How smoking affects the body over the years. Smoking
The composition of tobacco smoke includes more than 4000 different components and their compounds. The most toxic compounds of tobacco smoke are: nicotine, carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide), carcinogenic tar, radioactive isotopes, nitrogen compounds, metals, especially heavy ones (mercury, cadmium, nickel, cobalt, etc.). Many particles of tobacco smoke, entering into chemical reactions with each other, enhance their toxic properties.
The main component of tobacco smoke - nicotine - a drug, a strong poison. It easily penetrates into the blood, accumulates in the most vital organs, leading to disruption of their functions. Nicotine poisoning is characterized by: headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting. In severe cases, loss of consciousness and convulsions. Chronic poisoning - nicotinism, is characterized by a weakening of memory, a decrease in efficiency.
As a result of the research, the following results were obtained:
I would like to note that now Russia has finally recognized that the fight against smoking should be made a separate national project. The head of Rospotrebnadzor, the chief state sanitary doctor of the Russian Federation, Gennady Onishchenko, said that smoking, along with alcoholism, poses a threat to Russia's security. “The fight against smoking is another national project for us,” he said. “Seriously speaking about demographic policy, we cannot ignore this. undermining the health of the nation.
Indeed, every year 375,000 Russians die due to diseases caused by smoking. After all, smoking is almost completely responsible for the death of people from cancer of the larynx and lungs, three-quarters - from chronic bronchitis. It is the most important factor in mortality from cardiovascular and other diseases.
According to statistics, 63 percent of the adult population in the Russian Federation smoke, of which 25 percent are women.
In our school, a survey was conducted among students in the eighth and ninth grades.
A total of 120 people took part in the survey. Smoke constantly, every day - 21 people (18 percent). They smoke sometimes, for the company - 18 people (15 percent), do not smoke - 64 people (67 percent)! Fortunately, most of the students do not smoke. I would like to believe that they will never taste the taste of a cigarette.
To the question: “Do your parents smoke?”, 43 percent of the respondents answered “yes”, 57 percent “no”, 10 percent “only mom”, 90 percent “only dad”.
Unfortunately, passive smokers are 67 percent of those surveyed! That is, all schoolchildren are affected by nicotine.
The most popular places to buy cigarettes were Pioneer, Prestige, Swan and Sibirsky stores.
Almost everyone knows about the dangers of smoking - 98 percent of respondents.
How does smoking affect the human body?
Heat is the only physical agent of smoking - the first to begin a destructive effect on the body. Hot smoke primarily affects tooth enamel, over time, microscopic cracks appear on it - a gateway for pathogenic microbes, as a result of their vital activity, the tooth substance begins to break down earlier and faster than in non-smokers. Tar settles on the teeth, and they darken, emit a specific smell.
Smoke temperature affects the mucous membranes of the mouth and nasopharynx. Their capillary vessels expand, the mucous membrane of the cheeks, palate, gums, undergoing chronic irritation, becomes inflamed. Salivary glands also react to tobacco smoke. The secretion of saliva intensifies, it is spit out, swallowed - along with ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. All this enters the gastrointestinal tract. A smoker loses his appetite over time, pain in the stomach may appear, and along with pain and illness - gastritis, ulcers, cancer.
From the oral cavity, tobacco smoke is also directed to the mucous membrane of the larynx, trachea and bronchi. Tobacco smoke irritates the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract along their entire length. It is easy to see this in the reaction of a person who first smoked a cigarette. At the first attempt to inhale smoke, it is interrupted by a cough, and a cough is reflex rhythmically repeated jerky exhalations, with the help of which the body seeks to remove a foreign body that has entered the respiratory tract, in this case, smoke. With constant smoking, bronchitis occurs, which is manifested by a cough in the morning, coming after waking up and accompanied by expectoration of grayish, dirty-brown sputum. Tobacco smoke also affects the vocal cords - they thicken and the voice becomes hoarse, hoarse.
Smoking weakens the activity of the lungs and impedes the exchange of carbon dioxide, brought by blood from the tissues to the lungs, for oxygen, coming from the air during breathing, leading to an insufficient supply of oxygen to the blood. Under the influence of smoking, the resistance of the lungs to various infectious diseases, in particular to tuberculosis, is significantly reduced. Lung capacity decreases, as well as bronchial patency, which leads to spasms, and the presence of radioactive substances and tar in tobacco smoke leads to the formation of tumors. Tobacco tar settles on the walls of the airways. Part of it is secreted when coughing with sputum, and part penetrates into the tissue of the mucous membranes, giving them a darker color.
