The Harmful Effects of Smoking - Essay Example

THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF SMOKING Introduction Smoking is a widespread habit in societies all over the world. It is considered as one of the main risk factors for the leading causes of death in the world. According to the data of the World Health Organization, smoking kills 5.4 million people a year from different illnesses derived from this habit. While in the developed countries people are becoming increasingly concerned about the harmful effects of smoking, in the developing countries the use of tobacco is dangerously rising. According to the World Health Organization 'tragically, the epidemic is shifting towards the developing world, where 80% of tobacco-related deaths will occur within a few decades. The shift is caused by a global tobacco industry marketing strategy that targets young people and adults in developing countries' (WHO (Holmes, J.), '10 Facts on the Tobacco Epidemic and Global Tobacco Control'. http://www.who.int). Although in the last years people are more informed on tobacco risks, smoking is still a very common habit. Policies for reducing tobacco smoke in public areas have been introduced in developed countries and advertisements are becoming more and more aggressive, but people keep on smoking. This happens, mainly, because of the nicotine and other cigarettes' additives, which are addictive. But, as a result of this collective effort, more and more people are trying to quit smoking or have already achieved it. Today, people are more aware of the risks of smoking and they are more sensible with their own health. Discovering the harmful effects of smoking Nowadays, people are aware of the harmful effects of smoking, but it was not always that way. The 'Counterblaste to Tobacco', written by King James I in 1604, is one of the first documents warning about the effects of tobacco. In this document we can find quotes like this one: for the Nose being the proper Organ and convoy of the sense of smelling to the braines, [] whether that Odour which we smell, be healthfull or hurtfull to the braine (King James I, 'Counterblaste to Tobacco'.1604 (reprinted version from 1905). http://www.laits.utexas.edu). So, as early as 1604, he realized that smoking tobacco was damaging to the nose and for the brain. Smoking became a very common habit at the end of the nineteenth century and especially during the World War I and II. In 1912, Doctor Isaac A. Adler was the first who established a link between cancer lung and smoking and then, in 1929, Doctor Fritz Linking published a statistical study supporting this theory. Later studies confirmed it, specially the 'British Doctor Studies' from 1954, which final conclusions were published in 2004. The main conclusion of the study was that 'a substantial progressive decrease in the mortality rates among non-smokers over the past half century (due to prevention and improved treatment of disease) has been wholly outweighed, among cigarette smokers, by a progressive increase in the smoker nu non-smoker death rate ratio due to earlier and more intensive use of cigarettes' (Doll, R., Peto, R. 'Mortality in relation to smoking: 50 years' observation on male British doctors'. 2004. NCBI, Pub Med. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed). What is inside cigarettes 'Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 different chemicals. At least 43 are known carcinogens' (Health Education Authority (UK), 'Harmful Chemicals in Cigarettes & Tobacco Smoke'. http://www.quit-smoking-stop.com). Some of these chemicals are: Benzene (petrol additive). Formaldehyde (embalming fluid). Ammonia (commonly used as a cleaner and in the fertilizers). Acetone (commonly used as nail polish remover). Tar (which condenses and sticks to the lungs). Nicotine (addictive drug). Carbon monoxide (a toxic gas produced when lightning and smoking cigarettes). Arsenic (commonly used in rat poison). Hydrogen Cyanide (gas chamber poison). All smoking products are harmful; not only cigarettes, but also cigars, menthol cigarettes, light cigarettes (although they are usually advertised as having less nicotine and tar, there is no evidence of their alleged health benefits), pipes, hand-rolled or even herbal cigarettes are damaging for health. Most of tobacco lobbies do not warn about the effects of these additives, though most of them are extremely toxic. They commonly use other components like vanilla or chocolate, which make cigarettes taste better and may attract children to them. The harmful effects of smoking on health: Smoking affects mainly cardiovascular system (heart and circulatory system). Cardiovascular diseases include: Coronary heart disease (heart attacks), which occurs when blood vessels are not able to supply blood to the heart muscle. Cerebrovascular disease, which occurs when blood vessels are not able to supply blood to the brain. Raised blood pressure (hypertension) and thrombosis. Peripheral artery disease, which occurs when blood vessels are not able to supply blood to the extremities (arms and legs). Rheumatic heart disease, which occurs when heart is damaged by a streptococcal bacteria. Congenital heart disease that is caused to the heart of the baby during the pregnancy. Heart failure (myocardial infarction). 'Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally: more people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause', according to the WHO (WHO, 'Cardiovascular Diseases'. http://www.who.int). Although smoking in not the only cause of cardiovascular diseases, is one of the most important risk factors. The carbon monoxide produced when smoking takes the oxygen from your body; this makes your heart, as well as other parts of the body, work more in order to provide enough blood to all the organs. When this happens, the heart can become overloaded and will not be able to supply the entire body, so any of the diseases listed above may appear. Smoking also contributes to raise cholesterol levels and makes blood become denser. 