The Side Effects Due to Smoking - Essay Example

Although most people already know that smoking is injurious to health, they do not know the degree of harm caused to the body by it. Also the addiction caused by smoking is the hardest to break. Research into deaths by smoking states that around 6 million people die every year due to heart and lung diseases. The number undermines countless who suffer the side effects due to smoking and the small time-frame which affects the health of smokers and others around them. The tobacco which we smoke contains nicotine, a highly addictive substance. Nicotine acts on brain to produce a sensation of pleasure and euphoria, making it addictive. On the other hand it is a deadly poison and when taken in large doses can lead to death. It is of prime importance to take the issue seriously and help smokers get rid of their smoking habits. This requires discipline and dedication from the smokers and everyone around him. The smoker must be convinced that quitting is the only option to avoid injuring his health and those around him. Cigarette smoking involves inhaling nicotine a tobacco extract. This is directly absorbed by lungs. The harmful effect of nicotine on lungs is the high risk of contracting lung cancer. 90% of all the cases of lung cancer are caused due to cigarette smoking. This is because contains carcinogenic factors. The risk of death due to lung cancer is high and is coupled with huge amount of suffering for the patient for long time. The damage to the respiratory system is largely irreversible if smoking is continued for large periods of time. The oxidative stress generated by smoking mutates DNA and promotes atherosclerosis. The long term injury to lungs can be lethal if the smoker does not quit. In addition to lung cancer smoking increases the risk of contracting oral cancer, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and degeneration of all organs involved in respiratory system. The person often feels tired and fatigued. The carbon monoxide inhaled when smoking decreases the oxygen carrying capacity of blood. This leads to increase in the hemoglobin levels. All cells from the body do not receive adequate oxygen decreasing their life span. Thus more and more cells are damaged. The cells which are damaged due to smoking are repaired by anti oxidants. Since large amounts of anti oxidants are used to repair this damage the quantity of anti oxidants in the body of a smoker reduces. This leads to decrease in the immunity to other diseases. This may lead to contracting common cold and cough which becomes chronic. The damage to heart due to smoking is even greater. Smoking lowers the HDL levels. This leads to increase in proportion of cholesterol in blood. The aorta which supplies blood to the whole body becomes less elastic and increases the possibility of blood clots. This results in high risk of contracting heart diseases, mainly heart attacks which result in deaths. Change in the composition of blood facilitates blood-clots to occur. This leads to cerebral thrombosis. Apart from damaging the brain, lungs and heart which can lead to deaths, smoking affects other organs making it difficult to perform everyday activities. The constant exposure of the five senses to smoke leads to alter their functions. Nose and tongue are mostly affected by it. The sense of smell reduces and the taste buds become less receptive. This may cause for the smoker to lose appetite, creating digestion problems, food disorders and creating large number of complications. The teeth start losing the protective enameling making them susceptible to increase in plaque. The gums start bleeding, and that leads to weakening of the teeth. This whole change in the dynamics for the body is highly damaging to cells and also leads to premature ageing and loss of hair. The decrease in circulation of blood due to damage to heart can cause numbness for feet and hands. It affects the male reproductive system due to decrease in amount of blood flowing to the penis. The generation of sperms is also affected leading to decrease in sperm fertility and motility risking infertility. The risk is greater for women. The presence of nicotine in blood along with its low level of oxygen carrying capacity leads to decrease in level of folate which reduces birth defects. Thus there is a high possibility of premature birth and still births. Women also tend to pass the genetic mutations on to the babies increasing risk of cancer. The damage does not stop here. Nicotine a key ingredient in tobacco also acts as a psychoactive. This results in mood altering effects. Nicotine rich blood reaches brain through lungs and acts in secretion of glucose from liver and adrenaline. Although this causes stimulation and a feeling of relaxation and pleasure to the smoker, it also leads to attention disabilities and decreases senses of perception. Moreover smoking also damages people around you. The passive smokers also increase the risk of contracting cancer. This coupled with feeling of dizziness and headaches ruins the day for him. The message is simple and straight. Smoking cigarettes is highly injurious to health. The mental relief from smoking is temporary but the damage done by it to your body can be permanent. The above facts can make it clear to any smoker that smoking possesses a danger not only to himself but also to others around him. The grief and suffering one goes through when he suffers the side effects of smoking is beyond doubt not worth to the relaxed feeling one attains through smoking. Every puff one takes is getting one step closer to death. Buying cigarettes is synonymous to paying someone to kill you. The day one stops smoking, the body will start to return to its normal condition. The oxygen levels in the blood will start increasing, the lungs will start healing. The feeling of tiredness and fatigue will disappear. One will start enjoying food, thus making one healthy. The immune system will also grow strong. Troublesome, nagging diseases will disappear. Thus one will not be contracting flu often and that means living a healthy and happy life. Performing daily activities don't leave you out of breath. Although it requires great amount of discipline and determination it can be achieved through constant diligence. To start with one should reduce the number of cigarettes smoked every day. This won't cause sudden change in the body which always prompts the smoker to go back to smoking. Then comes the difficult part where one should actually quit. The following day's one can be monitored by friends, family keeping the smoker away from cigarettes. This practice along with the knowledge and constant reminders of the horrors of smoking can help a person to quit. One should understand value life before it is too late and that it is foolish to damage something so precious for a moment's happiness. Remember it is never too late to quit smoking. Sources: Gilbert, David. G. Smoking. Taylor and Francis. 1995. "American Cancer Society" < http://www.cancer.org> Read More