The work of the endocrine glands is also disrupted, in particular, the work of the adrenal glands, which secrete adrenaline, increases. Adrenaline greatly constricts small blood vessels, reducing the flow of blood supplied to nourish the heart muscle; blood pressure rises, which can lead to persistent hypertension.
When smoking, the arteries lose their elasticity, become dense, brittle, fragile. Over the years, in smokers, the lumen of blood vessels narrows more and more.
Constant spasm of blood vessels is a significant factor in the occurrence of hypertension, atherosclerosis and thrombophlebitis. Under the influence of nicotine, the vessels of the brain also wear out faster, their lumen narrows, and elasticity decreases. Blood enters in a smaller amount, which leads to a violation of cerebral circulation, to hemorrhages in the brain.
The pulse quickens by about 20 beats per minute, as the heart works with increased stress. At the same time, the function of the heart suffers greatly due to spasm of small blood vessels that feed the heart muscle. As a result of spasm of the coronary vessels, smokers experience palpitations, interruptions, and pain in the region of the heart.
Cardiac spasms are the most common complication of smoking. The result of such a spasm can be a myocardial infarction - the necrosis of a section of the heart muscle due to a violation of its nutrition. The necrosis of a large area of the heart muscle leads to death. It is no coincidence that mortality from myocardial infarction among smokers aged 40-50 years is 3 times higher than among those who do not smoke.
Nicotine also contributes to the fatty degeneration of the heart muscle, reducing the efficiency of the heart. When smoking, the heart works more rapidly, which leads to premature wear of it.
Smoking has been found to have harmful effects on all parts of the digestive system, contributing to common disorders such as heartburn and duodenal dysfunction. This increases the risk of Crohn's disease and gallstones.
Heartburn A very common pathology. More than 60 percent of people suffer from heartburn at least once a month, and about 15 percent daily.
peptic ulcer
A peptic ulcer is an open sore in the wall of the stomach or duodenum.
Liver disease
The liver is an important multifunctional organ. Among other things, the liver is responsible for neutralizing drugs, alcohol, and other toxins in order to ensure their removal from the body. There is evidence that smoking alters the liver's ability to remove these substances.
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is the collective name for inflammatory bowel disease. This disease, which causes pain and diarrhea, usually appears in the small intestine, but it can occur anywhere in the digestive tract.
The skin of the face of a smoker, especially in women, becomes grayish or icteric in color with an ashy tint (“nicotine face”) over several years. The skin becomes dry, flabby and wrinkled. Elasticity and firmness of the skin disappear. This is especially true for women, they develop specific wrinkles on the upper lips and around the eyes, squinting from acrid smoke. Hair fades, becomes brittle, their loss often increases, which is the result of a malnutrition of the hair due to a weakening of the blood supply to the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the head.
Nicotine is a poison that is very quickly integrated into all metabolic processes of the body, affecting the work of all organs and systems. The effect of smoking on the human body is reduced to a long-term effect of poisons on the cells of the body, which is why they begin to work incorrectly. Toxic poisoning occurs gradually, since poisons and resins tend to accumulate.
Exposure to poisons in tobacco and tobacco smoke
Smoking primarily affects the lungs, bronchi, alveoli, which eventually die. It is believed that 1 cigarette smoked destroys 1 alveolus. Alveoli are tiny sacs that are found in the lungs. They are filled with air, inflating, being a source of oxygen for the human body. The tars found in tobacco smoke clog the bronchi, narrowing the passages. Therefore, smokers have reduced lung capacity.
In the future, this leads to constant hypoxia, which, in turn, affects the brain cells, which cannot work without enough oxygen. Carbon dioxide is more inert than oxygen, so it easily replaces it. Participating in metabolic processes on inhalation, it kills brain neurons, disrupts the connections between them and leads to the death of gray and white matter cells.