'Cancer is the second leading cause of death and was among the first diseases causally linked to smoking' (CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking', 2008. http://www.cdc.gov). The most well known cancer caused by smoking is lung cancer, but there are others, like larynx, tongue, mouth or throat cancers, which are also directly linked to cigarette smoking. Other cancers such as pancreas, stomach or kidney are also related to tobacco and the list of diseases increases every year (abdominal aortic aneurysm, acute myeloid leukemia, cataract, cervical cancer, pneumonia, periodontitis, etc) (CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. '2004 Surgeon's General Report - The Health Consequences of Smoking'. http://www.cdc.gov). Although the major harms are produced in the lungs and the cardiovascular system, smoking can damage every organ in the body, as the '2004 Surgeon's General Report' concluded and quitting it has immediate effects on the health. Smoking may cause cancer because some of the components of cigarettes can mutate the DNA cells or even kill them. 'Only about half of the deaths related to smoking are from cancer. Smoking is also a major cause of [] aneurysms, bronchitis, emphysema, and stroke, and it makes pneumonia and asthma worse' (American Cancer Association. 'Cigarette Smoking'. http://www.cancer.org). The 'Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease', also known as 'Tobacco Disease', is an illness 'characterized by airflow obstruction [] usually progressive, not fully reversible and does not change markedly over several months' (Devereux, G. 'ABC of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease'. 2006. http://www.bmj.com). It is a permanent disease and it is mainly caused by smoking. It usually reduces the respiratory capacity and can produce serious damage in the lungs like an emphysema (that happens when the air sacs of the lungs are obstructed, making it difficult to breath). Passive smoking Smoking can also damage people that do not smoke directly, but who inhale the smoke produced by cigarettes. This is called 'passive smoking', and it has the same harmful effects as smoking directly. Second-hand smoke contains some of the carcinogenic components of tobacco; specifically it 'contains at least 250 chemicals known to be toxic, including more than 50 that can cause cancer' (CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'Secondhand Smoke'. 2006. http://www.cdc.gov.). It can cause the same heart and lung diseases as direct smoking, as well as respiratory illnesses. Second-hand smoke is especially dangerous for children, because it is directly linked to SIDS (Suddenly Infant Death Syndrome) and can cause other harms such as infections in the respiratory system, asthma attacks or otitis. Pregnant women must avoid smoking and being exposed to second-hand smoke, because it may cause premature births and babies with low birth weight. The problem of passive smoking is that it causes damage to people that do not smoke, that is the reason why most of the developed countries are carrying out measures to control public exposure to second-hand smoke. These measures focus on the elimination of smoke in public areas and workplaces, although an important part of this exposure takes place at home. Nicotine, the addictive component One of the main reasons to keep on smoking is nicotine, an addictive drug which is in cigarettes. As other drugs, nicotine increases the levels of dopamine (a neurotransmitter in the brain), which precedes adrenaline (causing the acceleration of the heart beats and increasing blood pressure). The sensation of pleasure felt when smoking is produced because 'nicotine activates reward pathways-the brain circuitry that regulates feelings of pleasure' (NIDA, National Institute on Drug Abuse. 'Tobacco Addiction'. http://www.nida.nih.gov.). We can distinguish between a physical addiction and a psychological one. The physical addiction lies in the pleasure smoking will produce in the addict. Some people say that when they after smoking they feel better, they calm down or they are able to think better, but these symptoms are derived from their addiction. Sometimes, it is not a physical demand, but a psychological one, because they are stressed, bored or they feel some kind of social pressure (they smoke if they see another person is smoking). Usually, when the pleasure sensation disappears, irritation, nervousness and bad mood appear. It can also affect attention, sleep or appetite and it seems it is related to anxiety disorders. These symptoms increase and get worse in the course of time. Nicotine is not carcinogenic itself, but it accelerates cancers when they already exist. This occurs because nicotine suppresses apoptosis (a form of programmed cell death) that accelerates tumor development (Maneckjee, R., Minna, JD. 