Sunday, December 26, 2010
Why Smoking is Bad for Everyone
Why Smoking is Bad for Everyone
Smoking is an expensive habit and it should be banned. Although smokers claim that it helps them to relax and release stress, the negative aspects of the habit outweigh the positive. It is a health hazard for both smokers and non-smokers and it is especially harmful to unborn babies. Cigarettes are also addictive because of the nicotine they contain.
Cigarette smoking causes a number of health problems which are expensive to treat. It is a major cause of respiratory diseases such as asthma, lung cancer and bronchitis. It also leads to heart disease. In spite of the money which the Government receives from taxing cigarettes, the cost of medical treatment for these diseases exceeds this income. As a consequence, non smoking taxpayers are forced to pay for the health costs of smokers. This is a very unfair situation.
Another reason for banning smoking is that cigarette smoke affects the health of non-smokers and unborn babies. Non-smokers soften suffer from eye and nose irritations, allergies and headaches as a result of inhaling second-hand smoke. There is also evidence to suggest that passive smoking may cause lung cancer. Smoking during pregnancy can hinder to growth of the foetus and may even result in death.
Finally, the nicotine which is found in cigarettes is highly addictive. Other addictive substances such as cocaine and heroin are illegal. The fact that tobacco remains legal
Smoking is an expensive habit and it should be banned. Although smokers claim that it helps them to relax and release stress, the negative aspects of the habit outweigh the positive. It is a health hazard for both smokers and non-smokers and it is especially harmful to unborn babies. Cigarettes are also addictive because of the nicotine they contain.
Cigarette smoking causes a number of health problems which are expensive to treat. It is a major cause of respiratory diseases such as asthma, lung cancer and bronchitis. It also leads to heart disease. In spite of the money which the Government receives from taxing cigarettes, the cost of medical treatment for these diseases exceeds this income. As a consequence, non smoking taxpayers are forced to pay for the health costs of smokers. This is a very unfair situation.
Another reason for banning smoking is that cigarette smoke affects the health of non-smokers and unborn babies. Non-smokers soften suffer from eye and nose irritations, allergies and headaches as a result of inhaling second-hand smoke. There is also evidence to suggest that passive smoking may cause lung cancer. Smoking during pregnancy can hinder to growth of the foetus and may even result in death.
Finally, the nicotine which is found in cigarettes is highly addictive. Other addictive substances such as cocaine and heroin are illegal. The fact that tobacco remains legal
Teens and Smoking Tobacco
The differences between subjective feelings of those who smoke and those who don’t are shown in behavioral changes that are more apparent in teens than adults. Teens seem to be more abrasive when smoking or they feel like they are older and wiser when they smoke. Why do they smoke when we have seen billions of dollars spent on antismoking campaigns? The American Lung Association estimates that every minute four thousand eight hundred teens will take their first drag off a cigarette. Of those four thousand eight hundred, about two thousand will go on to be chain smokers. The fact that teen smoking rates are steadily increasing is disturbing. We are finding out that about 80% of adult smokers started smoking as teenagers.
We now see a lot of smokers giving each other rewards in social aspects such as conversations, companionships, and other common social contacts. Research has proven the fact that nicotine has the ability to suppress feelings, suppress appetite for food, is used as stimulation after sex, and is a good way to relax from troubles and feelings of insecurities. People that smoke go to designated areas and congregate around the one that has the light, even when the weather is sub-zero. There they are huddled up against each other in an area, taking in the last drag before the break is over, or they find some kind of shelter to smoke their cigarettes.
Teens like to act as if they are someone special or dangerous. By smoking they can act on those feelings. Because it is so forbidden it becomes more alluring to teens. The problem is that when they take that first puff, they can become addicted. The idea that they are breaking the law or going against their parents and schools is an addiction within itself. Kids like to get attention; it does not matter if it’s good attention or bad attention. They crave attention and by smoking they get big attention. The other teens look at them in all kinds of ways and the adults get upset and don’t know what to do.
Nicotine is considered the number one entrance drug into other substance abuse problems. Research shows that teens between 13 and 17 years of age who smoke daily are more likely to use other drug substances. The use of other drugs is part of the peer pressure that our children have to face. The earlier that our youth begin using tobacco, the more likely they will continue using into adulthood.
Why is tobacco so addicting? It is because nicotine acts as a stimulant, which is stimulating the mind, body, and spirit. When the body tolerance levels high then one ends up needing to use larger doses of nicotine to maintain a certain level of the physiological effect. When the body becomes accustomed to the presence of nicotine, it then requires the use of the chemical to help the body to function normally. This level of dependence is referred to as an addiction.
Here are some common experiences from teens who smoke.
♣ They tried their first cigarette in sixth or seventh grade
♣ They often do not perform well in school
♣ They feel like they are not a part of the school
♣ They become isolated from other students
♣ They can’t perform as well at sports events
♣ They feel like they have little hope of going to college
♣ They feel like they need a job to support their smoking habit
♣ They are reported to school officials for skipping classes
♣ They start using other illegal substances
♣ They begin experimenting with alcohol and other drugs
♣ They experience pressure from home and school and use tobacco as a form of relief
♣ Teen smokers enjoy trying to hide their smoking
This has made school more fun for some tobacco users. These types of behaviors get attention because the initiation of smoking is influenced by having a friend, particularly a best friend, who smokes. The risk factors do not apply because those who are young think that they are indispensable. The peers who use or have favorable attitudes toward tobacco use are more likely to use other illegal substances. On the other hand, if the teen becomes a member of a pro-social group, such as those participating in sports, cheerleading, or any club that promotes healthy living, the likelihood that the teen will attempt to stop smoking improves.
The amount of teens smoking cigarettes dropped about 28% in 2001. The following are some reasons why:
a) The increase of cost in the retail price of cigarettes has gone up 70%
b) The schools have implemented efforts to fight the use of tobacco (teen smoking).
c) There is an increase in youth exposure to both state and national mass media campaigns.
d) The truth on the effects of nicotine that are in tobacco products.
