Smoking poses numerous dangers to you and your loved ones. Though many of the risks are well-known, more than 46 million Americans continue to smoke, contributing to an economic burden of over $96 billion per year in medical expenses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heightened understanding of the potential dangers of smoking may help you stop smoking or opt not to start. For guidance regarding successful quitting techniques, seek guidance from your doctor.
High-Blood Sugar
When the nicotine in cigarettes is absorbed into your bloodstream, it has an immediate effect on your adrenal glands, which release stress hormones such as epinephrine. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, this process stimulates your nervous system, increasing your blood pressure, pulse and breathing, and stimulates glucose, or blood sugar, production in the body. For this reason, smokers tend to demonstrate chronic high blood sugar levels, also called hyperglycemia, which can lead to dehydration, excessive thirst and hunger, exhaustion, blurry vision, fatigue, tingling in the extremities, frequent vaginal yeast or groin infections and other complications.
Addiction and Withdrawal
Similar to other drugs, nicotine affects dopamine levels in the brain, which interferes with your ability to experience pleasure. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, these changes in brain chemicals can cause dependency in long-term smokers. The more you smoke, the more difficult it may become to experience sensations of pleasure and reward without nicotine. Certain compounds in cigarette smoke may exacerbate these effects on the brain. Adolescents, in particular, are at increased risk for brain chemical changes and addiction. The more dependent you become, emotionally and physically on nicotine and smoking, the more severe your symptoms of withdrawal may be once you attempt to quit. Withdrawal symptoms may include extreme nicotine and cigarette cravings, sleep problems, poor concentration and increased appetite--symptoms that could keep you from attempting to quit. NIDA suggests seeking treatment programs to help you through your quitting process.
Disease and Death
Smoking can cause life-threatening health problems in you and your loved ones. Tobacco use increases your risk for lung cancer, other forms of cancer, heart disease, stroke and other serious conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use is the most preventable cause of disability, disease and death in America, leading to approximately 443,000 deaths per year. This number includes death of smokers and people who are exposed to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke also causes thousands of upper-respiratory illnesses, asthma and ear problems in children, and is associated with sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. According to the CDC, even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can pose health risks.
