| The word cigarette comes from the French and | | | | is a slower growing form of the disease. |
| means small cigar. The earliest cigarette dates back to | | | | Adrenocarcinoma usually originates in the in peripheral |
| around the ninth century and took the form of reeds | | | | lung tissue and is the NSCLC most heavily associated |
| and smoking tubes. | | | | with smoking. Large cell lung carcinoma is a fast |
| Cigarettes, as we know them today, are full of | | | | growing form of the disease and develops near the |
| tobacco which is processed from the fresh leaves of | | | | surface of the lung. |
| the Nicotiana plant. The process involves the plant | | | | SCLC is less common than than NSCLC but is a quick |
| being stripped of its leaves, these leaves being dried | | | | killer. The disease starts in the larger airways (the |
| and cured before being shredded into small pieces. | | | | primary and secondary bronchi) and spreads to the |
| There are many varied ways of consuming tobacco, | | | | rest of the lungs almost immediately. This form of lung |
| but smoking a cigarette is regarded as the most | | | | cancer is also heavily associated with smoking. |
| popular with more than 5.5 trillion cigarettes produced | | | | Symptoms of lung cancer include shortness of breath, |
| per annum. | | | | heavy coughing (often accompanied by coughing up |
| So what do we get from smoking a cigarette? There | | | | blood) and huge weight loss. There are treatments |
| are many reasons for picking up that first tab, each | | | | available, but the patient has to act quick. By spotting |
| one is particular to the individual involved. The smoke a | | | | the disease at an early stage, doctors have a higher |
| cigarette delivers is full of nicotine and produces a mild | | | | chance of saving the inflicted by either surgery, |
| psychoactive effect. | | | | radiotherapy or chemotherapy. With effective |
| Within ten seconds of inhaling smoke, the brain feels | | | | treatment, the five year survival rate is 14%. |
| the effect of the drug. The receptor proteins on the | | | | Heart disease is another big problem associated with |
| surface of the neurons (nerve cells) bind easily to | | | | smoking. On its own, and with no other contributing |
| nicotine. When the nicotine hits the nicotine receptor, | | | | factors, cigarette smoke significantly increases the risk |
| the neuron sends nerve impulses to targeted organs | | | | of coronary heart disease. When adding other factors |
| and tissues around the body. This process causes the | | | | such as obesity, diabetes and/or high blood pressure, |
| release of neurotransmitters which then produces the | | | | the risk escalates even more. The Surgeon General |
| effects of nicotine. | | | | stated that smoking is "the leading preventable cause |
| Epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine are the three | | | | of disease and deaths in the United States." |
| main chemicals released when we smoke. Epinephrine | | | | Smoking not only increases blood pressure, but it also |
| and norepinephrine raise both blood pressure and heart | | | | decreases exercise tolerance, increases the tendency |
| rate as well as heightening our sense of awareness | | | | for blood to clot and replaces oxygen with carbon |
| and concentration. Dopamine is the chemical that is | | | | monoxide in the blood. The ultimate effect of this is an |
| released which causes the more pleasurable effects | | | | added strain on the heart - a problem that worsens |
| of smoking and can dramatically change the mood of | | | | the more the individual smokes. As oxygen levels |
| the individual. | | | | reduce, the heart has to work harder to pump blood |
| Over time, a smoker builds up a certain tolerance to | | | | around the body which in turn makes heart attacks |
| nicotine which means (as with most addictive drugs) | | | | and strokes more likely. |
| that more nicotine is needed to reach the same high. | | | | Although heart disease accounts for approximately |
| This is where the addiction kicks in: to feel the same | | | | 30-40% of the mortality rate, stopping smoking can |
| level of calmness that the smoker felt before they | | | | greatly reduce the likelihood of a tobacco related |
| started smoking, they have to inhale more tobacco | | | | death. After kicking the habit, the risk of heart disease |
| smoke a day. | | | | falls dramatically quicker than the risk of lung cancer. |
| The implications of smoking on the human body are | | | | There have been significant reductions in heart |
| devastating. Heart disease, and lung cancer are the | | | | problems after just one year of kicking the habit. |
| biggest and most common killers. Other problems | | | | In many countries around the world, tobacco smoking |
| associated with smoking are arterial disease, mouth | | | | is hugely frowned upon. Tobacco advertising has been |
| cancer and pregnancy related problems. | | | | outlawed in countries across the globe and some even |
| Lung cancer is the disease of uncontrolled cell growth | | | | enforce smoking bans in public places. |
| in the lung. It can lead to a process called metastasis | | | | In Britain, the smoking ban is partly due to the death of |
| which is the invasion of adjacent tissue beyond the | | | | TV producer and general showman, Roy Castle. After |
| lungs. Lung cancer is the biggest killer of all the cancer | | | | dying of lung cancer in 1994 having never smoked a |
| family, contributing more than 1.3 million deaths world | | | | single cigarette, his death was blamed on the equally |
| wide per annum. | | | | dangerous second-hand smoke. |
| There are two main types of lung cancer; Non-small | | | | England joined the league of nations enforcing the ban |
| cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and small cell lung | | | | in 2007, along with many European countries and 50% |
| carcinoma (SCLC). NSCLCs account for | | | | of America. Currently, Bhutan is the only country in the |
| approximately three quarters of lung cancer and can | | | | world to enforce a full ban on smoking. In 2004 a ban |
| stem from three main areas; squamous cell lung | | | | was placed on the sale of tobacco products which |
| carcinoma, adrenocarcinoma and large cell lung | | | | was followed by a full ban on smoking in public places |
| carcinoma. The first type starts near the bronchus and | | | | in 2005. |