Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death and disease in the world. It can harm nearly every organ in the body and increase the risk of developing a wide range of health problems, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and more.
When you smoke, you inhale more than 7,000 chemicals, including over 70 known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances). These chemicals damage your cells and DNA, which can lead to a variety of health problems.
Immediate Effects of Smoking
As soon as you inhale cigarette smoke, your heart rate and blood pressure increase. This is because nicotine, the main addictive drug in tobacco, causes your blood vessels to constrict. Smoking also increases the production of carbon monoxide, a gas that prevents your red blood cells from carrying oxygen.
Long-Term Effects of smoking
Over time, smoking can damage your lungs, heart, blood vessels, and other organs. This can lead to a variety of chronic diseases.
- Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, but it can also cause cancer of the bladder, cervix, colon, esophagus, kidney, larynx, liver, mouth, throat, pancreas, stomach, and trachea.
- It also damages your blood vessels and increases your risk of developing blood clots. This can lead to heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.
- Smoking can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a group of lung diseases that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD can make it difficult to breathe and can be life-threatening.
- In addition to these conditions, smoking can raise your chance of getting diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cataracts, macular degeneration, and other conditions.Arthritis, cataracts, macular degeneration, and other health issues are all possibilities.
Quitting smoking
The best way to protect your health is to quit smoking. Quitting can be difficult, but it is possible. There are many resources available to help you quit, including nicotine replacement therapy, counseling, and support groups.
Quitting smoking has immediate and long-term health benefits. Within 20 minutes of quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure drop. Within 12 hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal. Within 2-12 weeks, your circulation improves and your lung function increases. Within 1-9 months, coughing and shortness of breath decrease. Within 5-15 years, your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker. And within 10 years, your lung cancer death rate is about half that of a smoker.
If you or someone you know smokes, please encourage them to quit. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.