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Despite the grave health risks, tobacco has long been used as an illicit substance and its use is only growing. Despite the fact that its health hazards have been extensively reported so far, tobacco is still grown, promoted, marketed, and sold in order to profit handsomely.
Up to half of smokers who do not give up smoking die from tobacco use. With the tobacco epidemic killing over 8 million people annually worldwide, it is one of the biggest threats to public health that the world has ever faced. There is no safe amount of tobacco exposure, and all tobacco use is harmful. Smoking cigarettes is the most prevalent way to use tobacco. Cigars, cigarillos, heated tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, pipe tobacco, bidis and kreteks, and smokeless tobacco products are examples of other tobacco-based products.
Tobacco contains 2550 known compounds, and tobacco smoke contains over 4000 compounds. It contains around 43 cancer causing agents, including nicotine and nitrosamines, as well as radionuclides (that emit particles like polonium 210) which are considered primary tobacco hazardous compounds. Hazardous compounds found in tobacco smoke include tars, fungicides, herbicides, carbon monoxide, and thiocyanates. These toxins affect almost all cell types and weaken the body's defenses against disease. The interconnected systems of our body are all influenced by tobacco, leading to widespread health issues. Active ingredients in tobacco, such as tar, nicotine, and nitrosamine, are strongly linked to oral cancer worldwide.
Tobacco users face three major consequences: death, disease, and disability. Let’s know further about the detrimental health effects of tobacco and ways to quit this deadly habit.
Tobacco smoking or chewing increases the risk of following conditions and diseases:
Cancer: Smoking can cause cancer practically anywhere on the body, mainly lung cancer. It also increases the risk of cancer occurring in esophagus, blood cells, liver, stomach, kidney, pancreas, mucinous ovary, ureter, cervix, colon, bladder, mouth, nose, throat, and voice box.
Respiratory disorders: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a dangerous, progressive, and debilitating illness that restricts lung airflow, is primarily caused by smoking. In addition to increasing the risk of asthma in adults and adolescents, active smoking exacerbates asthma in active smokers.
Heart diseases, stroke and blood circulatory disorders: One of the main causes of death for both men and women is cardiovascular disease, which is largely brought on by smoking. Cardiovascular disease includes heart disease and stroke. Blood clots can impede blood flow to the legs, brain, or heart and are more likely to occur in smokers. Because smoking causes problems with blood circulation, some smokers end up having limbs amputated. Compared to non-smokers, smokers experience more heart attacks. They also have a higher chance of passing away from a heart attack earlier in life—even in their 40s.
Diabetes: Smoking increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. Those who smoke frequently have a 30–40% increased risk of diabetes compared to non-smokers. A number of health issues associated with type 1 diabetes, including kidney disease, eye disease, and poor circulation that can result in gangrene, can also get worse from smoking.
Infectious diseases: Because smoking impairs immune function, it increases the risk of contracting viral and bacterial infections. It also lowers blood flow throughout the body, therefore wounds may take longer to heal.
Dental problems: Smoking raises the risk of tooth sensitivity, gum disease, and tooth loss. Smoking further impairs the ability of gums to heal after gum damage, thereby increasing the gum inflammation. It can be more difficult for people with dental problems to chew and swallow food, which can result in poor nutrition and other health problems.
Impaired hearing: Smoking lowers inner ear blood flow. Additionally, it may irritate and inflame the Eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the nose, leading to infection and discomfort. Smokers are more likely than non-smokers to lose their hearing abilities early.
Loss of vision: Smoking harms the eyes and increases the risk of macular degeneration, which may lead to blindness gradually.
Fertility issues: Smoking can impact sperm quality and make conception more challenging.
Osteoporosis and menopause: Smoking also increases the risk of osteoporosis (a condition characterized by weakening of the bones and brittle). It may also lead to early menopause as compared to a non-smoker.
Following are the tips that one can follow to quit smoking or tobacco use:
Cigarette smoking raises your risk of developing illnesses that can impact your entire body. Cancer can develop in numerous body organs as a result of smoking. In addition, it may lower fertility, raise the risk of type 2 diabetes, and exacerbate bone loss.
But many of these risks are mitigated when one stops smoking. It also offers advantages in the short and long terms. You can live a longer and healthier life by finding a way to stop smoking, as it has an impact on every system in your body.
Programmes for quitting smoking might be useful. To assist you in quitting, doctors may also suggest both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. You seek help from smoking cessation resource centers, which offer advice on how to quit smoking as well as details on therapies for quitting.
If you are a smoker then get yourself screened for above mentioned disorders at Dr. B. Lal Lab and get accurate results. This will help you to make informed decisions for your health.
Q1: What is the most effective way to stop smoking?
A: Counseling along with medical care (Nicotine replacement therapy, NRT) is the most effective way to stop smoking.
Q2: How can I quickly get rid of nicotine?
A: Drink plenty of water and take an antioxidant rich diet to get rid of nicotine. Also, exercise to enhance your blood circulation.
Q3: What happens when you give up smoking?
A: Twenty minutes after the last cigarette is smoked, a person's heart rate returns to normal. A person's body will rid itself of extra carbon monoxide by the end of their first day without cigarettes, and his/her blood pressure will return to normal.
Q4: How does passive smoking occur?
A: Inhaling smoke from other people's cigarettes, cigars, or pipes is known as passive smoking. Even a brief exposure to tobacco smoke can have detrimental effects on one's health. The most vulnerable are children, pregnant women, and those with respiratory issues.
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