| What does smoking affect | |
| Polonium-210 | The radioactive element contained in tobacco smoke accumulates in the cells of the body, primarily in the lungs. After prolonged smoking, the human body really begins to experience poisoning from radiation, and therefore weight loss. Free radicals, which appear in large quantities under the influence of this element, cause malignant tissue tumors. |
| Radium | The radioactive element present in tobacco accumulates in the cells of the human body and causes mutations. For nulliparous women, this is especially important. Even such an insignificant radiation affects the maturation of eggs, causing mutations in them. Even if a woman overcame a bad habit and gave birth a few years later, mutations and health complications in the fetus can be caused by the action of radium in a long period |
| Arsenic | Arsenic is a potent poison that is found in tobacco in small quantities, so one cigarette is not capable of killing a person, but it can undermine his physical health. Arsenic has a toxic effect on the body, in connection with which, blood pressure decreases, and the heart begins to stenosis |
| Nicotine | It has a mild narcotic effect. Nicotine leads to dizziness, especially if a person has not smoked for a long time. Dizziness leads to bouts of mild nausea. Nicotine is mostly excreted from the body in 2-3 hours. After this period has passed, the body experiences a shortage of this element and sends an alarm signal to the brain. Therefore, a person smokes very often. Tobacco is three times more addictive than alcohol, experts say. |
| Carbon dioxide | The effect of cigarettes on the human brain is largely due to the action of carbon dioxide. It replaces oxygen and is distributed throughout the body. First of all, under its action, brain cells die. Neurons, gray and white matter are very sensitive to hypoxia. They feel the effects of lack of oxygen instantly. The brain fogs up, which makes a person feel a slight euphoria |
| Benzopyrene | The harm of benzopyrene is caused by its ability to block water exchange between cells. Cells that don't get enough water eventually die. Their division is slow. In a free place, adhesions may occur, and later tumors. People feel discomfort in the intestines. The liquid in the small and large intestines is not fully absorbed, therefore, diarrhea and other troubles of the waste disposal system occur. |
| resins | Nicotine replacement therapy is mainly based on the absence of tar. Resins give cigarettes a heaviness, unlike e-cigarettes or hookahs. They begin to accumulate in the larynx and continue mainly in the bronchi. Resins block all processes, like corks. A smoker's morning cough is an attempt by the lungs to clear tar. And the first cigarette helps to relieve cramps due to the high temperature of cigarette smoke. It is because of the tar that the smoker's lungs eventually resemble an object of unknown origin: purple, brown, almost black, loose and lifeless. |
It happens that a smoker with many years of experience has good health. This is due to the peculiarities of the body and its metabolism. Although, of course, resins tend to accumulate, and poisons affect the functioning of all cells and metabolic processes.
Passive smoking
It should not be surprising if a child whose parents are smokers develops asthma. The smoker draws in cigarette smoke through a filter that any cigarette has. The carbon filter adsorbs many harmful elements, reducing the toxicity of tobacco. But the smoke that escapes from the tip of the cigarette does not pass through the filter, it spreads around it. The lungs of a child are significantly weaker than those of adults, so the impact on them of even minor weak poisons can be catastrophic.
Smokers have an increased risk of getting TB
Passive smoking affects the human body even more detrimentally than if a person himself smoked. Smoking in public places is prohibited in most developed countries, as passive smoking leads to asthma attacks in people who are prone to lung diseases. For children, toxic exposure can be devastating and affect intelligence and growth.
Adolescents who start smoking early, exposed to the harmful effects of their parents, suffer from underweight and short stature, which stops prematurely. Hormones cannot be integrated into the growth processes in time, so young people and girls are lagging behind in physical development. Cigarettes affect others negatively. Passers-by who accidentally inhaled tobacco smoke develop a sore throat, migraine and headache develop, weakness and apathy appear. It is extremely unpleasant for a non-smoker to inhale tobacco smoke.
How passive smoking affects children and adolescents:
- Lack of weight and short stature. The young organism is extremely sensitive to poisons. Boys who have been exposed to even passive smoking for a long time suffer from short stature. They look especially thin and unhealthy, pale and frail.
- Children develop bronchial asthma. The bronchi of children are very weak and cannot cope with the effects of toxins.
- Hormonal development is disturbed. The boys do not break the voice. And girls do not develop gender-specific forms.
- Mental development is retarded. Such children noticeably lag behind their peers, as they cannot learn school material. Their concentration is scattered. They are restless, touchy and extremely prone to stress.
So, smoking affects the development of a young person. Adolescents who were exposed to the damaging effects of passive smoking in their youth may later suffer from a variety of diseases. Girls develop infertility due to low hormonal levels. The spermatozoa of men who smoked themselves in their youth or were forced to breathe the tobacco smoke of their parents are inactive. So, evolution itself weeds out the sick and unwanted for further procreation.
Smoking and its impact on human health
Cigarette smoke is poisonous. Toxic elements accumulate in tissues, causing mutations and metabolic disorders. Long-term smoking shortens a person's life by 25-35%. Worst of all, the quality of life is declining. The smoker constantly suffers from shortness of breath, especially if he has to climb stairs.