'Opioids induce while nicotine suppresses apoptosis in human lung cancer cells'. 1994. NCBI, Pub Med. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed). Addiction is so powerful that some people that are in serious risk because of smoking continue with the habit despite everything. Sometimes, people do not quit smoking, not for their dependence on nicotine, but for their social image. For example, teenagers use to smoke because it makes them look more adult, some men because they think they look more interesting and some women because they look sexier. Also, smoking can be a result of a social pressure of the group of friends, in order to attract their attention, or an imitation act, when a children starts smoking because their parents do or he has seen it on TV. The harmful effects of tobacco in society When talking about the harmful effects of tobacco we usually focus our attention on the health effects, but it has also important effects on economy. 'Data on tobacco's impact on global health-care costs are incomplete, but it is known to be high. In the United States, annual tobacco-related health-care costs are US$ 81 billion, in Germany nearly US$ 7 billion and in Australia US$ 1 billion' (WHO. 'Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008. MPOWER package'. http://www.who.int.). Smoking causes a slow death, so when people are ill as a result of a long time smoking they turn into long lasting patients that need permanent cares, which represents important medical costs. This represents a social dilemma, because, in one hand, these people need to receive medical cares but, on the other hand, they are ill as a result of a voluntary habit that they did not give up, it was preventable. Today there is plenty of information about the risks of tobacco, so if people continue smoking is a matter of personal choice. But most of the times, their habit has a negative effect in the rest of society, as they use to smoke in public areas, making other people inhaling second-hand smoke. That is the main reason why governments and administrations have reacted by setting restrictive measures for tobacco companies and smokers. Companies are not allowed to advertise tobacco products and they must warn about the dangerous effects smoking has on health. For its part, smokers must obey the law and quit smoking in public places such as airports, hospitals or state buildings, as well as in some restaurants and workplaces. The WHO published a report explaining the six policies in order to reverse tobacco epidemic (WHO. 'Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008. MPOWER package'. http://www.who.int.). These policies are: Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies, Protect people from tobacco smoke, Offer help to quit tobacco use, Warn about the dangers of tobacco, Enforce bans on tobacco advertising and Raise taxes on tobacco. References: Adler, I. 'Primary Malignant Growth of the Lung and Bronchi' 1912 (reprinted in 1980 bi 'A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'). http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/reprint/30/5/295.pdf. American Cancer Association. 'Cigarette Smoking'. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Cigarette_Smoking.aspsitearea=PED. CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking', 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/health_effects.htm. (Ibid.) '2004 Surgeon's General Report - The Health Consequences of Smoking'. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/sgr_2004/chapters.htm. (Ibid.) 'Secondhand Smoke'. 2006. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/secondhand_smoke/secondhandsmoke.htm. Devereux, G. 'ABC of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease'. 2006. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/332/7550/1142. Doll, R., Peto, R. 'Mortality in relation to smoking: 50 years' observation on male British doctors'. 2004. NCBI, Pub Med. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ 15213107. Health Education Authority (UK). 'Harmful Chemicals in Cigarettes & Tobacco Smoke'. http://www.quit-smoking-stop.com/harmful-chemicals-in-cigarettes.html. King James I (reprinted by G. Putnam and Sons, London in 1905). 'Counterblaste to Tobacco'.1604. http://www.laits.utexas.edu/poltheory/james/blaste. Maneckjee, R., Minna, JD. 'Opioids induce while nicotine suppresses apoptosis in human lung cancer cells'. 1994. NCBI, Pub Med. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ 7848904. NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse). 'Tobacco Addiction'. http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/nicotine.html. World Health Organization (Holmes, J.). '10 Facts on the Tobacco Epidemic and Global Tobacco Control'. http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/tobacco_epidemic/tobacco_epidemic_facts/en/index1.html. (Ibid.) 'Cardiovascular Diseases'. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs317/en/index.html. (Ibid.) 'Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2008. MPOWER package'. http://www.who.int/tobacco/mpower/mpower_report_full_2008.pdf. Read More