When tobacco companies lost the lawsuit that made them pay for anti-smoking ads, they raised the cost of cigarettes. Young people are having a harder time finding ways to smoke because smokers are paying top dollar for their cigarettes. We are also seeing teens speak out in the media and in person and they have been capturing the attention of their peers and changing attitudes about how un-cool and unhealthy teen smoking is.
The times are changing; what the public and science did not know twenty years ago is now coming to the surface. The fact is that smoking cigarettes can cause many health problems including emphysema, high blood pressure, and various forms of cancer. We are seeing people live longer and healthier lives and the old idea that smoking makes you cool and attractive is gone. This is the truth about cigarettes; they are loaded with harmful chemicals and the end result is that they are a dangerous drug that can seriously harm people.
We now see a lot of smokers giving each other rewards in social aspects such as conversations, companionships, and other common social contacts. Research has proven the fact that nicotine has the ability to suppress feelings, suppress appetite for food, is used as stimulation after sex, and is a good way to relax from troubles and feelings of insecurities. People that smoke go to designated areas and congregate around the one that has the light, even when the weather is sub-zero. There they are huddled up against each other in an area, taking in the last drag before the break is over, or they find some kind of shelter to smoke their cigarettes.
Teens like to act as if they are someone special or dangerous. By smoking they can act on those feelings. Because it is so forbidden it becomes more alluring to teens. The problem is that when they take that first puff, they can become addicted. The idea that they are breaking the law or going against their parents and schools is an addiction within itself. Kids like to get attention; it does not matter if it’s good attention or bad attention. They crave attention and by smoking they get big attention. The other teens look at them in all kinds of ways and the adults get upset and don’t know what to do.
Nicotine is considered the number one entrance drug into other substance abuse problems. Research shows that teens between 13 and 17 years of age who smoke daily are more likely to use other drug substances. The use of other drugs is part of the peer pressure that our children have to face. The earlier that our youth begin using tobacco, the more likely they will continue using into adulthood.
Why is tobacco so addicting? It is because nicotine acts as a stimulant, which is stimulating the mind, body, and spirit. When the body tolerance levels high then one ends up needing to use larger doses of nicotine to maintain a certain level of the physiological effect. When the body becomes accustomed to the presence of nicotine, it then requires the use of the chemical to help the body to function normally. This level of dependence is referred to as an addiction.
Here are some common experiences from teens who smoke.
♣ They tried their first cigarette in sixth or seventh grade
♣ They often do not perform well in school
♣ They feel like they are not a part of the school
♣ They become isolated from other students
♣ They can’t perform as well at sports events
♣ They feel like they have little hope of going to college
♣ They feel like they need a job to support their smoking habit
♣ They are reported to school officials for skipping classes
♣ They start using other illegal substances
♣ They begin experimenting with alcohol and other drugs
♣ They experience pressure from home and school and use tobacco as a form of relief
♣ Teen smokers enjoy trying to hide their smoking
This has made school more fun for some tobacco users. These types of behaviors get attention because the initiation of smoking is influenced by having a friend, particularly a best friend, who smokes. The risk factors do not apply because those who are young think that they are indispensable. The peers who use or have favorable attitudes toward tobacco use are more likely to use other illegal substances. On the other hand, if the teen becomes a member of a pro-social group, such as those participating in sports, cheerleading, or any club that promotes healthy living, the likelihood that the teen will attempt to stop smoking improves.
The amount of teens smoking cigarettes dropped about 28% in 2001. The following are some reasons why:
a) The increase of cost in the retail price of cigarettes has gone up 70%
b) The schools have implemented efforts to fight the use of tobacco (teen smoking).
c) There is an increase in youth exposure to both state and national mass media campaigns.
d) The truth on the effects of nicotine that are in tobacco products.
When tobacco companies lost the lawsuit that made them pay for anti-smoking ads, they raised the cost of cigarettes. Young people are having a harder time finding ways to smoke because smokers are paying top dollar for their cigarettes. We are also seeing teens speak out in the media and in person and they have been capturing the attention of their peers and changing attitudes about how un-cool and unhealthy teen smoking is.
The times are changing; what the public and science did not know twenty years ago is now coming to the surface. The fact is that smoking cigarettes can cause many health problems including emphysema, high blood pressure, and various forms of cancer. We are seeing people live longer and healthier lives and the old idea that smoking makes you cool and attractive is gone. This is the truth about cigarettes; they are loaded with harmful chemicals and the end result is that they are a dangerous drug that can seriously harm people.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Benefits Of Quitting Smoking For Teenagers
Benefits Of Quitting Smoking For Teenagers
Teen smoking is very serious and the trend in statistics and the increased teenage smoking and tobacco use is alarming. Yet, this trend is reversible, and the benefits of quitting smoking for teenagers are immense.
Most of this group start the habit because they consider it to be cool, tough and independent, not knowing that they could easily find themselves smoking as adults, and struggling for a long time to quit and be free of this deadly habit. Cessation of smoking can be very difficult, sometimes one quits only to find themselves start again.
Quitting smoking benefits for teenagers and other smokers are many, here are some of the
effects of cigarettes that begin to be reversed on stopping :
Health–
It is an established fact that smoking is bad for your health. The first advantage of stopping is that health starts to be regained. Within 20 minutes of dropping the habit, heightened heart rate and blood pressure drops. After 12 hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop back to normal. And your health keeps getting better from there as long as you stay stopped.
Intellectual development–
Nicotine has been found to cause the teenage brain to develop abnormally.
Concentration–
Smoking teens find it hard to concentrate and be focused, especially when several things are happening at the same time. So school work becomes difficult. Chances of better concentration and reduction in failure rates become better.
Improvements in behavioral disorders–
Aggressiveness, getting caught in fights and even stealing to keep up the habit is more prevalent in teen smokers than in their non-smoking peers. Quitting the habit also reduces drastically the chances of developing addiction to other substances like alcohol and harder drugs.
