| It's no secret nowadays that smoking is bad for you, | | | | by cigarette smoke, which is collected at the junction |
| but did you know that are are radioactive elements in | | | | of airways within the lungs called bronchioles. Studies |
| cigarettes? I didn't until I decided that I was giving up | | | | have reported that polonium-210 and lead-210 build up |
| smoking and paid more attention to the harm that I | | | | at these areas in the lungs of smokers and that over |
| was doing to my body and my health. | | | | time, they produce cancer-causing radioactive areas |
| Cigarette smoke contains constituents such as | | | | within the body. |
| radioactive elements, Polomium-210 and Lead-210 | | | | Health risks associated with inhalation of polonium-210 |
| which are highly poisonous, heavy metals that can | | | | and lead-210 are manifested in the development of |
| cause lung cancer. Frightening isn't it that we are | | | | lung cancer, which has symptoms of coughing that |
| deliberately introducing these dangerous elements to | | | | could worsen over time, constant chest pain, shortness |
| our bodies and paying for the privilige too? | | | | of breath, continual problems with bronchitis, pneumonia, |
| Radioactive lead isotopes and polonium isotopes get | | | | fatigue, swelling of the face and neck, loss of appetite, |
| into tobacco because of the radioactivity of soil-based | | | | unintentional weight loss, and the worst symptom - |
| radium. The regions where tobacco is grown are very | | | | coughing up blood. |
| rich in radium soils, this can also be contributed to by | | | | Lung cancer is one of the leading cause of |
| adding fertiliser to the soil. This elemental particle in soil | | | | cancer-related deaths in the developed world and |
| that surrounds tobacco plants releases gas which | | | | smoking tobacco is the main culprit. Early detection of |
| enables the tiny polonium and lead particles to float | | | | lung cancer is very difficult because symptoms do not |
| free, consequently attaching to bits of dirt and then are | | | | often occur until the disease is at an advanced stage. |
| carried to the outer covering of tobacco leaves. Since | | | | Even then, the 2-year survival rate is only 2 percent. |
| tobacco leaves are covered with many fine hair-like | | | | Most people diagnosed in the advanced stage have |
| extensions, lead and polonium particles stick and stay in | | | | only 6-months to a year to live. |
| the leaves until it gets to the human body. | | | | It really was an eye opener to realise that I have |
| Usually, tobaccos are washed as part of cleaning | | | | voluntarily paid for and taken in these cancer giving |
| during the manufacturing process of cigarettes. But as | | | | radioactive elements for many years. Giving up |
| these elements are so tiny they and not soluble in | | | | smoking last year was the best decision that I have |
| water, they are quite easily able to escape from this | | | | ever made - I just wish that I had made that decision |
| water-based cleaning process. | | | | sooner. For all that I know it may be too late, the |
| The problem happens when a smoker breathes in a | | | | harmful elements may already have built up too much |
| cigarette’s smoke. Radioactive elements are | | | | for me to reverse the damage, but I am hopeful that I |
| attached to the tar, another toxic chemical produced | | | | quit smoking in time to save my life. |