Sore throat accompanies most respiratory diseases in smokers
Diseases caused by smoking:
- Cancer of the larynx, lungs, stomach. Tobacco smoke penetrates not only into the lungs, but also fills the stomach, causing damage to the mucous membrane. A person does not experience hunger, which causes gastritis and stomach ulcers.
- Laryngitis. The disease is caused by prolonged exposure to tobacco smoke on the ligaments and cells of the larynx. Constant cough, hoarseness, cracking voice.
- ARI, SARS, influenza. Smokers are more susceptible to colds. They cough three times longer than the average non-smoker. The lungs are unable to clear. Bacteria thrive in the humid environment of the lungs, which are clogged with resin. This is where chronic diseases come from. And smokers stop their coughs with cigarettes. Hot tobacco smoke warms the lungs, eliminating spasms. But in the future it leads to bronchitis.
- Inflammation of the salivary glands. There is dryness in the mouth or a feeling of fullness of the oral cavity with saliva. Over time, salivary gland cancer can occur.
Quitting smoking temporarily leads to unpleasant consequences: cough, dizziness from an excess of oxygen, withdrawal symptoms. But these symptoms disappear in 2-3 months. In return, a person gets the opportunity to breathe freely. The functions of organs and cells are restored over time. The entire period when toxins leave the cells is associated with unpleasant sensations, but it is worth enduring and continuing to fight to maintain health.
Does smoking affect weight, fertility and fetal development
Many rightly believe that smoking affects weight, reducing it, while quitting smoking leads to a set of kilograms. You can read about it. And this is based on facts, but the harm caused by nicotine and carcinogens is incomparable with an excess weight of 3-7 kilograms. In addition, excess weight with diet and exercise goes away very quickly.
The whole problem of female smoking before childbearing is that the number of eggs in a woman's body is limited. During puberty, several million of them are formed, after which their number only decreases. The more a woman smokes, the stronger the process of egg degeneration goes - in other words, they die. Every cigarette a girl smokes affects every egg she has. These possible future lives are irreparably damaged.
If a man has a sperm maturation period of 40 days, then for women everything is completely different. The egg matures for one month, but it does not re-form. The egg matures from the one that was already in the body for the entire period of smoking.
Problems of prematurity, placental abruption during pregnancy, difficult childbirth, inability to conceive, miscarriages and other complications are undoubtedly associated with smoking, if there was such a period in a woman's life. Therefore, smoking is completely unacceptable, especially for females. Does smoking affect the course of pregnancy and the development of the fetus? Undoubtedly. In maternity hospitals, upon admission, women in labor must fill out a questionnaire, where there is a question about whether she smokes.
Due to the peculiarities of the hormonal background of a woman, she is more addicted to nicotine
The fact is that the placenta easily passes tobacco smoke. Therefore, if a woman smoked during pregnancy, then the fetus also smoked. When a child is born, he experiences an abstinence syndrome, in connection with this he is capricious and does not sleep well. These children have poor vital signs. They are already born with a bunch of diseases, some of which are at risk of becoming chronic.
Smoking is detrimental to human health. Poisons and carcinogens that enter the body accumulate in the cells of the body, causing mutations and disrupting metabolism. Malignant tumors and chronic lung disease are just some of the diseases that cigarette addiction leads to. Nicotine kills the alveoli and is addictive in 2-3 days, integrating into metabolic processes.
Carbon dioxide destroys brain cells. Poisons lead to diseases of the heart, which becomes weak and prone to heart attacks. Resins block the channels of the bronchi, which adversely affects the functioning of the lungs. Their volume is significantly reduced. The person suffers from shortness of breath and a cough that becomes chronic over time.
Hi all.
Do you know that smoking is bad for our health?
"Come on - of course, yes!" - you say.
And which organs and most importantly, how?) affects this addiction, you know?
In this article, we will understand what smoking affects and what organs it harms.
There are so many "unpleasant" consequences of this bad habit.
And this:
Decrease in intellectual abilities - occurs due to constant oxygen starvation, which is provoked by a number of substances in inhaled cigarette smoke.
The death of brain cells - for such a price, the smoker relaxes, calms down, irritability disappears. This is due to the action of nicotine on the neurons of the brain.
There is a "slowdown". Many will argue about this - after all, immediately after smoking, some “quickness” of thinking appears.
As they say - "I'll go smoke, I'll think," but then (with a decrease in the concentration of nicotine) comes the retribution - consciousness becomes dull, thoughts are "sluggish", a new dose of stimulant is required.
