| There is a lot of talk about the health hazards of | | | | Because cigar smokers don't inhale the smoke, they |
| smoking. But for all the talk out there, it isn't always | | | | are not in danger of lung cancer and heart disease |
| easy to find details. So what exactly are the effects | | | | that affects smokers of cigarettes. Instead, effects of |
| of smoking? And what causes them? | | | | smoking cigars are mostly strongly felt in the mouth |
| The effects of smoking vary dramatically, depending | | | | and throat. The effects of smoking cigars aren't as |
| on whether a smoker prefers cigarettes or cigars. | | | | newsworthy as those of cigarettes, but they aren't |
| Effects of Smoking Cigarettes | | | | any nicer. |
| The effects of smoking cigarettes are the most well | | | | Effects of Smoking on the Mouth and Nose |
| known effects of smoking, partly because cigarettes | | | | The earliest effects of smoking on the mouth and |
| are the most popular form of tobacco, and partly | | | | nose are the destruction of the glands that taste and |
| because of the horrifying diseases that can result. | | | | smell. The image of the cigar smoker relaxing at home |
| Effects of Smoking on the Lungs | | | | with a port after dinner is flawed, because after |
| Damage to the lungs is caused primarily by cigarette | | | | several years of smoking, he won't be able to tell a |
| smoke. Cigar smoke is not supposed to be inhaled, and | | | | good port from a bad one. The long term effects of |
| so should not reach the lungs. Cigarette smoke | | | | smoking include cancer of the mouth and gums. While |
| contains tar. That tar gets into the lungs and clogs the | | | | not as publicized as lung cancer, and not necessarily |
| alveoli, the tiny pockets in the lungs that take in oxygen | | | | as deadly (if caught early) cancer of the mouth and |
| and release carbon dioxide. This is what causes the | | | | gums is nothing to be taken lightly. While losing teeth is |
| immediate effects of difficulty in breathing and | | | | an accepted risk of old age, losing whole sections of |
| coughing. Over time, the tar can cause further damage | | | | jaw or tongue or needing to breathe through a hole in |
| to the lung tissue, causing cancer, emphysema, or | | | | the throat for the rest of your life is nothing that |
| other fatal illness. | | | | anyone wants to contemplate. |
| Effects of Smoking on the Heart and Circulatory | | | | Effects of Smoking on the Throat |
| System | | | | The delightfully scratchy voices of several classic jazz |
| Damage to the heart is a secondary effect of | | | | and blues singers can be directly attributed to their |
| smoking. This means that smoking does not damage | | | | penchant for cigars. And what sounds great on an old |
| the heart directly, but that another effect of smoking | | | | recording, backed by a great sax, won't sound quite so |
| causes damage to the heart: specifically, the damage | | | | good coming out of your own throat. And even folks |
| to the lungs. When the alveoli are blocked by tar, and | | | | who don't mind having their voice go scratchy will |
| oxygen can't enter the blood freely, the heart needs to | | | | probably object to losing their voice all together. |
| work harder to get enough oxygen throughout the | | | | Cancer of the throat frequently results in loss of the |
| body. It is very similar to the damage causes by high | | | | voice box. The wonders of modern technology have |
| cholesterol, except that high cholesterol forms a | | | | allowed for mechanical replacements, so at least |
| physical barrier in the blood vessels, where the tar | | | | smokers are no longer mute for the rest of their lives. |
| causes a block in the oxygen supply. Additionally, | | | | Unfortunately, those mechanical replacements tend to |
| because the heart needs to work harder, the body's | | | | sound like a kids toy robot with laryngitis. |
| blood pressure increases. As you can see, damaging | | | | Obviously, there is a lot more to all of these effects of |
| effects of smoking are something like falling dominoes. | | | | smoking, and others besides, than can easily be |
| Each bit of damage causes a new problem. | | | | included here. Take the time to educate yourself |
| Effects of Smoking Cigars | | | | beyond the media blurbs. You'll be glad you did. |