy which includes the use of gum, patches, lozenges, nasal sprays or an inhaler. Nicotine replacement gives the smoker a controlled dose of nicotine with none of the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes. This option tends to work better with people who smoke at least a pack a day or more. The recommended use of this therapy is over a 3-5 month period by using less of the product over time. One of the newer options to quit smoking is a prescription pill called Zyban (Buporion Hydrochloride). The pill Zyban can double the chances of quitting, it does not contain any nicotine, but it acts on the chemicals in the brain related to the craving of nicotine. The recommend use of Zyban is to start taking the pill 1-2 weeks after quitting. Heavy smokers are also recommended to combine Zyban with a nicotine replacement for best results.
Another newer pill Chantix (Varenicline), this one interferes with the nicotine receptors in the brain by lessening the pleasurable physical effects and reduces nicotine withdrawal. With this prescription there can be a few side effects like headaches, nausea, vomiting, sleeping problems, taste changes, or depression. (Slowik) Other options are available for people to choose to help stop smoking. Some of these option’s are acupuncture, hypnosis, vitamin therapy, herbal or homeopathic, and exercise. There are also many different support groups that are available that may be located at local hospitals, churches, or treatment centers.
With all the dangers of smoking one would think that people would open up there eyes and see the dangers of this harmful habit. This habit can not only kill the smoker but all the loved ones around them that they hold so dear. This habit can cause horrible diseases that can lead to shorted lives. So the question is will others learn about the effects of this unhealthy habit and cut the addiction out of there life?




































Works Cited


“Dangers of Secondhand Smoke”. The Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center. 2008 Web. 31 May 2010
“Secondhand Smoking”. American Cancer Society. 2009 Web. 31 May 2010
“Smoking”. American Lung Association. 2002 Web. 1 June 2010
Slowik, G.” How Smoking Affects the Body”. 2009 Web. 31 May 2010
“Tobacco Statistics Snapshots”. National Cancer Institute. 2008 Web. 1 June 2010