2. Ears
Oddly enough, but smoking also affects hearing.
Professional musicians are well aware of this, tobacco smoke can cause a temporary decrease in “musical” hearing.
This is due to the effects of tobacco smoke on the brain, and the effect of harmful substances on the mucous membrane of the hearing aid.
With prolonged smoking, this problem can develop into a chronic one, up to partial hearing loss.
3. Eyes
The well-known characteristic "squint" when smoking - after all, the smoke, when it gets into the eyes, stings strongly.
And this is not the last trouble that a lit cigarette brings:
Allergic conjunctivitis - redness of the eyes, tearing, squinting. All these signs immediately tell us that a person is a heavy smoker.
Tobacco amblyopia - in which vision is greatly reduced. These are the consequences of the influence of toxic substances of tobacco smoke on the optic nerve.
Cataract - if you have a predisposition to this disease, be sure that smoking will increase significantly your risk of getting it.
4. Mouth
This habit adversely affects the entire oral cavity.
These are lips and gums, receptors and teeth:
Wrinkles appear from the constant tightening and “puckering” of the lips.
From the lack of oxygen in the blood, teeth and gums deteriorate.
From various toxic ingredients, the sensitivity of receptors weakens.
This is especially true for women, what will happen if you quit - more ..
5. Face
All the same lack of oxygen affects, plus the destruction of skin elastin and ... as in advertising - the result is obvious.
All the "bitterness" of smoked cigarettes is displayed on it and adds 10 years to your age.
6. Heart
Nicotine raises blood pressure, which increases the workload on the heart.
Carbon monoxide from inhaled cigarette smoke also contributes to a lack of oxygen in the blood, making the heart work even harder.
As a result, it increases the risk of heart disease, including heart attacks.
7. Blood
Smoking also affects the blood, making it literally thicker. The result is thrombosis.
And this is a heart attack or stroke.
8. Fat
It seems that many smokers do not want to quit smoking because of the instant weight gain.
But when smoking, everything is much worse:
With this habit, the amount of cholesterol in the blood increases, which contributes to its deposition on the blood vessels. As a result, their throughput is reduced.
The brain, heart and "distant" parts of the body: fingers and toes, "feel" a constant lack of blood. which can lead to amputation.
9. Light
Well, everyone knows this - resins accumulate, causing inflammation of the lungs and respiratory tract. Appears wheezing, shortness of breath, persistent chronic cough. How to cleanse - see ..
10. DNA
How! But, every puff damages our genetic material - DNA.
As you probably know, these cells are "instructions": what, from what and how to do it.
Almost all substances in tobacco smoke affect DNA, and one of the terrible consequences of this is cancer.
11. Stomach
All smokers know about the “useful” property of a smoked cigarette - appetite decreases.
But as always, this evil habit hides under the guise of good - a harmful and dangerous effect on the body:
1) Initial - heartburn, diarrhea.
2) The next stage is gastritis.
3) Final (control in the head of the stomach) - an ulcer.
12. Immune system
A smoker has a very low immune system.
Tar, nicotine, ammonia, carbon monoxide, etc. - all these chemicals (which are included in) depress our immune system, making the smoker's body open to all sorts of infections.
Therefore, smokers are more likely to get colds, flu, etc.
13. Muscles
Muscles are also affected by smoking.
Not only is it very difficult for a smoking “athlete” to build muscle mass, but they also constantly hurt.
This is due to poor blood circulation, and this is both a lack of oxygen and also a lack of nutrients.
14. Bones
Studies show that the bones of a smoker break more often and heal worse.
Here's what smoking does. I think that's enough for today...
Give up this bad habit that affects every cell of your body and be healthy.
Smoking is one of the main causes of many fatal diseases. According to WHO statistics, about 6 million people worldwide die from it every year. The dangers of smoking cannot be overestimated. When tobacco smoke enters the body, the conduction of nerve impulses, which are responsible for the state of most organs and systems, is disrupted. The consequence of smoking is the formation of multiple pathologies.
What substances are found in cigarette smoke
A cigarette is far from a harmless toy, consisting of tobacco leaves and paper. When it burns, more than 4,000 hazardous chemicals are released. It is they who cause the main harm to the body when smoking.
When you breathe in cigarette smoke:
- resin- a mixture of solid particles. Most of them are carcinogens and settle in the lungs;
- arsenic- the most harmful chemical element in the composition of cigarettes. It has a negative effect on the cardiovascular system, provokes the development of cancerous tumors;
- benzene- a toxic chemical compound of organic origin. Causes leukemia and other forms of cancer;
- polonium- a radioactive element. It has a radiation effect on the body from the inside;
- formaldehyde- a toxic chemical. Causes diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract;
- other substances- Harmful compounds inhaled with tobacco smoke pass through the circulatory system throughout the human body, causing serious damage to internal organs.
