| Addiction to smoking tobacco products is considered | | | | Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, |
| an epidemic. It kills in excess of 5 million people each | | | | emphysema and chronic bronchitis, all of which can |
| year worldwide. Of this 5 million people, 70 % percent | | | | lead to death. The heart and blood system of the |
| are considered low or middle income countries and the | | | | body is affected by decreased blood vessel size and |
| gap is between the high income countries is expected | | | | the ability to carry oxygen in the red blood cells is |
| to become greater in the next decade with the death | | | | reduced. This means that the heart has to work |
| toll rising to an estimated 8 million people by 2030. It is | | | | harder to get the necessary oxygen levels to the rest |
| still considered a preventable death, and is the leading | | | | of the body, but takes more strain as it doesn't have |
| cause of preventable deaths worldwide. | | | | enough oxygen itself. |
| The health issues around smoking come from the | | | | Cancer that affects smokers generally affects the |
| inhalation of smoke generated by burning tobacco, | | | | lungs, throat, mouth, nasal and sinus passages, as well |
| which in turn release multiple chemicals into the body | | | | other forms such as pancreatic and bladder. It is |
| and the air around the smoker. The smoker is not the | | | | estimated that a third of the cancer deaths each year |
| only person affected by smoking a tobacco product | | | | is caused by smoking. The carcinogens absorbed by |
| but the people around them are exposed to the | | | | the body through smoking inhibit the body's ability to |
| "second hand" smoke as well. Second hand smoke is | | | | control the growth of cells which in turn cause the |
| responsible for the premature deaths of 600 000 | | | | cancerous cells to grow out of control. |
| people yearly. | | | | Outside of these life threatening issues associated with |
| It is been to cause sudden death in infants whilst | | | | smoking, a smoker is more susceptible to colds, flu and |
| pregnant mothers who smoke generally give birth to | | | | pneumonia. They also often use cigarettes as a meal |
| low weight babies. Of the 600 000 deaths caused by | | | | replacement as it suppresses the appetite, resulting in |
| second hand smoke, 31% of them are children who | | | | further risks to illnesses as the body doesn't absorb |
| have been exposed. Studies have also shown that | | | | enough of its required nutrients. The activity level of |
| children exposed to second hand smoke are also | | | | smokers is much less than those of non smokers and |
| more likely to become smokers. | | | | they cannot keep up in the same sporting environment |
| Of course, the smoker carries a higher risk with much | | | | due to things such as lack of breath. |
| greater exposure to the chemicals produced by | | | | Overall, there are no benefits to smoking, but plenty of |
| burning tobacco. Only after 15 to 20 years of quitting | | | | downsides, even if it's just as a casual smoker. The |
| smoking does a smoker's risk of heart and lung | | | | reason is that tobacco smoke is a harmful poison and |
| disease become closer to that of a non-smoker. | | | | the body is not equipped to handle it. |