The list of benefits of quitting smoking for teenagers is long. The best advise still is, avoid the long struggle to stop, don’t start at all !
Teen smoking is very serious and the trend in statistics and the increased teenage smoking and tobacco use is alarming. Yet, this trend is reversible, and the benefits of quitting smoking for teenagers are immense.
Most of this group start the habit because they consider it to be cool, tough and independent, not knowing that they could easily find themselves smoking as adults, and struggling for a long time to quit and be free of this deadly habit. Cessation of smoking can be very difficult, sometimes one quits only to find themselves start again.
Quitting smoking benefits for teenagers and other smokers are many, here are some of the
effects of cigarettes that begin to be reversed on stopping :
Health–
It is an established fact that smoking is bad for your health. The first advantage of stopping is that health starts to be regained. Within 20 minutes of dropping the habit, heightened heart rate and blood pressure drops. After 12 hours, carbon monoxide levels in the blood drop back to normal. And your health keeps getting better from there as long as you stay stopped.
Intellectual development–
Nicotine has been found to cause the teenage brain to develop abnormally.
Concentration–
Smoking teens find it hard to concentrate and be focused, especially when several things are happening at the same time. So school work becomes difficult. Chances of better concentration and reduction in failure rates become better.
Improvements in behavioral disorders–
Aggressiveness, getting caught in fights and even stealing to keep up the habit is more prevalent in teen smokers than in their non-smoking peers. Quitting the habit also reduces drastically the chances of developing addiction to other substances like alcohol and harder drugs.
The list of benefits of quitting smoking for teenagers is long. The best advise still is, avoid the long struggle to stop, don’t start at all !
What is secondhand Smoke?
What is secondhand smoke?
Secondhand smoke is also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) or passive smoke. It is a mixture of 2 forms of smoke that come from burning tobacco: sidestream smoke (smoke that comes from the end of a lighted cigarette, pipe, or cigar) and mainstream smoke (smoke that is exhaled by a smoker). Even though we think of these as the same, they aren't. The sidestream smoke has higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) than the mainstream smoke. And, it contains smaller particles than mainstream smoke, which make their way into the body's cells more easily.
When non-smokers are exposed to secondhand smoke it is called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. Non-smokers who breathe in secondhand smoke take in nicotine and other toxic chemicals just like smokers do. The more secondhand smoke you are exposed to, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body.
Why is secondhand smoke a problem?
Secondhand smoke causes cancer
Secondhand smoke is classified as a "known human carcinogen" (cancer-causing agent) by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization.
Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds. More than 60 of these are known or suspected to cause cancer.
Secondhand smoke causes other kinds of diseases and deaths
Secondhand smoke can cause harm in many ways. In the United States alone, each year it is responsible for:
· An estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease in non-smokers who live with smokers
· About 3,400 lung cancer deaths in non-smoking adults
· Other breathing problems in non-smokers, including coughing, mucus, chest discomfort, and reduced lung function
· 50,000 to 300,000 lung infections (such as pneumonia and bronchitis) in children younger than 18 months of age, which result in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations annually
· Increases in the number and severity of asthma attacks in about 200,000 to 1 million children who have asthma
· More than 750,000 middle ear infections in children
· Pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke are also at increased risk of having low birth- weight babies.
Secondhand smoke may be linked to breast cancer
Whether secondhand smoke increases the risk of breast cancer is an issue that is still being studied. Both mainstream and secondhand smoke contain about 20 chemicals that, in high concentrations, cause breast cancer in rodents. And we know that in humans, chemicals from tobacco smoke reach breast tissue and are found in breast milk.
But a link between secondhand smoke and breast cancer risk in human studies is still being debated. This is partly because breast cancer risk has not been shown to be increased in active smokers. One possible explanation for this is that tobacco smoke may have different effects on breast cancer risk in smokers and in those who are exposed to secondhand smoke.
A report from the California Environmental Protection Agency in 2005 concluded that the evidence regarding secondhand smoke and breast cancer is "consistent with a causal association" in younger women. This means that the secondhand smoke acts as if it could be a cause of breast cancer in these women. The 2006 US Surgeon General's report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, found that there is "suggestive but not sufficient" evidence of a link at this point. In any case, women should be told that this possible link to breast cancer is yet another reason to avoid being around secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke kills children and adults who don't smoke, and makes others sick (Surgeon General's report)
The 2006 US Surgeon General's report reached some important conclusions:
· Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and in adults who do not smoke.
· Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes breathing (respiratory) symptoms and slows lung growth in their children.
· Secondhand smoke immediately affects the heart and blood circulation in a harmful way. Over a longer time it also causes heart disease and lung cancer.
· The scientific evidence shows that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
· Many millions of Americans, both children and adults, are still exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes and workplaces despite a great deal of progress in tobacco control.
· The only way to fully protect non-smokers from exposure to secondhand smoke indoors is to prevent all smoking in that indoor space or building. Separating smokers from non-smokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot keep non-smokers from being exposed to secondhand smoke.
Where is secondhand smoke a problem?
You should be especially concerned about exposure to secondhand smoke in these 4 places:
At work
The workplace is a major source of secondhand smoke exposure for adults. Secondhand smoke meets the standard to be classified as a potential cancer-causing agent by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal agency responsible for health and safety regulations in the workplace. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), another federal agency, also recommends that secondhand smoke be considered a possible carcinogen in the workplace. Because there are no known safe levels, they recommend that exposures to secondhand smoke be reduced to the lowest possible levels.
Secondhand smoke in the workplace has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease and lung cancer among adult non-smokers. The Surgeon General has said that smoke-free workplace policies are the only way to do away with secondhand smoke exposure at work. Separating smokers from non-smokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating the building cannot prevent exposure if people still smoke inside the building. An extra bonus other than protecting non-smokers is that workplace smoking restrictions may also encourage smokers to quit.
In public places
Everyone can be exposed to secondhand smoke in public places, such as restaurants, shopping centers, public transportation, schools, and daycare centers.
