Some Of The Dangers of Smoking

Smoking is described as the art of burning, tasting and inhaling tobacco. Most people associate smoking with cigarettes and cigars but there are other products, both legal and illegal that one can smoke. Smoking is far from being a new trend although the modern mass media and movie industries have made it trendier to smoke. Image via Wikipedia Smoking was practiced by the Egyptians in the 16th Century and the Aztecs even earlier. The Aztecs even have gods who are depicted as allowing themselves to be smoked by their subjects. The thrill of smoking comes from nicotine, the chemical compound present in cigarettes and which causes feelings of semi-intoxication and light-headedness. This feeling is perceived by many people as being very relaxing. Nevertheless, smoking has its dangers and has now joined the top 5 killers of people under 60 years old in the United States.

Nicotine
Nicotine is a chemical alkaloid that occurs in some plants notably the tobacco and tea kinds. It is also present in tomatoes and green peppers although in much lower concentrations. It is a potent chemical compound capable of producing brain stimulation which is the reason why smoking produces slight light-headedness. According to the American Heart Association, which monitors health issues in the United States, nicotine addiction ranks among the hardest to overcome.

Deaths
There are close to half a million nicotine-related deaths each year in the United States. This is as a result of lung cancer and other related complications caused by cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoking also caused a breakdown in the immune system leaving the person susceptible to other ailments which may also be fatal.

Second Hand Smoke
It is no longer a secret that smoking endangers others who are not even smokers but who happen to be in the same vicinity. This is called second-hand smoke. In today’s buildings which have air conditioning and fans, the air from one part of the building can easily find its way to other parts of the building creating hazardous conditions for non-smokers. This has been the reason behind the push by many governments to enact legislation that counters public smoking making it illegal. This is happening worldwide as more governments take responsibility for protecting their citizens.

Appetite
Smoking interferes with a person’s appetite. There have been studies which have revealed that nicotine actually suppresses a person’s appetite for carbohydrates. In some countries where food shortages are rampant, this can actually lead to malnutrition and a host of other ailments.

..

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.