Effects of Smoking

It is the leading cause of preventable death. Another of the effects of tobacco is that it is responsible for $80 billion in related health costs and this amount does not include the costs of burn care from smoking related- fires and perinatal care for low birth weight babies whose mothers smoked. And if you also include the health care costs of secondhand smoke the amount would jump to $140 billion.


Cancer

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in America and cigarette smoking is responsible for 90% of all cancer deaths. The cancers are caused by the over 40 carcinogens in the tobacco. These cancer causing agents damage important genes that control the growth of cells, causing them to grow abnormally or to reproduce too rapidly.

Cigarette smoking has been linked to a variety of cancers including cancers of the stomach, cervix, esophagus, pancreas, kidney and acute myeloid leukemia. Of course the most common of all cancers is lung cancer and it is the leading cause of cancer death.

Heart Disease

The risk of heart disease is 3X greater in smokers than that of non-smokers. Cigarette smoking is responsible for 20% of all heart disease - putting smokers at a greater risk for stroke, heart attack, vascular disease and aneurysm.


Women

The effects of smoking also extend to reproductive problems:

• Female smokers have earlier menopauses probably because nicotine damages the eggs.
• If taking birth control pills, woman is more prone cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
• Smoking causes a greater risk of infertility. The greatest risk occurs with 1+ packs and if smoker started smoking before 18 years of age.
• If pregnant, smoking increases the risk of a stillborn infant, premature baby, or infant with low birth weight. Infant mortality is 33% greater (mainly due to low birth weight). There are also more chances of ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages. Smoking can also affect the unborn child because it reduces folate levels and B vitamins are needed to prevent birth defects.
• Children of women, who smoked while they were pregnant, have a higher probability of having conduct disorders, being obese or contracting diabetes.

Smoking is related to many of the disorders related to aging. The following age related conditions are exacerbated by smoking:

• Cataracts
• Macular degeneration – leading cause of blindness in elderly
• Periodontal disease and tooth loss. More than ½ of the cases of gum disease are due to the vasoconstriction and impaired wound healed caused by smoking.
• Wrinkles – smokers are 5X more likely to have more and deeper wrinkles.
Baldness and grey hair. The chemicals in cigarettes break down cells in hair causing damage.
• Hearing loss – especially high frequencies. Because smoking causes vasoconstriction, less blood reaches the cochlea (which carries sound to the brain).
• Incontinence is 2X more likely in smokers.

Male Fertility and Impotence

Heavy smoking reduces blood flow to the penis and, in one study, this coupled with high blood pressure (also caused by smoking) increases impotence 26 times. Furthermore, smoking impairs sperm motility, reduces the sperm’s lifespan, and causes genetic changes that may affect offspring.

In one trial, men and women who smoked had a lower rate a lower success rate with fertility treatments. In another trial, it was demonstrated that smokers have lower sex drive and less frequent sex.


Secondhand Smoke

The effects of smoking are not only limited to the smoker but also to the people around them. Secondhand smoke is produced by a burning cigarette or other tobacco product. It is responsible for over 3,000 deaths from lung cancer and 40,000 from cardiovascular disease.

An estimated 4 million children a year get sick from being around the smoke. Parental smoking affects the lungs of infants as early as the first 2-10 weeks of life, and such abnormal lung function could persist throughout life. Kids of smoking parents are also at risk for bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma.

Infants are more susceptible to SIDS ( Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) when around smokers.

Dropped cigarettes are the leading cause of residential fire fatalities – over 1,000 per year.

Effects on the Body

There is not an organ or body system that nicotine does not affect.

Starting at the Top

To begin the discussion of the effects of smoking on the body,let's begin at the top - the head.Smoking increases the risk of cancer of the mouth. Tobacco smoke can also cause gum disease and bad breath. Smokers can experience frequent headaches. Narrowed blood vessels and the subsequent reduction of oxygen can lead to strokes.

Lungs and Bronchi

The effects of smoking also extend to the lungs and bronchi. When you inhale, the smoke enters the bronchi (small breathing tubes) in the lungs. Hydrogen cyanide and the other chemicals in the smoke attack the lining of the bronchi causing inflammation and a chronic cough. Because the bronchi are weakened, you are more likely to get bronchial infections. Mucus secretion in your lungs is impaired also leading to chronic coughing. Smokers are 10X as likely to get lung cancer and emphysema as non-smokers.

Heart

The effects of smoking on the heart are significant. Nicotine raises blood pressure and makes the blood clot more easily. Carbon monoxide robs the blood of oxygen and leads to the development of cholesterol deposits on the artery walls. All of these effects add up to an increases risk of heart attack. In addition, the poor circulation resulting from cholesterol deposits can cause strokes, loss of circulation in fingers and toes and impotence.

Body Organs

Several body organs are affected by cigarette smoking. The digestive system is one of the areas affected. The tars in smoke can trigger cancer of the esophagus and throat. Smoking causes increased stomach acid secretion, leading to heartburn and ulcers. Smokers have higher rates of deadly pancreatic cancer. Many of the carcinogens from cigarettes are excreted in the urine where their presence can cause bladder cancer, which is often fatal. High blood pressure from smoking can damage the kidneys.

Other effects of smoking on the gastrointestinal tract include:

• Diverticulitis. Smoking is a major risk factor for getting diverticulitis and for increasing complications arising from the disease.
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Inflammatory bowel disease is a collective term for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Smokers have been shown to have higher than average rates of Crohn’s disease.
• Hepatitis and Cirrhosis. Smoking is linked to increased liver scarring (cirrhosis) caused by either excessive drinking or chronic hepatitis B or C viruses.

Thyroid Disease

Cyanide, a chemical found in tobacco smoke, interferes with thyroid hormone production. Smoking triples the risk for developing thyroid disease, particularly hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Women smokers with subclinical hypothyroidism ( a symptom –free condition in which the thyroid gland is mildly underactive ) have a higher risk for developing full-blown hypothyroidism than their non-smoking peers. Another of the effects of smoking is that smoking has also been linked to goiter, a swelling of the thyroid that occurs in people who do not get enough iodine.

Bones and Joints

The effects of smoking also extend to the bones and joints:

• Keeps new bone from forming. Women smokers are at high risk for loss of bone density and osteoporosis.
• Postmenopausal women who smoke have a significantly greater risk for hip fracture.
• More apt to dvelop degenerative disorders and injuried in the spine.
• Due to poor circulation and poor wound healing caused by smoking, recovery from surgeries, including knee and hip replacements, is greatly compromised. Non-smokers have fewer complications.
• Smokers whose jobs involve lifting heavy objects are more likely to develop low back pain.
• Risk of rheumatoid arthritis in some older women is increased.

Diabetes

One of the effects of smoking is the increase of the risk of developing diabetes because it increases the risk of developing glucose intolerance, a condition that precedes diabetes.

The chemicals in cigarettes, may also affect the pancreas which is the organ that produces insulin. Insulin is the hormone which helps control blood sugar (glucose) levels.

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