Some businesses seem to be afraid to ban smoking, but there is no proof that going smoke-free is bad for business. Public places where children go are a special area of concern.
At home
Making your home smoke-free may be one of the most important things you can do for the health of your family. Any family member can develop health problems related to secondhand smoke.
Children are especially sensitive to secondhand smoke. Asthma, lung infections, and ear infections are more common in children who are around smokers. Some of these problems can be serious and even life-threatening. Others may seem like small problems, but they add up quickly: think of the expenses, doctor visits, medicines, lost school time, and often lost work time for the parent who must take the child to the doctor. In the United States, 21 million, or 35% of children live in homes where residents or visitors smoke in the home on a regular basis. About 50% to 75% of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine, in their blood.
Think about it: we spend more time at home than anywhere else. A smoke-free home protects your family, your guests, and even your pets.
In the car
Americans spend a great deal of time in cars, and if someone smokes there, hazardous levels of smoke can build up quickly. Again, this can be especially harmful to children.
In response to this fact, the US Environmental Protection Agency has a special program to encourage people to make their cars, as well as their homes, smoke-free. And some states have laws that ban smoking in the car if carrying passengers under the age of 17.
What about smoking odors?
There is no research in the medical literature as yet that shows cigarette odors cause cancer in people. Research does show that particles from secondhand tobacco smoke can settle onto hair, clothing, and other surfaces and remain there long after the smoke is gone. Some researchers call this "thirdhand" smoke. Researchers have now proven that these settled-out particles can form more cancer-causing compounds.
Though unknown, the cancer-causing effects would likely be very small compared with direct exposure to secondhand smoke, such as living in a house with a smoker. The compounds may be stirred up and inhaled with other house dust, but more may be absorbed through the skin or accidentally taken in through the mouth. This is why any risk the compounds pose may be larger for babies and children who play on the floor. No actual cancer risk has been measured, but this is an active area of research.
Secondhand smoke is also known as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) or passive smoke. It is a mixture of 2 forms of smoke that come from burning tobacco: sidestream smoke (smoke that comes from the end of a lighted cigarette, pipe, or cigar) and mainstream smoke (smoke that is exhaled by a smoker). Even though we think of these as the same, they aren't. The sidestream smoke has higher concentrations of cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) than the mainstream smoke. And, it contains smaller particles than mainstream smoke, which make their way into the body's cells more easily.
When non-smokers are exposed to secondhand smoke it is called involuntary smoking or passive smoking. Non-smokers who breathe in secondhand smoke take in nicotine and other toxic chemicals just like smokers do. The more secondhand smoke you are exposed to, the higher the level of these harmful chemicals in your body.
Why is secondhand smoke a problem?
Secondhand smoke causes cancer
Secondhand smoke is classified as a "known human carcinogen" (cancer-causing agent) by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization.
Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemical compounds. More than 60 of these are known or suspected to cause cancer.
Secondhand smoke causes other kinds of diseases and deaths
Secondhand smoke can cause harm in many ways. In the United States alone, each year it is responsible for:
· An estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease in non-smokers who live with smokers
· About 3,400 lung cancer deaths in non-smoking adults
· Other breathing problems in non-smokers, including coughing, mucus, chest discomfort, and reduced lung function
· 50,000 to 300,000 lung infections (such as pneumonia and bronchitis) in children younger than 18 months of age, which result in 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations annually
· Increases in the number and severity of asthma attacks in about 200,000 to 1 million children who have asthma
· More than 750,000 middle ear infections in children
· Pregnant women exposed to secondhand smoke are also at increased risk of having low birth- weight babies.
Secondhand smoke may be linked to breast cancer
Whether secondhand smoke increases the risk of breast cancer is an issue that is still being studied. Both mainstream and secondhand smoke contain about 20 chemicals that, in high concentrations, cause breast cancer in rodents. And we know that in humans, chemicals from tobacco smoke reach breast tissue and are found in breast milk.
But a link between secondhand smoke and breast cancer risk in human studies is still being debated. This is partly because breast cancer risk has not been shown to be increased in active smokers. One possible explanation for this is that tobacco smoke may have different effects on breast cancer risk in smokers and in those who are exposed to secondhand smoke.
A report from the California Environmental Protection Agency in 2005 concluded that the evidence regarding secondhand smoke and breast cancer is "consistent with a causal association" in younger women. This means that the secondhand smoke acts as if it could be a cause of breast cancer in these women. The 2006 US Surgeon General's report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke, found that there is "suggestive but not sufficient" evidence of a link at this point. In any case, women should be told that this possible link to breast cancer is yet another reason to avoid being around secondhand smoke.
Secondhand smoke kills children and adults who don't smoke, and makes others sick (Surgeon General's report)
The 2006 US Surgeon General's report reached some important conclusions:
· Secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and in adults who do not smoke.
· Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes breathing (respiratory) symptoms and slows lung growth in their children.
· Secondhand smoke immediately affects the heart and blood circulation in a harmful way. Over a longer time it also causes heart disease and lung cancer.
· The scientific evidence shows that there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
· Many millions of Americans, both children and adults, are still exposed to secondhand smoke in their homes and workplaces despite a great deal of progress in tobacco control.
· The only way to fully protect non-smokers from exposure to secondhand smoke indoors is to prevent all smoking in that indoor space or building. Separating smokers from non-smokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot keep non-smokers from being exposed to secondhand smoke.
Where is secondhand smoke a problem?
You should be especially concerned about exposure to secondhand smoke in these 4 places:
At work
The workplace is a major source of secondhand smoke exposure for adults. Secondhand smoke meets the standard to be classified as a potential cancer-causing agent by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal agency responsible for health and safety regulations in the workplace. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), another federal agency, also recommends that secondhand smoke be considered a possible carcinogen in the workplace. Because there are no known safe levels, they recommend that exposures to secondhand smoke be reduced to the lowest possible levels.
