It is widely acknowledged now that smoking is one of the leading sole causes of premature deaths, contributing to a range of extremely harmful health conditions. The majority of smoking-related deaths are due to various types of cancer, heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is a sobering fact that almost half of all smokers diseases that are related to smoking. On average, long-term smokers have a life expectancy that is roughly 10 years less than a person who doesn’t smoke. Distressingly, a large number of smoking-related deaths tend to be rather long and drawn out. For example, Smokers who develop COPD can typically anticipate several years of sickness and upsetting symptoms prior to their eventual death. If you’re thinking of quitting smoking and trying vaping instead, Vape AU believes you ought to begin by educating yourself about the facts surrounding health and smoking.
Why is Cigarette Smoke So Bad?
Cigarette smoke causes these deeply unpleasant health conditions as a result of what it contains. Nicotine is the first substance, and it causes a number of unsettling symptoms, despite appearing to calm and settle the smoker. Regular smokers, whose blood levels of nicotine fall, tend to develop the symptoms of withdrawal, such as cravings, irritability and anxiety, anger, headaches and an over stimulated appetite. All of these symptoms can be alleviated by simply smoking another cigarette, thereby continuing the cycle.
Cigarette smoke also contains tar, the deposits of which can get into the blood vessels and, as a result, get carried around the body. It also contains in excess of 4,000 chemicals, among which are more than 50 carcinogens and poisons which are known to cause cancer. One such chemical is carbon monoxide, which has a deleterious effect on the blood’s oxygen-carrying capability. This is especially worrying for pregnant women who smoke, as smoking results in less oxygen getting to the developing baby. It is believed that this is the main reason why smoking is so harmful for developing babies.
Diseases Caused by Smoking
Lung cancer is one of the main diseases caused by smoking, with more than 8 in 10 cases being directly linked to smoking. Other cancers, such as of the mouth, nose, pancreas and kidney are more common in smokers. COPD is another horrible condition related to smoking, with more than 8 in 10 of these cases being directly related to smoking. Sadly, many people who develop COPD are often very unwell for a number of years before they die.
Heart disease is another big killer and although smoking isn’t a direct cause in all cases, roughly 1 in 6 cases is thought to be due to smoking.
Smoking also causes circulatory problems, as the chemicals found in cigarette smoke can cause damage to the lining of blood vessels and also change the level of fats in the blood, which can raise the risk of the arteries hardening. This is one of the leading causes of heart disease and strokes.
Smoking can also increase the risk of developing other nasty conditions, including cataracts, dementia, gum disease and generally accelerated aging, such as wrinkles.
As mentioned earlier, women who smoke while pregnant increase their risk of miscarrying, as well as other problems and complications, such as their baby being born with a low birth weight, still birth, congential defects, and other complications such as ectopic pregnancy. In general, children born to smokers also tend to be small and suffer more developmental problems, including physical and intellectual, as well as being more likely to develop such conditions as asthma.
How Smoking Affects Others
Passive smoking is now a widely recognized term and we know that people who passively inhale smoke from nearby smokers for extended periods of time are more likely to suffer health problems as a result. These problems include heart disease and lung cancer, as well as making the symptoms of asthma worse.
Babies and children who live in a home with smokers tend to be much more likely to develop nose, chest and ear infections, as well as asthma. They are also at increased risk of dying from sudden infant death syndrome. Such children have also been shown to perform less well than children in a non-smoking households in both reading and reason skills. This is even true in children who come from homes where there is a low level of exposure to smoke.
Facts About Stopping Smoking
Fortunately, it is very possible to stop smoking, and many, many people have managed to do so. Fortunately, the benefits of quitting smoking begin immediately. For those who have smoked since their teens or as a young adult and quit before the age of 35, life expectancy is only a little less than that of a lifelong non-smoker. For those who stop by or before the age of 50, the risk of dying as a result of smoking-related conditions drops by half.
Those who quit also reap other benefits, including less common coughs, colds and chest infections, and an improved sense of taste. Clothes will also smell much fresher.
For those looking to quit, there are a multitude of resources that can help. Doctors and nurses can give great advice and help with medication, if needed. Such medications include nicotine gum and patches, as well as prescription medications, which are typically taken for a short time. E-cigarettes are also becoming increasingly popular and some health experts even recommend them for those looking to quit smoking. E-cigarettes by companies such as V2cigs produce a range of products that offer a smoke-free method of getting a nicotine hit, which can be controlled on some devices and gradually reduces, thereby helping you quit gradually, without inhaling harmful tobacco smoke.