Effects of Smoking to the Human Body Systems - Term Paper Example

Cigarette smoking Affiliation Cigarette Smoking Effects of smoking to the body systems Smoking of cigarettes is a one of the primary causes of death from preventable diseases. Every year, more than 440,000 people die in America alone from illnesses related to tobacco smoking. This is about 20% of the total deaths in the country. In other words, smoking kills more people than alcohol, suicide, car accidents, homicide, AIDS, and illegal drug use combined. The main effects of cigarette smoking do not lie in death alone, smoking costs a country a lot of money. In United States of America, for example, tobacco costs the country an approximate $100 billion each year. This money is used in medical expenses caused by smoking. There also results to loss of productivity due to diseases related to smoking that is about $200 billion every year. The numbers of people who smoke in most countries are alarming. While else most developed nations have recorded reduction in the smokers, the actual figures are still raising concerns. About 45.3 million Americans smoke. Slightly fewer women (17.2%) than men (21.6%) do smoke. Smoking in the third-world countries, on the other hand, has been on the increase. Statistics shows that more that 20% of all high school students indulge in smoking making the activity among the things governments should impose more authority in controlling (Peto et al, 2014, p.325). Cigarette smoking has no known health benefits. It is a very addictive habit and is, therefore, the most difficult to deal with. Research shows that tobacco smoke contains carcinogens harmful to both smokers and non-smokers (from second-hand smoke). A single puff of tobacco can be very harmful as it delivers carcinogenic compounds in your blood system. Studies show that the smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, and more than 250 of these are harmful to personal health. Some of the chemicals include carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia. In addition, about 69 of the 250 known carcinogens in tobacco, cause cancer. Some of these chemicals are Arsenic, Benzene, Beryllium (a toxic metal), 1, 3-Butadiene and Chromium (Ortiz & Grando, 2012). Kasteridis & Yen (2014) postulate that cigarette smoking affect almost every organ of the human body. This is responsible for diminishing overall health resulting to premature deaths. Currently, there are millions of people affected by tobacco smoking in various countries. Smoking is the leading causative cause of cancer and diseases from cancer. It affects body organs thus resulting to cancers of the esophagus, kidney, lip, pancreas, bladder, throat, stomach, lung, larynx, mouth, and cervix; it also causes acute myeloid leukemia. Smoking is also known to cause a number of diseases such as stroke, heart disease, aortic aneurysm (which is balloon-like lump in an artery in the chest), chronic bronchitis and emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hip fractures, asthma and cataracts. The risks of developing pneumonia are also higher in smokers than in non-smokers. Although smoking is highly discouraged for every person, pregnant mothers are particularly asked to keep off smoking at least during pregnancies or after delivery. The reason is that pregnant mother risks giving birth too early and therefore with abnormally low birth weight. Women who smoke during pregnancies or after giving birth increase the risk of an infant death from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). On the other hand, men who smoke risk erectile dysfunction. Both can also develop peptic ulcers and risk burns (Conde-Agudelo et al., 1999). Various studies show that cigarettes smokers have twice the risks of dying from heart attack and cancer of the bladder, about four times the risk of esophageal cancer deaths and more than fourteen times the risks of contracting cancer of the throat, lung, or mouth. Valdes et al. (2005) purports that the body works like a machine meaning that for there to be a complete state of functionality, every of its parts has to work together. The stomach, for instance, depends on the mouth to provide it with the food for digestions. The process itself requires the nose, the windpipe and the lungs for gaseous exchange so that the body has enough oxygen for respiration (the breakdown of food to release energy). This is a simple description of how related body organs are. If, for instance, the lungs have cancer, it would not be possible to provide the body with the required oxygen meaning that the whole processes that maintain body’s full functionality will be compromised (Conde-Agudelo et al., 1999). Smoking is also known to cause numerous complications such as heart conditions. If the heart fails to function effectively, it is possible that all the other processes halt. The heart is just one organ responsible for blood circulation but whose failure can be very detrimental to the whole body. Current issues in cigarette smoking