Secondhand smoke in the workplace has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease and lung cancer among adult non-smokers. The Surgeon General has said that smoke-free workplace policies are the only way to do away with secondhand smoke exposure at work. Separating smokers from non-smokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating the building cannot prevent exposure if people still smoke inside the building. An extra bonus other than protecting non-smokers is that workplace smoking restrictions may also encourage smokers to quit.
In public places
Everyone can be exposed to secondhand smoke in public places, such as restaurants, shopping centers, public transportation, schools, and daycare centers.
Some businesses seem to be afraid to ban smoking, but there is no proof that going smoke-free is bad for business. Public places where children go are a special area of concern.
At home
Making your home smoke-free may be one of the most important things you can do for the health of your family. Any family member can develop health problems related to secondhand smoke.
Children are especially sensitive to secondhand smoke. Asthma, lung infections, and ear infections are more common in children who are around smokers. Some of these problems can be serious and even life-threatening. Others may seem like small problems, but they add up quickly: think of the expenses, doctor visits, medicines, lost school time, and often lost work time for the parent who must take the child to the doctor. In the United States, 21 million, or 35% of children live in homes where residents or visitors smoke in the home on a regular basis. About 50% to 75% of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotinine, the breakdown product of nicotine, in their blood.
Think about it: we spend more time at home than anywhere else. A smoke-free home protects your family, your guests, and even your pets.
In the car
Americans spend a great deal of time in cars, and if someone smokes there, hazardous levels of smoke can build up quickly. Again, this can be especially harmful to children.
In response to this fact, the US Environmental Protection Agency has a special program to encourage people to make their cars, as well as their homes, smoke-free. And some states have laws that ban smoking in the car if carrying passengers under the age of 17.
What about smoking odors?
There is no research in the medical literature as yet that shows cigarette odors cause cancer in people. Research does show that particles from secondhand tobacco smoke can settle onto hair, clothing, and other surfaces and remain there long after the smoke is gone. Some researchers call this "thirdhand" smoke. Researchers have now proven that these settled-out particles can form more cancer-causing compounds.
Though unknown, the cancer-causing effects would likely be very small compared with direct exposure to secondhand smoke, such as living in a house with a smoker. The compounds may be stirred up and inhaled with other house dust, but more may be absorbed through the skin or accidentally taken in through the mouth. This is why any risk the compounds pose may be larger for babies and children who play on the floor. No actual cancer risk has been measured, but this is an active area of research.
Public Smoking
Public Smoking – Dangers of Second Hand Smoking: Second hand smoking is a cause of heart disease and lung disease and death. It is a fact that exposure to tobacco smoke increases the chances of dying from smoking related disease by 20 – 30% in non- smokers. This passive smoking also affects the health of children and infants and is a cause of chronic lung cancer and respiratory infections in childhood.
For all affected, the story is , ‘ the more the exposure to public smoking, the more the risk of disease.’ Secondhand smoke is an alarming health hazard to the public. Children whose parents are smokers ( particularly mothers because of their continual proximity to child) are at increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), lung infections such as pneumonia, coughs, wheezing, ear infections and even asthma. Unborn babies are not spared either. Chances of congenital diseases, low birth weight and stillbirth are higher in cases where the would-be mother is a smoker.
Whereas second hand smoke is shown to deliver only a small dose of harmful chemicals, it nonetheless has a very big impact on the health of the non-smoker. And so it is that protecting people from secondhand smoke not only has long-term benefits, but it starts saving lives immediately. One study has shown a direct link between a total public smoking ban and an immediate reduction in coronary heart disease including death by heart attack. There is another benefit in restricting public smoking, a clean smoke free environment could give smokers the incentive to reduce smoking or quit altogether.
Public smoking should definitely be restricted if not altogether banned on grounds of public health. In many states and countries worldwide, policy and legislation are being put in place to not only restrict but to heavily fine, charge and tax smokers, manufacturers, advertisers, and importers of tobacco in an effort to enforce these legislations. Creating smoke-free sections in public areas and public buildings may not be good enough in protecting non-smokers from the hazards of breathing in other people’s tobacco smoke.
And if it comes to the debate about the rights of the smoker, let us also look at the rights of the society and the environment. Comprehensive laws on public smoking are needed here.
For all affected, the story is , ‘ the more the exposure to public smoking, the more the risk of disease.’ Secondhand smoke is an alarming health hazard to the public. Children whose parents are smokers ( particularly mothers because of their continual proximity to child) are at increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), lung infections such as pneumonia, coughs, wheezing, ear infections and even asthma. Unborn babies are not spared either. Chances of congenital diseases, low birth weight and stillbirth are higher in cases where the would-be mother is a smoker.
Whereas second hand smoke is shown to deliver only a small dose of harmful chemicals, it nonetheless has a very big impact on the health of the non-smoker. And so it is that protecting people from secondhand smoke not only has long-term benefits, but it starts saving lives immediately. One study has shown a direct link between a total public smoking ban and an immediate reduction in coronary heart disease including death by heart attack. There is another benefit in restricting public smoking, a clean smoke free environment could give smokers the incentive to reduce smoking or quit altogether.
Public smoking should definitely be restricted if not altogether banned on grounds of public health. In many states and countries worldwide, policy and legislation are being put in place to not only restrict but to heavily fine, charge and tax smokers, manufacturers, advertisers, and importers of tobacco in an effort to enforce these legislations. Creating smoke-free sections in public areas and public buildings may not be good enough in protecting non-smokers from the hazards of breathing in other people’s tobacco smoke.
And if it comes to the debate about the rights of the smoker, let us also look at the rights of the society and the environment. Comprehensive laws on public smoking are needed here.
Harmful Effects of Smoking
Harmful Effects of Smoking: Smoking isn't good for one's body. Especially if you've been smoking a pack a day, and for a long period of time. But what is the full extent of the effects of smoking on your body?
