Why should we avoid smoking
What is Smoking?
Smoking is when you inhale and exhale smoke from burning plant material that’s rolled into a wrapper (cigarette). You light the end of the cigarette and pull smoke into your mouth through the other end. But smoking tobacco puts you at risk for cancer, stroke, heart attack, lung disease and other health issues. Nicotine replacements and lifestyle changes may help you quit.
Causes of smoking
Smoking affects everything from the appearance of your skin and nails to how your tissues, organs and even your DNA work. The effects of smoking on your body start the moment you light up a cigarette. Thousands of chemicals released from burning tobacco start their damaging journey before you’ve even taken a puff.
Health risks
Heart disease
Smoking harms nearly every organ in your body, including your heart. Smoking can cause blockages and narrowing in your arteries, which means less blood and oxygen flow to your heart. When cigarette consumption in the U.S. decreased, so did the rates of heart disease. Yet, heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the U.S.
Lung cancer
More people die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. Cigarette smoking is the number one risk factor for lung cancer; it’s responsible for close to 90% of lung cancer cases. While the survival rate has improved recently, your chance of still being alive five years after being diagnosed is still only 26.6%.
Some Effects of smoking
- Increased risk of gum disease and tooth loss
- Lowered immune system function
- Increased risk of type 2 diabetes
- Decreased sense of smell and taste
- Premature aging of the skin