Smoking cigarettes can become addicting and habit forming. While you may feel it is an innocent habit you picked up, it can lead to life-threatening side effects. Smoking contributes to about 87 percent of all lung cancer deaths in the U.S, explains the American Cancer Society. Lung cancer is the second-most common type of cancer in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Contents
Cigarettes contain more than just paper and tobacco. The Texas Agri Life Extension states that there are hidden ingredients in cigarettes that are not listed on the pack. You can find the same ingredients in cigarettes that are used to make tires, rat poison, batteries, moth balls, nail polish remover, bleach, plastic and garbage bags. The Tri-County Cessation Center explains that there are over 4,000 chemicals found in tobacco and 599 additives such as methane, acetic acid, arsenic, butane, carbon monoxide and ammonia. All of these items enter the lungs and can cause life-altering effects.
Secondhand Smoke
Over time, exposure to secondhand smoke can lead to conditions that are deadly. MedlinePlus reports that some of the health effects of breathing in secondhand smoke include respiratory tract infections, heart disease, lung and sinus cancer and asthma. If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are pregnant or elderly, you should avoid secondhand smoke.
Addiction
Nicotine is one of the leading ingredients in cigarettes, pipe tobacco, cigars and snuff. It is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream after inhalation and is one of the main reasons someone craves having another cigarette. The addiction is hard to break. Nicotine increases levels of dopamine in the body and makes your mind and body feel good at the moment and crave it. The National Institutes of Drug Abuse explain that the nicotine itself can produce some troublesome effects such as irritability, inability to focus and violent outbursts that can be a threat to yourself or to others.
Illness
Several illnesses besides cancer result from smoking cigarettes. These include atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and coronary artery disease. The American Heart Association states that smoking can also lead to stroke and aortic aneurysm, which are both life threatening conditions.
Prevention
You can prevent the effects of smoking if you quit. It's never too late to quit. Quitting smoking before the age of 50 cuts your risk of dying within the next 15 years in half as opposed to someone who smokes, explains the American Cancer Society. You can prevent the harmful effects of smoking by quitting and staying away from secondhand smoke. Your lungs will begin to heal so you reduce the risk of having breathing problems that are related to smoking.