The effects of smoking varies from person to person as it will depend on the person's vulnerability to the chemical in cigarette or tobacco smoke. It will also depend on the number of cigarette sticks a person smokes per day, the age when the person first started to smoke, and the number of years the person has been smoking.
According to recent studies, every year hundreds of thousands of people all over the globe die from medical complications caused by smoking. Aside from the stench it leaves on one's clothes, breath, and hair, it also has other complications. Here are some of the different effects of smoking:
Immediate effects upon smoking a cigarette stick:
· Raises a person's blood pressure and heart rate.
· Decreases a person's blood flow to body extremities like the fingers and toes.
· The brain and the nervous system is stimulated for a short time and then reduced.
· Dizziness.
· Nausea.
· Watery eyes.
· Hyperacidity.
· Weakened sense of taste and smell.
· Loss of appetite.
Other effects:
· Shortness of breath.
· Chronic coughing.
· Reduced overall fitness.
· Yellowish stain on the smoker's fingers and teeth.
· Smokers experience more coughs and colds as compared to non-smokers.
· Difficulty recovering from minor illnesses.
· Impotence for men, infertility for women.
· Facial wrinkles appear at an early age, making them look older than non-smokers of the same age.
Because they experience these different side effects, they have a higher risk of developing diseases like:
· respiratory tract infections (like pneumonia and chronic bronchitis)
· emphysema (collapse of the small airways in the lungs)
· heart attack and other coronary diseases
· different kinds of cancers (lungs, throat, mouth, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, and stomach)
· stomach ulcers
· peripheral vascular disease due to a decreased blood flow to the legs
Once a person becomes addicted to cigarettes, they may find themselves experiencing different withdrawal symptoms when they decide to stop. These withdrawal symptoms include:
· increased nervousness and tension
· agitation
· loss of concentration
· change in sleep patterns
· headaches
· coughs
· strong cravings
For pregnant women, it is important to know that the growing child in their womb may suffer if they continue smoking. The effects of smoking to a growing fetus include: low birth weight, premature birth, or stillbirth. Even those who do not smoke are at risk of incurring diseases. Second hand smoke may cause lung cancer or heart problems to those who passively inhale smoke exhaled by smokers.
Smoking may make a person look cool or macho, but you should consider more than just how it would make you look. Keep in mind that smoking has harmful effects that can end up claiming your life. Before you light up your next cigarette, think of the various harmful effects of smoking and if you'd want that to happen to you.
The effects of smoking varies from person to person as it will depend on the person's vulnerability to the chemical in cigarette or tobacco smoke. It will also depend on the number of cigarette sticks a person smokes per day, the age when the person first started to smoke, and the number of years the person has been smoking.
According to recent studies, every year hundreds of thousands of people all over the globe die from medical complications caused by smoking. Aside from the stench it leaves on one's clothes, breath, and hair, it also has other complications. Here are some of the different effects of smoking:
Immediate effects upon smoking a cigarette stick:
· Raises a person's blood pressure and heart rate.
· Decreases a person's blood flow to body extremities like the fingers and toes.
· The brain and the nervous system is stimulated for a short time and then reduced.
· Dizziness.
· Nausea.
· Watery eyes.
· Hyperacidity.· Weakened sense of taste and smell.
· Loss of appetite.
Other effects:
· Shortness of breath.
· Chronic coughing.
· Reduced overall fitness.
· Yellowish stain on the smoker's fingers and teeth.
· Smokers experience more coughs and colds as compared to non-smokers.
· Difficulty recovering from minor illnesses.
· Impotence for men, infertility for women.
· Facial wrinkles appear at an early age, making them look older than non-smokers of the same age.
Because they experience these different side effects, they have a higher risk of developing diseases like:
· respiratory tract infections (like pneumonia and chronic bronchitis)
· emphysema (collapse of the small airways in the lungs)
· heart attack and other coronary diseases
· different kinds of cancers (lungs, throat, mouth, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, and stomach)
· stomach ulcers
· peripheral vascular disease due to a decreased blood flow to the legs
Once a person becomes addicted to cigarettes, they may find themselves experiencing different withdrawal symptoms when they decide to stop. These withdrawal symptoms include:
· increased nervousness and tension· agitation
· loss of concentration
· change in sleep patterns
· headaches
· coughs
· strong cravings
For pregnant women, it is important to know that the growing child in their womb may suffer if they continue smoking. The effects of smoking to a growing fetus include: low birth weight, premature birth, or stillbirth. Even those who do not smoke are at risk of incurring diseases. Second hand smoke may cause lung cancer or heart problems to those who passively inhale smoke exhaled by smokers.
Smoking may make a person look cool or macho, but you should consider more than just how it would make you look. Keep in mind that smoking has harmful effects that can end up claiming your life. Before you light up your next cigarette, think of the various harmful effects of smoking and if you'd want that to happen to you.
Fact
FACT: Smoking is the most preventable cause of death in the United States.
This means that many of those who lose their lives because of smoking-related illnesses could probably live much longer if they didn't smoke. Smoking can damage
some of the most important organs in your body, including the lungs, heart and brain. The poisonous chemicals in cigarettes can cause emphysema (a lung disease) and bronchitis (inflammation of air passages to the lungs), heart disease, heart attacks, stroke (an interruption of the blood flow to the brain) and cancer.
Here are some other effects that smoking can have on your health:
Hearing and vision loss
Arthritis
Chronic coughing, more phlegm (mucus) in your mouth and asthma
Decrease in athletic performance. Think about it: you can't run as fast or jump as high if you can't breathe properly!
Cancer of the mouth, gum disease, tooth decay, and yellow staining of the teeth
Peptic ulcers, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, kidney and liver damage
Heartburn
Diarrhea
Decreased circulation in the fingers and toes
Yellowing of fingernails and toenails
Bad breath
Wrinkles
Another problem is that smoking is usually not a one-shot deal. It can take only weeks or days for new smokers to become addicted. Why? Because cigarettes contain a drug called Nicotine, the ingredient that causes the addiction. Nicotine is a stimulant, which means it makes you feel a little hyper. The more you smoke, the more you want to continue to smoke. Your body becomes physically dependent on the drug and begins to crave it. This is what makes it so difficult to quit smoking once you've started.
