Nozaina: Smoking is addictive. It’s the worst enemy of health. According to research, smoking kills more than 80 million people yearly, including smokers and partial smokers (people who indirectly inhale smoke). The surveys say the habit of smoking persists. A rise in the tobacco industry has been seen in some regions. If this trend continues, there will be approximately 1.1 billion smokers by 2025. The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats, killing above 80 million people annually, with around 1.2 million deaths of partial smokers. All types of tobacco are harmful and there is no safe level of tobacco exposure. Cigarette smoking is one of the most common types of tobacco use. Other tobacco products include cigars, pipe tobacco, various smokeless tobacco products, water pipe tobacco, cigarillos, roll-your-own tobacco, and bidis. The burden of tobacco-related death and illness is heaviest in low and middle-income countries, approximately 80% of 1.3 billion tobacco users live in these countries. Tobacco use leads to poverty because people spend their money on tobacco rather than on basic needs such as shelter and food.

How Does Smoking Affect Health? 

Smoking affects every organ of the body. It’s some effects are immediate. Smoking cause diabetes, stroke, lung disease, heart disease, and cancer. It also causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It also increases the probability of certain eye diseases and immune system problems. Exposure to second-hand smoke contributes to about 400 deaths in infants and 41,000 deaths among non-smokers yearly. Children exposed to second-hand smoke are at a greater risk of middle ear disease, severe sudden infant death syndrome, slowed lung growth, acute respiratory infection, and respiratory problems. Second-hand smoke and smoke cause coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke in adults. Smokers take more sick days. They have higher health care costs. Smoking can reduce the expected lifespan by at least ten years. Tobacco smoking is the main leading cause of premature death. Tobacco has poisonous substances that harm people’s health, such as tar, Carbon monoxide, and many more. Tar is a gummy, brown substance that affects breathing by coating the lungs. Car exhaust fumes produce carbon monoxide. Its large doses are fetal. It replaces the oxygen in the blood and starves the oxygen organs. It stops them from properly functioning.

Respiratory Disease: Smoking cause lung diseases (chronic bronchitis and emphysema) and also can trigger an asthma attack. Smokers are 12 to 13 times more expected to die from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than non-smokers.

Cardiovascular Disease: Tobacco smoking can raise the probability of stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) by 2 to 4 times. People who smoke less than five cigarettes a day can also have early marks of CVD. Smoking damages the blood vessels and makes them narrow and thick. The heart beat faster and blood pressure increases. Smoking can also cause blood clotting.

Cancer: Smoking is the main leading cause of cancer. It can cause cancer almost anywhere in the body such as the liver, lungs, mouth, throat, pancreas, stomach, colon, and breast. The poison which is present in tobacco smoke may alter or damage the DNA, which is an instructional manual of cells. DNA controls the normal function and growth of cells. When DNA is damaged cells grow out of control and form a cancerous tumor.

Wound Healing: Smoking has negative effects on the ability to heal. Even one cigarette a day can damage health. It damages blood vessels and reduces the flow of blood to wounds. It may reduce the strength of scar tissues.

Mental Health: Smoking worse the quality of sleep and makes it harder to fall asleep. It can increase the feeling of anxiety and stress. Smoking increases the symptoms of depression. When people smoke medicines that they are taking to treat anxiety and depression do not work. Smoking can make PTS (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms such as avoidance, numbing, anxiety, and re-experiencing worse.

Eye Problems: Smoking cause many eye and vision problems. The chemical present in tobacco smoke may reduce the oxygen flow and blood circulation to the eyes. Smoking cause dry eye syndrome that can cause eye stinging, blurry vision, and contact lens distress. Smoking can cause muscular degeneration disease, which causes damage to the retina.

What Are the Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking?

It is very challenging to quit smoking. When a smoker quit smoking body instantly begins to heal. People think that it will take a long time. They will start getting health benefits even just an hour after the last cigarette and continue to recover. Quitting smoking reduces blood pressure and the probability of heart diseases, lung diseases, and many other diseases. The sooner the smoker quits the smoking faster they start getting the health benefits. It will break the cycle of addiction. Smokers will have to make a plan to beat triggers and cravings to quit smoking.

* Twenty minutes after the last cigarette, blood pressure initiates to drop, blood circulation improves, and the heart rate drops and returns to normal.

* Carbon monoxide gas is present in cigarette smoke, which is harmful in high doses and prevents oxygen from entering the blood and lungs. In twelve hours without a cigarette, the body cleanses itself from excess carbon monoxide. The level of carbon monoxide returns to normal and the level of oxygen in the body increase.

* In just one day after quitting smoking, the possibility of heart attack decrease. Smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering the level of good cholesterol and making physical activity difficult. In a short time, oxygen level increase, making heart-healthy exercise easier and also promoting healthy habits.

* Smoking damage the endings of nerves responsible for the sense of taste and smell. In just two days after quitting smoking, a person notices a vivid taste and an intensified sense of smell.

* In three days, the level of nicotine in the body depleted. This initial depletion may cause nicotine withdrawal. As the body readjusts, most people experience severe headaches, moodiness, craving, and irritability.

* After one to three months, blood circulation continues to improve. The lungs significantly healed in nine months.