The effect of smoking on the human body
Your lungs and airways
The main harm from smoking in the body falls on the respiratory system, since tobacco smoke penetrates there in the first place. Harmful substances affect the tissues of the respiratory tract, slow down the work of the cilia of the trachea. Resins settle on the alveoli of the lungs, which leads to a decrease in the area for gas exchange. Nitric oxide constricts the bronchi, making it difficult to breathe. Carbon monoxide, ammonia, and hydrogen cyanide make it difficult to remove toxins from the respiratory tract. As a result, all inhaled substances and microorganisms settle in the tissues of the lungs, from where they are absorbed into the blood and spread throughout the body, provoking a wide range of diseases.
Your heart and blood vessels
Nicotine contributes to vasoconstriction, which eventually leads to atrophy of the small capillaries of the extremities. Carbon monoxide, accumulating in the arteries, slows down the flow of blood, and binding to hemoglobin, provokes a state of hypoxia - a lack of oxygen. Increased secretion of adrenaline increases blood pressure and leads to an acceleration of the heart rate. Such consequences of smoking not only worsen general well-being, reduce activity and performance, but also harm all organs and systems in the body. In addition, smoking is dangerous due to the increase in blood cholesterol levels, which leads to the risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke.
The impact of smoking on health: what diseases develop due to smoking
Cancer. The most negative consequences of addiction to cigarettes are oncological diseases of the bronchi, lungs, trachea, larynx, esophagus, bladder and pancreas. In addition, the kidneys, organs of the reproductive and hematopoietic systems suffer.
Diseases of the cardiovascular system. These are the consequences of smoking, such as coronary heart disease, Buerger's disease, disorders in peripheral vessels, strokes, thrombosis, etc.
Pathologies of the digestive organs. Smoking also harms the health of the gastrointestinal tract, causing the formation of colon polyps, stomach and duodenal ulcers, gastritis, gastroduodenitis, etc.
Diseases of the respiratory system. Cigarette smoking provokes the development or aggravates the course of bronchial asthma, chronic rhinitis, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchitis, and also increases the incidence of acute respiratory infections and influenza.
Diseases of the oral cavity. The consequence of smoking cigarettes can be not only yellowing of the enamel, but also such serious pathologies as necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, periodontitis, and oncological lesions of the mucous membranes.
Musculoskeletal disorders. Smoking cigarettes has a negative effect on the human skeleton. It adversely affects the condition of tendons and ligaments, as well as muscle tissue. Under the influence of smoking in the body, calcium absorption worsens, osteoporosis develops, the frequency of fractures and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis increase.
Eye diseases. The danger of smoking lies in provoking such pathologies as macular degeneration (retinal damage), nystagmus (abnormal eye movements), tobacco amblyopia (vision loss), diabetic retinopathy (damage to the retinal vessels in diabetes mellitus), cataracts, etc.
Diseases of the reproductive system. Smoking is also harmful to the genitals. The most common consequences in women are menstrual dysfunction, reduced fertility, anovulatory cycles, and early menopause. Under the influence of smoking, the health of men suffers no less. They have a decrease in fertility, erectile dysfunction, a decrease in the number of spermatozoa in seminal fluid, a deterioration in their quality and mobility.
Other diseases. The consequences of the harmful effects of smoking on the body are extensive. In addition to the above pathologies, smokers are at risk of getting type II diabetes, depression, multiple sclerosis, hearing impairment and other ailments.
What harm does smoking have on the appearance
Leather. How can smoking be dangerous for your skin? Chronic hypoxia and narrowing of the lumen of the vessels lead to a violation of the blood supply to the dermis of the smoker, as a result of which it is deprived of nutrients and oxygen. The skin takes on a grayish appearance, becomes dehydrated, looks haggard. Due to the loss of elasticity, the number of mimic wrinkles increases, and other negative consequences of smoking occur.
Figure. It would seem, what harm does smoking bring to the figure? But contrary to the popular myth that cigarettes help you lose weight, the distribution of smoker's body fat deviates significantly from the norm: fat is distributed mainly around the waist and chest. On the thighs, the deposition is reduced. There is a disproportion between the circumference of the hips and waist.