Here are some other interesting (and shocking) facts about smoking:
Approximately 1500 kids are killed each year by fires in the home that were caused by cigarettes. The tobacco industry has the science to make a self-extinguishing cigarette, but they don't use it! Why?
Cigarette butts are among the biggest causes of pollution on beaches.
Sometimes it seems like all celebs smoke, but most don't! In fact, celebs who have recently made anti-tobacco statements include: Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Jackie Chan, 'NSYNC, Alicia Silverstone, Garth Brooks, Tyra Banks, and Christy Turlington .
Secondhand Smoke
Even if you don't smoke, just being around people who are smoking can cause health problems. "Secondhand smoke" (also called "sidestream smoke") from someone else's cigarette can be just as dangerous as smoking itself.
Here are some facts about secondhand smoke:
It kills about 3,000 non-smokers each year from lung cancer.
It causes up to 300,000 lung infections (like pneumonia and bronchitis) in babies and young children each year.
It causes babies to be at risk for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
In a crowded restaurant, smoking can produce six times the pollution of a busy highway.
Pets suffer too! It can cause leukemia (a type of cancer) in cats and enlarged hearts in dogs.
It causes 30 times as many lung cancer deaths as all the different kinds of pollution combined.
It causes wheezing, coughing, colds, earaches and asthma attacks.
It fills the air with many of the same poisons found in the air around toxic waste dumps.
It ruins the smell and taste of food.
It causes reddening, itching, and watering of the eyes.
Smokeless Tobacco
Finally, you may have heard about smokeless tobacco, a sticky substance that you chew, kind of like gum, with a tobacco flavor. This product is also known as "chewing tobacco," "spit tobacco," and "snuff." Many people think that smokeless tobacco isn't harmful to your health the way cigarettes are. Not true! Chewing this stuff can cause bleeding gums, sores in the mouth that never heal, and cancer of the mouth. In addition, it may cause bad breath, hiccups, dizziness, nausea and yellow staining of the teeth. Sounds gross, huh? Like cigarettes, smokeless tobacco contains Nicotine, which makes it addictive
This means that many of those who lose their lives because of smoking-related illnesses could probably live much longer if they didn't smoke. Smoking can damage
some of the most important organs in your body, including the lungs, heart and brain. The poisonous chemicals in cigarettes can cause emphysema (a lung disease) and bronchitis (inflammation of air passages to the lungs), heart disease, heart attacks, stroke (an interruption of the blood flow to the brain) and cancer.
Here are some other effects that smoking can have on your health:
Hearing and vision loss
Arthritis
Chronic coughing, more phlegm (mucus) in your mouth and asthma
Decrease in athletic performance. Think about it: you can't run as fast or jump as high if you can't breathe properly!
Cancer of the mouth, gum disease, tooth decay, and yellow staining of the teeth
Peptic ulcers, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, kidney and liver damage
Heartburn
Diarrhea
Decreased circulation in the fingers and toes
Yellowing of fingernails and toenails
Bad breath
Wrinkles
Another problem is that smoking is usually not a one-shot deal. It can take only weeks or days for new smokers to become addicted. Why? Because cigarettes contain a drug called Nicotine, the ingredient that causes the addiction. Nicotine is a stimulant, which means it makes you feel a little hyper. The more you smoke, the more you want to continue to smoke. Your body becomes physically dependent on the drug and begins to crave it. This is what makes it so difficult to quit smoking once you've started.
Here are some other interesting (and shocking) facts about smoking:
Approximately 1500 kids are killed each year by fires in the home that were caused by cigarettes. The tobacco industry has the science to make a self-extinguishing cigarette, but they don't use it! Why?
Cigarette butts are among the biggest causes of pollution on beaches.
Sometimes it seems like all celebs smoke, but most don't! In fact, celebs who have recently made anti-tobacco statements include: Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Jackie Chan, 'NSYNC, Alicia Silverstone, Garth Brooks, Tyra Banks, and Christy Turlington .
Secondhand Smoke
Even if you don't smoke, just being around people who are smoking can cause health problems. "Secondhand smoke" (also called "sidestream smoke") from someone else's cigarette can be just as dangerous as smoking itself.
Here are some facts about secondhand smoke:
It kills about 3,000 non-smokers each year from lung cancer.
It causes up to 300,000 lung infections (like pneumonia and bronchitis) in babies and young children each year.
It causes babies to be at risk for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
In a crowded restaurant, smoking can produce six times the pollution of a busy highway.
Pets suffer too! It can cause leukemia (a type of cancer) in cats and enlarged hearts in dogs.
It causes 30 times as many lung cancer deaths as all the different kinds of pollution combined.
It causes wheezing, coughing, colds, earaches and asthma attacks.
It fills the air with many of the same poisons found in the air around toxic waste dumps.
It ruins the smell and taste of food.
It causes reddening, itching, and watering of the eyes.
Smokeless Tobacco
Finally, you may have heard about smokeless tobacco, a sticky substance that you chew, kind of like gum, with a tobacco flavor. This product is also known as "chewing tobacco," "spit tobacco," and "snuff." Many people think that smokeless tobacco isn't harmful to your health the way cigarettes are. Not true! Chewing this stuff can cause bleeding gums, sores in the mouth that never heal, and cancer of the mouth. In addition, it may cause bad breath, hiccups, dizziness, nausea and yellow staining of the teeth. Sounds gross, huh? Like cigarettes, smokeless tobacco contains Nicotine, which makes it addictive
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. The genus contains a number of species, however, Nicotiana tabacum is the commonly grown. Nicotiana rustica follows as second containing higher concentrations of nicotine. These leaves are harvested and cured to allow for the slow oxidation and degradation of carotenoids in tobacco leaf. This produces certain compounds in the tobacco leaves which can be attributed to sweet hay, tea, rose oil, or fruity aromatic flavors. Before packaging, the tobacco is often combined with other additives in order to: enhance the addictive potency, shift the products pH, or improve the effects of smoke by making it more palatable. In the United States these additives are regulated to 599 substances. The product is then processed, packaged, and shipped to consumer markets. Means of consumption has greatly expanded in scope as new methods of delivering the active substances with fewer by-products have encompassed or are beginning to encompass:
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| Processed tobacco pressed into long strips for shipping. |
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| Basma leaves curing in the sun at Pomak village of Xanthi, Thrace, Greece. |
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| Tobacco field in Intercourse, Pennsylvania. |
Beedi:Bidis smoke produce higher levels of carbon monoxide, nicotine, and tar than cigarettes typical in the United States.
