Smoking And Your Health
The
adverse effects of smoking on the body are numerous and well-known. In 2004 the US Surgeon General (the nation's most senior
health official) released a report that once and for all lists these effects.
The report also highlights some terrifying statistics. Between 1995 and 1999, 440,000 people suffered a premature death from smoking in the US alone. The life expectancy of a male smoker is 13 years less than for a non-smoker, while this figure rises to 15 years for females.
The reason for these extraordinary numbers is that smoking really does affect each and every part of the body. New studies have found links between smoking and illnesses, such as bone marrow cancer, that were never previously connected. On this page we'll try to break down and explain the list of ways in which smoking will harm your health.
Smoking & Pregnancy
By smoking, a mother subjects her unborn child to risks that are easily avoided. Sadly however, only around 20% of smokers kick the habit during pregnancy. Still fewer avoid smoking while they are breastfeeding, even though Nicotine can easily be passed though breast milk.
The primary effect of Nicotine on an unborn baby is to restrict its oxygen supply. It does this by constricting the blood vessels in the uterus and umbilical cord. With less oxygen to grow and develop, babies of smoking mothers are smaller and more likely to be either premature or still-born.
In fact, smoking during pregnancy increases by four times the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, even after the baby is born. Longer term effects on a child can include stunted growth, reduced lung function in adolescence, and asthma.
Of course, mothers-to-be only discover their pregnancy a few weeks or months after conception. However, to stop smoking at this point is not pointless - much of the damage can be undone if the mother quits as soon as she finds out. Two months of smoke are better than nine months, after all.
Smoking & Fertility
Although the exact reasons are unknown, studies have shown that smoking reduces fertility in both men and women. Add to this the fact that pregnancies are more likely to go wrong if the mother is exposed to smoke - either her own or her partner's - and you have a great reason for both men and women to stop smoking.
It is important to realise that you will not know immediately if you are pregnant, and may expose your child to unnecessary risks by continuing to smoke. If you and your partner are trying for a baby, or are in a long term relationship, use this as one of your motivations to stop smoking.
Smoking & Cancer
The association of smoking with smoking goes far beyond lung cancer. Smokers are at greater risk of developing cancer of the
mouth, lip, throat and other areas in direct contact with the smoke.
However, tobacco contains around 40 carcinogenic (cancer causing) chemicals, and their effects spread much further than the respiratory system.
Studies have shown that smokers have higher rates of cancer of the bladder, pancreas, stomach and kidney. In addition, the latest report from the Surgeon General identifies even more conditions, including cancer of the bone marrow and the cervix, that are linked to smoking.
The biggest killer remains lung cancer though, and smokers are 23 times more likely (or 13 times for women) to die from this disease. Perhaps worse than the death itself though, is the long years of acute respiratory conditions that many smokers suffer through beforehand. Many ex-smokers cite their reason for stopping smoking as the painful death of a family member.
Again though, there is a brighter side. These risks accrue with every year that you smoke, but as soon as you quit they start to decrease again. Its really never too late to stop smoking.
Smoking & Heart Disease
The biggest smoking-related killer though, is heart disease. Approximately 2 Americans die every minute from this modern plague - sadly, many of these deaths are before their time and eminently preventable.
The toxins in cigarettes are to blame. They act to harden artery walls by scarring and thickening them. Combined with the development of blood clots, this can block arteries and cause heart attacks.
Studies estimate that up to a quarter of deaths from heart disease are smoking-related. Of course it is difficult to prove the link in individual cases, so the real figure may even be higher. Thankfully though, smokers who kick the habit become progressively less at risk with every year that passes.