According to the BBC, cigarette smoking causes about 5 million deaths worldwide every year, making it the leading cause of death on the planet. With over 25 different diseases linked to cigarette smoking and over 4,000 dangerous chemicals in each cigarette, smoking may be the most pressing health issue of today.
Respiratory Disease
Smoking causes permanent damage to the lungs and airways, including the delicate air sacs that control oxygen transfer into the body. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis may result from smoking. Continued smoking over many years can lead to chronic airway obstruction, which makes breathing increasingly difficult. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men can be attributed to smoking, and men who smoke increase their risk of dying from lung cancer by 23 percent. Even men who don't smoke but are exposed to second-hand smoke are at higher risk of developing lung disease.
Cancer
Aside from lung cancer, many other cancers are associated with smoking. Smokers have a higher risk of developing lip, mouth and throat cancer. Acute myeloid leukemia rates are higher in smokers, as are the rates of pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer and bladder cancer.
Cardiovascular Disease
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smokers develop coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease, at two to four times the rate of nonsmokers. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute explains that coronary heart disease occurs in smokers when damage to blood vessels caused by tobacco allows for the buildup of plaque in the arteries. This can result in heart attacks, arrhythmias and possibly even death. Heart rate and blood pressure may rise dangerously in response to the nicotine in cigarettes. Smokers also often develop hardening of the arteries and reduced circulation. Blood clotting may be an additional worry for smokers.
Premature Aging
According to MayoClinic.com, smoking causes premature aging that can lead to wrinkles and skin damage not only on a man's face but all over the body. This is a result of both the effects of nicotine on reducing blood flow and the interaction of toxic chemicals in smoke that destroy collagen and elastin in the skin.
Reproductive Health Effects
Smoking has been linked to problems with infertility. Cigarette smoke alters male sexual hormones, according to a 2005 report in the British Journal of Nursing. Men exposed to high levels of cigarette smoke showed poorer sperm quality and a lowered response to treatments for infertility. Men who smoke may also find it difficult to get or maintain an erection.
Other Effects
Men who smoke are also more likely to have sleeping difficulties, sore throat, acid reflux, peptic ulcers and halitosis. Men who smoke and play professional or recreational sports may have more difficulty participating than those who don't smoke, since smoking inhibits efficient breathing and heart function.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking
- Drugs.com:Cigarette Smoking And Its Health Risks
- BBC News:Smoking - the health effects
- MayoClinic.com: Is it true that smoking causes wrinkles?
- British Journal of Nursing:The effects of smoking on the reproductive health of men