Cigars: Cigars are tightly rolled bundles of dried and fermented tobacco which are ignited so that smoke may be drawn into the smoker's mouth. They are generally not inhaled because the high alkalinity of the smoke, which can quickly become irritating to the trachea and lungs. The prevalence of cigar smoking varies depending on location, historical period, and population surveyed, and prevalence estimates vary somewhat depending on the survey method. The United States is the top consuming country by far, followed by Germany and the United Kingdom; the US and Western Europe account for about 75% of cigar sales worldwide. As of 2005 it is estimated that 4.3% of men and 0.3% of women smoke cigars.
Cigarettes:Cigarettes, French for "small cigar", are a product consumed through smoking and manufactured out of cured and finely cut tobacco leaves and reconstituted tobacco, often combined with other additives, which are then rolled or stuffed into a paper-wrapped cylinder. Cigarettes are ignited and inhaled, usually through a cellulose acetate filter, into the mouth and lungs.
Electronic cigarette: Electronic cigarettes is an alternative to tobacco smoking, although no tobacco is consumed. It is a battery-powered device that provides inhaled doses of nicotine by delivering a vaporized propylene glycol/nicotine solution. Many legislation and public health investigations are currently pending in many countries due to its relatively recent emergence.
Hookah: Hookah are a single or multi-stemmed (often glass-based) water pipe for smoking. Originally from India, the hookah has gained immense popularity, especially in the Middle East. A hookah operates by water filtration and indirect heat. It can be used for smoking herbal fruits, tobacco, or cannabis.
Kreteks:Kreteks are cigarettes made with a complex blend of tobacco, cloves and a flavoring "sauce". It was first introduced in the 1880s in Kudus, Java, to deliver the medicinal eugenol of cloves to the lungs. The quality and variety of tobacco play an important role in kretek production, from which kreteks can contain more than 30 types of tobacco. Minced dried clove buds weighing about 1/3 of the tobacco blend are added to add flavoring. In 2004 the United States prohibited cigarettes from having a "characterizing flavor" of certain ingredients other than tobacco and menthol, thereby removing Kreteks from being classified as cigarettes.
Passive smoking:Passive smoking is the involuntary consumption of smoked tobacco. Second-hand smoke (SHS) is the consumption where the burning end is present, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) or third-hand smoke is the consumption of the smoke that remains after the burning end has been extinguished. Because of its negative implications, this form of consumption has played a central role in the regulation of tobacco products.
Pipe smoking: Pipe smoking typically consists of a small chamber (the bowl) for the combustion of the tobacco to be smoked and a thin stem (shank) that ends in a mouthpiece (the bit). Shredded pieces of tobacco are placed into the chamber and ignited. Tobaccos for smoking in pipes are often carefully treated and blended to achieve flavour nuances not available in other tobacco products.
Roll-Your-Own:Roll-Your-Own or hand-rolled cigarettes, often called 'rollies', are very popular particularly in European countries. These are prepared from loose tobacco, cigarette papers and filters all bought separately. They are usually much cheaper to make.
Vaporizer:A vaporizer is a device used to sublimate the active ingredients of plant material. Rather than burning the herb, which produces potentially irritating, toxic, or carcinogenic by-products; a vaporizer heats the material in a partial vacuum so that the active compounds contained in the plant boil off into a vapor. Medical administration of a smoke substance often prefer this method as to directly pyrolyzing the plant material.
The word "tobacco" is thought to derive from the Native American word "tabago," for a Y-shaped pipe used in sniffing tobacco powder. Tobacco is a tall, leafy plant, originally grown in South and Central America, but now cultivated throughout the world. There are many species of tobacco; Nicotiana tabacum. L(or common tobacco) is used to produce cigarettes
Introduction about Smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the vapors either tasted or inhaled. The practice began as early as 5000–3000 BC. Many civilizations burnt incense during religious rituals, which was later adopted for pleasure or as a social tool. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes. The substance was met with frequent criticism, but became popular nonetheless.German scientists formally identified the link between smoking and lung cancer in the late 1920s leading the first anti-smoking campaign in modern history. The movement failed to reach across enemy lines during the Second World War, and quickly became unpopular thereafter. In 1950, health authorities again began to suggest a relationship between smoking and cancer. Scientific evidence mounted in the 1980s, which prompted political action against the practice. Rates of consumption from 1965 onward in the developed world have either peaked or declined. However, they continue to climb in the developing world.Smoking is the most common method of consuming tobacco, and tobacco is the most common substance smoked. The agricultural product is often mixed with other additives and then pyrolyzed. The resulting vapors are then inhaled and the active substances absorbed through the alveoli in the lungs. The active substances trigger chemical reactions in nerve endings, which heightens heart rate, memory, alertness, and reaction time. Dopamine and later endorphins are released, which are often associated with pleasure. As of 2000, smoking is practiced by some 1.22 billion people. Men are more likely to smoke than women, though the gender gap declines with younger age.Many smokers begin during adolescence or early adulthood. Usually during the early stages, smoking provides pleasurable sensations, serving as a source of positive reinforcement. After an individual has smoked for many years, the avoidance of withdrawal symptoms and negative reinforcement become the key motivations to continue.
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