Heart disease or attack - caused by the narrowing of blood vessels carrying the blood to the heart. Smoking makes blood clot more easily. The walls of the blood vessels become damaged and accumulate fat deposits. This causes the heart to pump faster and it becomes harder to maintain the normal blood flow. The blood vessels may burst and cause the person to suffer from a stroke. If the blood supply to the heart is blocked then he may suffer a heart attack. A heart attack leading to sudden death is two to three times more likely to strike smokers than non-smokers.
High blood pressure- which may cause blackouts, minor strokes, swollen ankles or shortness of breath.
Strokes- caused by blockages in the blood vessels in the brain that carry blood from the heart to the brain.
Strokes can occur in young people in their 20s and 30s who smoke and not just the elderly.
Mental and physical damage to babies when their pregnant mother's smoke.
Low sperm count for men and low fertility level for women.
Other effects are:
a) Discomfort in the nose and eye.
b) Throat infections develop
c) Stomach ulcers are more frequent
d) Sense of taste and smell deteriorates
e) Nicotine stains the fingers and stains the teeth yellow.
f) Headaches
Smoking also harms other people: People who do not smoke but breathe in tobacco smoke from smokers are called Passive smokers. They are likely to suffer from sore eyes, smoker's cough, chest discomfort, headaches, irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. It can also worsen other illness that a passive smoker may be already suffering from, e.g.; asthma, allergies, and heart and lung diseases.
Cigarettes: 90% of lung cancer is due to cigarette smoking. Cigarettes are made of dried tobacco leaves. When a cigarette burns, chemical changes take place. Tobacco smoke contains 4000 chemicals of which 400 are poisonous and 40 can cause lung cancer. Tobacco smoke in the air contains 21 times nicotine 15 times more carbon monoxide, up to 130 times more carcinogens and up to 170 times more irritants.
HARMFUL EFFECTS
Chemicals
1. Nicotine addiction (highly addictive drug)
a) damages brain tissues
b) makes blood clot easily.
c) hardens the walls of arteries.
2. Tar (brown, sticky substance)
a) kills cells in air passages and lungs.
b) Increases production of mucus and phlegm in lungs.
c) causes lung cancer
3. Carbon monoxide (poisonous gas)
a) Prevents red blood cells from combining with and transporting oxygen around the body.
4. Carcinogens (cancer causing substances)
a) Promote the growth of cancerous cells in the body.
5. Irritants a) Irritates the air passages and air-sacs in the lungs.
e.g.: ammonia, butane and hydrogen cyanide
b) Kills the cells at the surface of air passages.
c) Causes smoker's cough and lung cancer.
Stop Smoking:
1) Ban smoking in public places and enclosed places such as lifts and air-conditioned rooms.
2) Educate the general public on the harmful effects of smoking and the advantages of not smoking.
3) Restrict or ban sale of cigarettes.
4) Print warnings on every packet of cigarette with big and bold letters.
5) Increase public awareness through media.
6) Offer incentives to those who make a conscientious effort to quit smoking.
7) the government should have free quit smoking therapy session for those wanting to quit smoking.