Oral cavity. In addition to pronounced halitosis (bad breath), the consequences of smoking are manifested by aesthetic defects: yellowing of the enamel of the teeth, staining of the gums. Smoking is also harmful to the oral mucosa: it leads to inflammatory diseases and even loss of teeth. Another aspect of the harm from cigarette smoking is the violation of the acid-base balance of the oral cavity. It increases the risk of caries, enamel cracks and other pathologies. In addition, smoking harms the health of the periodontium: more than half of all periodontal diseases are caused by cigarette consumption.
The detrimental effect of smoking on the human body has long been proven! And yet there are inquisitive minds who are trying to find an excuse for this bad habit, giving absolutely incredible arguments in favor of smoking. I would like to appeal to the adherents of addiction: comrades, the effect of smoking on the human body is detrimental! At the same time, keep in mind that cigarette smoke causes tremendous harm not only to the smoker's lungs, but also to the health of others. Therefore, if you want to light a cigarette somewhere in a public place, you should ask people who are nearby at that moment if they want to become passive smokers and share a share of the negative influence with the habit carrier. These are all jokes, of course. But to seriously understand what harm each smoked cigarette does to the body, it is worth more.
The effect of smoking on the human body
Speaking about the effect of smoking on the human body, I would like to immediately focus on the fact that any chemicals that enter our body from the outside have some effect on human organ systems. Most often this influence is negative. And if right away, right now, you didn’t see or feel anything like that, it doesn’t mean at all that everything passed without a trace. Smoking is a heavy addiction! When smoking a cigarette, a person inhales a whole table of chemicals:
- nicotine;
- butane (in lighter fluid);
- acetic acid;
- methanol;
- hexamine;
- carbon monoxide;
- cadmium;
- dye pairs (dyed paper);
- resins.
If you want to see what the oral mucosa, bronchi, trachea and lungs look like after each cigarette you smoke, gut the cigarette butt filter. What you see inside is only 1% of what a smoker accumulates inside his body over the years. After all, this terrible coating of resins does not disappear anywhere. It only eats deeper into tissues, enters the bloodstream, and has an effect on the cellular level. And there are no safe cigarettes - weak, light, ultra-thin. All these are marketing ploys that force the weak-willed "hostages" of the habit to find another loophole for themselves so as not to quit smoking.
The effect of smoking on a person's appearance
To assess the harm of an addiction, let's start small - with a person's appearance. Modern people assign a huge role to external data. Girls, boys, women, men, regardless of age, social status and worldview, want to look dignified and attractive. However, to be beautiful means not only to be well-groomed, but also healthy! No beauty parlor can fix what a smoker has been doing to himself for years. In short, the result of smoking is:
- flabby skin of an unnatural shade;
- yellow coating on teeth and fingertips;
- brittle dull hair;
- lip deformity caused by constant holding of a cigarette;
- appropriate facial expressions.
Move closer to the smoker. Already at a distance of a meter you can feel an incredibly repulsive smell. Tobacco smoke eats into the skin and hair. In the smoker's mouth, a persistent, never diminishing amber is formed. Talking to such a person is unpleasant. You don't want to touch him, kiss him. But heavy smokers often become young girls and guys who have the construction of sensual relationships and the creation of a family in the future.
The impact of smoking on a person is so massive that it can result not only in appearance problems, but also in health.
Smoking and its impact on health
Consider the health risks of smoking.
Respiratory system
Inhaling smoke every day, which contains resins, poisons, acids and other additives, a person endangers the respiratory system. All harmful substances settle in the lungs, after leaving a mark in the bronchi, throat, trachea. The most minimal evil can be called an allergic cough - a smoker's catarrh. It is a deep cough with viscous discharge that torments a person from morning until late at night. Typically, a smoker's cough becomes chronic. Also, a person develops shortness of breath as a result of such an addiction. The prospects for facing such problems as pulmonary emphysema and cancer are very high.
Heart, blood vessels
Smoking the first cigarette on an empty stomach in the morning, you can feel a slight dizziness. This is a symptom of vasospasm, which leads to the ingestion of certain substances into the lungs. Such "training" for the heart and blood vessels are not in vain. A smoker runs the risk of getting all the "charms" of cardiovascular disease. It's a heart attack, a stroke. The development of smoker's gangrene is directly related to the thinning of the walls of blood vessels and spasmodic processes in this area.
Gastrointestinal tract
Each puff of cigarette smoke affects the mucous membranes of the digestive system. Substances settle in this area as well. If a person has peptic ulcers, gastritis, he runs the risk of exacerbating these ailments by smoking and getting the development of complications in the form of oncological degeneration of pathological cells in this area.
