Dangers of Smoking

There are many dangers of smoking to the body, to the immediate family, to the society, to the environment and to the economy. More than 700 chemical additives are found in cigarettes. Some of them are classified as toxic and are not allowed in food.

Once lit, a cigarette reaches a temperature of nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This high heat helps release thousands of chemical compounds, including:

• poisons like carbon monoxide
• poisons like hydrogen cyanide
• at least 43 carcinogens, and
• numerous mutagens.

All of these are drawn into the body when a smoker inhales.

Dangers Of Smoking With Nicotine

One of the main dangers of smoking is due to Nicotine. Nicotine is found naturally in tobacco. It has no odor and no color. It is, however, both physically and psychologically addictive, and it causes those who use it to want to smoke one cigarette after another.

Nicotine enters the body as tiny droplets resting on particles of tar in cigarette smoke. Inhaled into the lungs, the drug passes quickly into the bloodstream, reaching the brain within about 10 seconds. In another 5 to 10 seconds the nicotine has spread to all parts of the body.

The nicotine raises both the heart rate and blood pressure. The smoker quickly feels more alert and relaxed. In less than 30 minutes, however, about half of the nicotine has left the bloodstream, and the smoker starts feeling less alert, more edgy.

So he or she reaches for another cigarette to get a new “hit” of nicotine. Over time, the smoker starts needing more cigarettes throughout the day to satisfy the craving.

Dangers Of Smoking With Tar

There are other dangers of smoking as well. The tar from tobacco smoke starts to accumulate on the bronchial tubes leading to the lungs. The hot smoke burns the tiny hairlike projections (called cilia) that trap harmful particles before they enter the lungs.

Carbon Monoxide

One more of the dangers of smoking are Carbon monoxide. Smoking also increases the level of carbon monoxide in the lungs. This poisonous gas is quickly absorbed into the blood, reducing its capacity to carry oxygen.

As a result,

• the smoker has to exert more physical effort to attain a given task than does a nonsmoker.
• The heart in particular must work harder, particularly during rigorous exercise.
• Increased levels of carbon monoxide in the blood can impair vision, perception of time, and coordination.

Diseases

Smoking is the one of the main cause of death every year. Smoking cause number of smoke related diseases such as

• lung cancer (Smoking and Lung Cancer),
• respiratory problems and
• heart ailments

and these dangers of smoking are increasing yearly.

Certain breathing disabilities are also the dangers of smoking. It could also result in a decreased capability to enjoy physical capabilities because of the ailment or side effects like breathing problems. Smoking leads to reduction in life expectancy.

Over the years a smoker will be more likely to develop respiratory ailments:

• thickening of the arteries,
• blood clots,

cancer of the:

• lung,
• cervix,
• larynx,
• mouth,
• esophagus,
• bladder,
• pancreas and kidney, and
• emphysema,

as well as exhibit symptoms such as:

• reduced stamina,
• poor athletic performance,
• wheezing,
• coughing,
• dizziness, and
• nausea.

In time, a smoker suffers:

• increased resistance to the flow of air into the lungs and
• reduced lung capacity.

Besides these serious problems, prolonged tobacco use leads to:

• stained teeth and fingers and
• bad breath.

Even a smoker’s clothes and living quarters tend to smell of tobacco.

Smoking Is A Costly Affair

Smoking is a costly affair. An ordinary smoker invites enormous cost to maintain this unhealthy lifestyle and the costs do not affect exclusively to him. The most apparent cost of smoking is the daily, weekly and monthly expenditure of an ordinary smoker.
The average cost of pack of Cigarettes is $4.00. Imagine a smoker burning a pack per day, $4.00 per day. Annually the money spent on smoking would be around $1500. This money could have spent on some thing good like a decent out-of-town vacation.

Medical Expenditure

Medical expenditures will also have to be addressed as most, if not all, smoke related diseases require treatment, services and medication. Health care services do not always come free.
At the same time, due to illness the smoker has to refrain from work and forced to retire to the hospital be. This leads to reduce in income level and there after, instead of bringing in more money to the household, the money had to be taken out.

Secondhand Smoking

Another one of the dangers of the smoking is that smoking not only diminishes the health of the smokers but also diminishes the health of the non smokers around him through secondhand smoking

Facial Charm

Bad breath brought about by smoking would require gum or mints to overcome the odor. The smoker may also opt for breath fresheners, which are even more expensive. Cigarette components stain the teeth.

Having yellow teeth means extra charge from the dentist aside from the usual cleaning. Smokers were also found to have darkened gums. Smoking could also effect the wrinkling of the skin earlier than the usual.

Other Dangers Of Smoking

• Smoking gives a higher risk of starting a fire. Many fires had been discovered to originate from a cigarette left lit.
• It also leads to air pollution due to the constant release of carbon monoxide in the proximate vicinity.
• Presently, the insurance companies are charging more premium for smokers.
• Smokers who die early do not get to enjoy the fruits of their pensions. This means less social security benefits.
• Cigarette smoking also affects the overall aesthetics of the person.
• Smoking also leads to breakups with their loved ones.
• Smoke makes clothes dirty and the resulting in increase in money spent on dry cleaning.
• The smoke can also result in bad smell in the skin and hair (Bad Breath and Smoking).

Smoking also has emotional costs. The dependence to smoking when one gets addicted can be very restricting. There is also the pressure to quit smoking as the smoker realizes the harmful effects to himself and to his or her family