Since cigarette smoking has very harmful effects to your body, studies to come up with safer methods of administering nicotine to the body are on the rise. The use of the electronic cigarette, commonly known as e-cigs is one of the most effective methods. The electronic cigarette has a nicotine delivery system device that has a battery and a compartment (cartomizer) where a liquid (known as e-liquid) containing nicotine is vapourised. During use, the user is said to be “vaping” contrary to “smoking” since there is no combustion of materials, but the application of heat to vaporize the liquid that then the user inhales. This method of nicotine delivery is gaining support from groups that advocate healthy living since the compounds used in the cartomizer are water, propylene glycol, nicotine and flavor (Ypsilantis et al., 2013). The advantages of using electronic cigarettes over the traditional cigarettes are many. No research shows that there exists any carcinogen released from the electronic cigarette during vaping. The electronic cigarette does not contain even monoxide, or tar, compounds that are very common in the traditional cigarette. Lack of these chemicals translates to diseases associated with cigarette smoking being nonexistent. Moreover, the electronic cigarette has no effects to passersby meaning that there are no second-hand smokers to deal with. Furthermore, the biggest advantage with these cigarettes is that the user can choose the levels of nicotine they need. This includes being able to buy such devices with 0% nicotine levels (Ypsilantis et al, 2013). Countries such as Latvia, Ireland, Estonia, Finland, The Netherlands, Canada, Norway, Australia, Sweden, Singapore, Indonesia, Italy, India, Chile, Lithuania, Iceland, Spain, United Kingdom, Turkey, Malta, and Slovenia have already legislated against smoking in the public. Often this includes bars and restaurants. In some jurisdictions, restaurateurs have been allowed to build some designated smoking areas or to prohibit smoking. Many states in the United States prohibit smoking in bars. In March 31, 2008, Canada introduced a smoke-free law ban in every public place. The rule also covers 33 feet within entrance to any public (Ortiz & Grando, 2012). Many governments have come up with more ways to counter cigarette smoking. One of these methods includes the introduction of excise taxes on cigarettes so that their consumption is limited. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, a single pack of cigarette costs the US more than $7 in the loss of productivity and direct healthcare in the year 2002. This translates to around $3400 per year for each smoker. Another study conducted by a team of health economists found that the total price incurred by the society and the families of those who smoke amounts to $41 per packet of cigarettes (Kasteridis & Yen, 2014). In conclusion, the problems cigarette smoking has on the individual and the society cannot be overestimated. Measures should be taken to ensure that smoking is controlled. As discussed above, there are both economic costs and negative health effects that smoking has on the society. There are substantial benefits of quitting smoking. High rates of blood pressure and heart resume their normal rates immediately you quit smoking. After a short duration of smoking cessation, carbon monoxide (a noxious gas that impairs the physiology of oxygen transportation in the body) levels in your blood stream reduces abruptly once you quit smoking. According to Kasteridis & Yen (2014), people who have stopped smoking note reduction in phlegm production, wheeze and do not often cough. In addition to this, the functioning of organs such as lungs improves within a few months, and you have an improved sense of smell and taste. References Conde-Agudelo, A., Althabe, F., Belizán, J., & Kafury-Goeta, A. (1999). Cigarette smoking during pregnancy and risk of preeclampsia: a systematic review. American Journal Of Obstetrics And Gynecology, 181(4), 1026-1035. Kasteridis, P., & Yen, S. T. (2014). Occasional Smoking and Body Weight among Adults. Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy, 36(3), 479-503. Ortiz, A., & Grando, S. A. (2012). Smoking and the skin. International Journal Of Dermatology, 51(3), 250-262. Peto, R., Darby, S., Deo, H., Silcocks, P., Whitley, E., & Doll, R. (2014). Smoking, smoking cessation, and lung cancer in the UK since 1950: combination of national statistics with two case-control studies. Bmj, 321(7257), 323-329. Valdes, A., Andrew, T., Gardner, J., Kimura, M., Oelsner, E., Cherkas, L., & ... Spector, T. (2005). Obesity, cigarette smoking, and telomere length in women. Lancet, 366(9486), 662-664. Ypsilantis, P., Politou, M., Anagnostopoulos, C., Tsigalou, C., Kambouromiti, G., Kortsaris, A., & Simopoulos, C. (2013). Effects of Cigarette Smoke Exposure and Its Cessation on Body Weight, Food Intake and Circulating Leptin, and Ghrelin Levels in the Rat. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 15(1), 206-212. Read More