Stimulation, craving, pleasure, habit---these are some of the many reasons 25 percent of Americans smoke, according to the medically reviewed information website, Heart Point. For every reason people give for continuing to smoke, however, there is one major reason they should quit: disease. Smoking causes a number of diseases, many of which can be fatal.
Cancer
A number of cancers are related to smoking such as lung, esophageal, kidney, bladder and cervical. NetDoctor.com, a U.K.-based website providing medically reviewed information, states that smokers are more likely to get cancer than non-smokers, especially cancers of the mouth, throat and lung. Ninety percent of all cases of lung cancer are believed to be caused by smoking, the site says.
Your risk increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke and the number of years you have been smoking. Once you choose to quit, it takes 15 years before your risk of developing lung cancer drops to that of a non-smoker.
Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is the main cause of death because of smoking. These include diseases such as atherosclerosis, which is a narrowing of the arteries; coronary thrombosis, in which a blood clot forms in the arteries that supply blood to the heart; and cerebral thrombosis, a condition in which blood vessels leading to the brain become blocked and result in a stroke.
Respiratory Disease
It stands to reason that the lungs of smokers will suffer the most damage. When the lung tissue becomes damaged, it results in respiratory disorders such as emphysema. This condition causes shortness of breath due to damaged air sacs.
Another common respiratory disease due to smoking is chronic bronchitis, which is coughing that produces a large amount of mucus for at least 3 continuous months. Both of these conditions fall under the description of COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, an umbrella term used to describe conditions that narrow the airways and make breathing difficult. Smoking is responsible for 80 percent of all COPD cases diagnosed, according to NetDoctor.
Periodontal Disease
Smokers are 300 percent more likely to suffer from periodontal disease than non-smokers and the reasons may not be what you think. One of the major signs of this disease is bad breath, an important symptom that is often masked by the smell of cigarette smoke.
Smoking also breaks down your immune system, leaching from it many vitamins and minerals needed for healthy gums and a healthy smile. In many cases, the condition is not noticed until it is in its most severe stages, when the bones are weak and teeth are becoming loose, according to the American Academy of Periodontology. Unfortunately, all the best dental care in the world may not save your smile; in some cases the only cure may be to quit.
Erectile Dysfunction
This risk of erectile dysfunction is increased by 50 percent for men in their 30s and 40s who smoke, according to Net Doctor. Smoking not only narrows the blood vessels leading to the penis, restricting necessary blood flow, it also damages the blood vessels of the penis; these two problems combined result in erectile dysfunction.
While erectile dysfunction can be a warning sign to you that other blood vessels are being damaged as well such as the blood vessels leading to your heart.