The liver, constantly driving poisons through itself, also suffers. The risk of developing cirrhosis in a smoker is several times higher than in a person who does not suffer from a bad habit.
Teeth
The characteristic plaque on the enamel is the lesser evil faced by admirers of inhaling cigarette smoke. Poisons eat into tooth enamel and adjacent tissues. Caries, periodontitis, periodontal disease are diseases that a smoking person will almost certainly encounter, even without neglecting oral care.
reproductive system
Accumulating poisons in the body for years, how can one count on healthy gestation and the birth of offspring? What incredible strength must an organism have in order to withstand the pressure of regular “poisoning” with poisons and resins and be able to conceive, endure, give birth to a child without problems? It should also be borne in mind that chemicals have the ability to influence DNA, RNA. Severe congenital pathologies, which are no longer rare in the modern world, may be the result of a common everyday habit - smoking a cigarette or two. Moreover, both women's smoking and the habit of a man have a negative impact on the laying of the health of future offspring.
Oncology
Cancer is a disease that has become a real scourge of our time. Very difficult to treat. The development of oncological diseases has a completely unidentified nature. One of the hypothesized factors that increase the risk of developing cancer, doctors call smoking. Cancer of the lungs, trachea, lips, larynx, breast, stomach and other organs is more likely to develop in people who have been smoking tobacco products for years. It is also a shame that smokers indirectly expose their own children, family members and others to similar risks. After all, passive smoking carries the same risks of getting cancer problems as the smoker himself.
Nervous system
A person with an addiction is more prone to stress. Lethargy, apathy, lack of strength - such states can be noted by a smoker in the morning. After smoking a cigarette, a person may experience a sudden feeling of anxiety, a panic attack, or a sharp depression of mood. All this is no coincidence. Smoking is an addiction caused by the influence of substances on the brain centers of the body. During the absorption of toxic smoke, brain cells and the nerve column are hit. The consequences of such an impact can be very, very sad.
Hematopoietic system
Ask hematologists why they sound the alarm about addiction? The thing is that all chemicals, getting into our body, affect the composition of the blood. Internal processes unknown to us depend on each consumed product, inhaled substance, composition "passed" through the body. The risk of developing systemic blood diseases in smokers is higher than in other people.
The immune system
Human immunity is an unsolved mystery. Stress on the body carries the risk of developing unexplained autoimmune diseases (IDDM - diabetes mellitus, autoimmune arthritis, oncology, etc.). Each time, smoking a cigarette, a person cannot be sure that this will not undermine his immunity and will not give rise to the development of serious diseases, which sometimes even eminent world-class doctors cannot cope with.
Having recounted all possible risk factors, we cannot say with exact certainty that this is a complete list of possible prospects associated with smoking. Scientists are constantly making new discoveries in this direction and argue that the harm of smoking for the human body is even greater than we thought.
If you're frustrated, a little nervous, or want to take a cigarette to look grown-up, trendy, cool, think about the harm this act can do. After all, many problems and terrible diseases can be avoided by giving up addiction.
Harm of smoking for the environment
In conclusion, I would like to draw attention to the harm that cigarettes directly or indirectly cause to the environment. It turns out that smoking harms not only people. Addiction can cause damage on a global scale.
- Every year, about 5 million hectares of forest are cut down for the production of tobacco products.
- Up to hundreds of thousands of millions of kilograms of cigarette butts are thrown into the environment every year.
- About 5-7% of forest fires are caused by discarded cigarette butts. Household fires on this soil occur 10% more often.
- Discarded cigarette butts are toxic waste. The impact of this category of waste on the environment does not need additional comments.
- Cigarette butts were often found in the stomachs of birds, animals, and turtles. Animals encounter such garbage in their habitat and are not always able to withstand the influence of environmental pollution on their body.
- A huge amount of money is spent on the disposal and cleaning of cigarette butts.
- Cigarette smoke pollutes the atmosphere. An increase in the number of active smokers directly proportionally affects the increase in air pollution with toxic substances.
- Cigarette smog adversely affects the plant world. Some plant varieties degenerate or change as a result of exposure to substances that make up cigarette smoke and cigarette butts.
Is it possible to find an excuse for an addiction? Is there a chance to replace harmful cigarettes with something that brings the same effect, but is less harmful to the human body? It is unlikely! There is no real benefit to smoking. Whatever you try to justify or replace smoking (vaping vapes, smoking aromatic tobacco through a hookah), the essence remains the same.