Cigarette Smoking Effects

There are about 4000 different chemicals in a cigarette, all of which threaten to put an end to our lives. But, people enslaved to the snares of this grisly vice are more than happy at this deadly combination. For them it is this enormous variety of chemicals that makes cigarettes so addictive. The question lies in whether they can break away from the shackles or whether they prefer to soak in the delusion that their lungs are by god’s grace, made of steel. Scientific evidence and escalating death counts proves how destructive these pencil shaped sticks are! It is a universal fact that “smoking kills”. Regular smokers conveniently dismiss the snapshot of a deteriorating set of lungs on the front of each cigarette packet as they continue to inhale the whiffs of death. 200 of a cigarette’s ingredients are definitely poisonous, and around 60 of them are carcinogens. If you are a smoker, and wish to evade its fierce effects, then quitting would be the most logical option. We’re all aware of the possibilities of contracting lung cancer or emphysema, however did you know that heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for smokers worldwide? If you read on, you will be surprised at some of the ghastly effects of cigarette smoking.

Smoking Health Effects

The prevalent content of cigarettes targets the haemoglobin in the red blood cells, and obstructs the cells from carrying the regular supply of oxygen to the rest of the body.
Carcinogens present in cigarettes destroy the important genes in charge of our cell growth, thus causing them to grow very abnormally. Carcinogens such as benzo(a)pyrene binds to major organs and cells in the airways of most smokers.
Excessive smoking ruins the smooth functioning of the immune system, and aggravates the chances of respiratory infection.
Smoking causes the levels of antioxidants in our body to start plummeting rapidly. Antioxidants, as we know, are essential in rebuilding damaged cells and cigarettes deprive us of that as well.
Strokes, intense nicotine withdrawal symptoms, and altered brain chemistry are some of the main mental effects caused by smoking.
Smokers are more prone to maladies like macular degeneration, cataracts, thyroid disease, gum diseases and peripheral vascular diseases.
Wrinkles, teeth discoloration and stains, lowered sense of taste and smell are unavoidable side-effects if you have been a smoking chimney for over five to ten years.
The body tends to get rid of the poisonous fumes a smoker incorrigibly inhales in the form of what is called a “smokers cough”. If you have smoked for a substantial length of time you will develop the smokers cough. The chemicals in the tobacco are often expelled from your lungs through the cough until your respiratory system grows weaker and weaker.
If you love playing sports, you ought to stamp that cigarette a thousand times, and promise never to touch one again (unless the motive is to tear it into two). Smoking largely reduces your lung capacity, which makes it difficult to hold your breath for long durations. If you blow into a meter that tests your lung capacity then if you are a smoker, your attempt will dip way below average. You have a right to breathe, so don’t let the cancer sticks steal it.
Smoking blocks arteries and reduces blood flow. If coldness in your feet sounds familiar then that’s the glitch in your blood circulation due to smoking.
Wake up in the morning and your mouth is likely to feel dryer than the Sahara. The longer you smoke, the dryer it gets and your phlegm gets thicker by the minute.
Asthma and tuberculosis patients will certainly have a close brush with death if they pursue smoking.
Male smokers are prone to sperm deformity, loss of sperm motility, and lowered production. Risk of impotence is also quite high. In women, period pains and weakened immune system is common. Pregnant women who smoke have a higher risk of Ectopic pregnancy, premature rupture of the membranes, miscarriages and birth defects like congenital limb reduction.
Cigarette smoking promotes oxidative stress which mutates DNA, promotes atherosclerosis, and leads to chronic lung injury. Oxidative stress is known to contribute to the development of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

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