Nowadays, it’s hard to find a person who hasn’t heard about how harmful smoking is to our overall health. Each year, cigarette smoking is responsible for nearly 20 percent deaths in the United States and more than 6 million of people in the world died from smoking-related diseases. Smoking is harmful to every part of the body and can lead to serious health problems, such as cancer, heart diseases and respiratory problems.
Smoking-related diseases
Smoking is one of the leading causes of cancer and it accounts for more than 30 percent of all cancer deaths in the U.S each year. The reason behind it is that smoking can trigger DNA mutations and damage the genes that protect us from cancers. Studies have shown that cigarette smoke contains more than 7000 chemicals and more than 69 of them are known to be carcinogens, which can cause varying degrees of DNA damage. As a result, people who smoke are more likely to develop certain types of cancers, such as lung cancer, throat cancer and liver cancer.
Additionally, cigarette smoking can cause heart diseases by damaging the function of your heart and the structure of the blood vessels. First, smoking produces carbon monoxide that can reduce the oxygen level in the bloodstream and hence increase heart rate to supply the body with enough oxygen. Second, some chemicals in cigarette smoke have been shown to cause the fatty plaque build-up inside the arteries. This will increase the risk of getting stroke, heart attack and atherosclerosis.
The image shows how smoking can affect arteries in the heart. Image from National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Furthermore, smoking is also the primary cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is a type of progressive lung disease that can cause respiratory problems and lung infections. The main symptoms of COPD include coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Cigarette smoking can also cause damage to lung tissues and reduce the airflow in and out of the lungs, resulting in many breathing-related problems.
Youtube video – Smoking and its effects on Health. By iheedinstitute
Benefits of quitting smoking
Quitting smoking can lower the risk for smoking-related diseases and largely improve our overall health. Recent studies have shown that quitting smoking before the age of 40 can reduce the risk of early death from smoke-related diseases by 90 percent and increase the life expectancy by 10 years.The following graph shows the timeline of recovery effects after quitting tobacco.
Timeline of health benefits after stopping smoking. Image from http://www.tobaccofreeco.org
In summary, cigarette smoking can cause negative health effects in many ways and it is also a major risk factor for developing cancers and other preventable diseases. Quitting smoking can help regain your health to the same level as those of non-smokers. It is never too late to stop smoking and start a healthy lifestyle!
-Ying Yu
