Many people claim that smoking helps them to cope with stress. But in fact, nicotine is a stimulant and won’t help you to relax. Smokers probably think a cigarette makes them feel better because when they aren’t smoking they suffer from nicotine withdrawal.
“Tobacco smoke cotains over 4000 chemicals in the form of gases and particles,” (http://news.bbc.o.uk/1/hi/health/medical_notes/3235820.stm) this is why is dosen’t just affect you but also the people surrounding you this is called passive smoking. “At least 43 of the ingredients are carcinogenic (cancer causing).” ()
Nicotine
Nicotine is the drug in the cigarette that makes it addictive. It is absorbed and enters the blod stream through the lungs. Nicotine is a psycoactive drug with stimulant effects. In small doses, it speeds up heart rate and increases blood pressure.
Tar
Cigarette smoke condenses when it's inhaled. about 70% of the tar present in tobacco smoke gets dumped into the lungs. “A mixture of chemicals (formaldehyde, arsenic and cyanide to name a few).” () it’s a sticky black residue that causes cancer.
Carbon Monoxide
An odourless, tasteless and poisonous gas. It makes breathing more difficult as it combines with the body’s blood which carries oxygen around the body. Oxygen is essential for our bodies to work properly. “Someone who smokes 20 a day can have a carbon monoxide level which is 5-10 times that of a non-smoker.” () This deprives the body of oxygen, which makes the blood sticky and can cause problems with the growth, repair and exchange of healthy nutrients.
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Acetone - widely used as a solvent, for example in nail polish remover.
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Ammonia - is found in cleaning fluids.
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Arsenic - a deadly poison, used in insecticides.
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Formaldehyde - used to preserve dead bodies.
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Cadmium - a highly poisonous metal used in batteries.
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Shellac - becomes a wood varnish when mixed with a form of alcohol.
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Benzene - used as a solvent in fuel and chemical production.
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Cyanide - a deadly poison.
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What does smoking do to your body?
When germs and dirt get into your lungs, the cilia sweep them upwards in the mucus to your throat. Then when you swallow them your stomach acids destroy them. The chemicals in tobacco smoke stop the cilia working properly. Because of this the smoker has to cough in order to clear the mucus. Lung cancer causes the cells to divide very quickly. When this happens the tissue can grow big enough to block a main branch of bronchus, stopping the air flowing properly and cause bleeding from a blood vessel.
Smoking related Illnesses
Most people know that smoking can cause cancer but what sort of cancer? Smoking can cause cancer of the lungs, the mouth, the Oesophagus, nearly any organ in the body. But smoking can also cause illnesses such as
- Gum disease
- Cataracts
- Back pain
- Osteoporosis
- Loss of vision
- Hearing loss
- Flu
- Decreased fertility
All these and more illnesses can occur due to smoking.
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Smoking actually kills five times more people than road accidents, overdoses, murder, suicide and HIV all put together! It is one of the major causes of death in the UK.
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Passive smoking
Passive smoking is simply breathing in other peoples cigarette smoke. The smoke you breath in around up is called “sidestream” smoke from the burning tip of the cigarette. “Sidestream smoke is nearly 85% of the smoke in the room” ()
Breathing in other peoples smoke can cause eye irritation, headache, cough, sore throat, dizziness and nausea. Just 30 minutes of exposure to smoke can be enough to reduce the blood flow in the heart. Second hand smoking in the workplace causes about 700 deaths each year, according to the research from imperial college. Children are more at risk than anyone as they are not fully grown and are still developing. Passive smoking is just a dangerous to your heath as main stream smoking. Passive smoking is a risk factor for the following:
Childbirth and infancy
Low birth weight
Cot death (SIDS)
Illnesses in children
Middle ear infection
Asthma (induction & exacerbation)
Bronchitis (induction & exacerbation)
Pneumonia (induction & exacerbation)
Illnesses in adults
Heart disease
Stroke
Lung cancer
Nasal cancer
The California EPA report also identified a link between passive smoking and the following:
Spontaneous abortion (miscarriage)
Adverse impact on learning and behavioural development in children
Meningococcal infections in children
Cancers and leukaemia in children
Asthma exacerbation in adults
Exacerbation of cystic fibrosis
Decreased lung function
Cervical cancer (http://www.ash.org.uk/html/passive/html/passive.html)
I believe that the smoking ban will be a good impact on the country. It will benefit every one by causing less deaths and in turn not costing the country so much. The loss of life is too great a cost to be stated as an amount of money. Although I still believe it hasn’t affected the younger party of smokers, because they can’t go to club or pubs where most people are finding it hard to smoke. Parks and open areas are mainly where they are socialising. I believe that the smoking age should be increased to 18.
Chloe O’Leary
