Negative Effects of Smoking: 7 Least Known Health Facts

Statistics reveal that smoking contributes to roughly 480,000 deaths annually in the United States. Worldwide, 6 million tobacco users die each year, and the number is predicted to rise to 8 million by 2030.

Why you Should Quit Smoking

If you are a victim of smoking, you need a way out before it’s too late. The negative effects of smoking will do you much harm than good.  

A cigarette contains more than 7000 chemicals. Now, out of the 7000 chemicals, 93 of them are potentially destructive. As that’s not enough; 70 of these chemicals cause cancer. The chemicals not only affect the functions of your internal organs but also shake your immunity.

With that said, it’s advisable to avoid smoking; it may lead to death. Before I list some of the adverse effects of smoking, what drives people to smoke?

What Make People Smoke?

There are thousands of reasons behind smoking, which vary from one person to the other. I will only discuss three, but there are more.

Peer pressure

According to research, many people begin smoking when they are peers. This is a dangerous stage when young people want to try new things and everything. In the process, they copy bad behaviors from their peers. Studies confirm that 9 out of 10 adult smokers began smoking before attaining 18 years. Teenagers are highly vulnerable since they want to know it all.

Further research reveals that of every 3 young smokers, 2 die out of smoking, and only 1 manage to quit. This is evident that once you become an addict, it becomes hard to quit. Nevertheless, if you are a smoker finding an exit way, you are on the right track. Smoking attracts a lot of health concerns in the long run.

Poor Parental Care

It’s so obvious for kids to copy behaviors from their parents. They watch their parents, and that’s how they learn at home. So, if a parent smokes, there are high chances of influencing their kids to ‘taste the waters.’

Furthermore, kids are always curious to know and try many things. They will think everything you do is cool. Kids are naive and anxious to feel how you feel after smoking.

On the contrary, kids whose parents don’t smoke have lower chances of smoking. However, their peers may introduce them to it. Besides, their surrounding equally dictates their habits.

It’s your primary duty as a parent to educate your kids on the negative effects of smoking. If they are aware, they will avoid it; this will save their lives. Teach your child the right way, and they shall never depart from it.

To Relieve Stress 

Nicotine is a compound of cigar that when taken in small amount stimulates a pleasant feeling forcing the user to take more. It impacts the brain’s chemistry and the central nervous system affecting one’s mood.

Just like any other addictive drug, nicotine floods the brain’s reward circuit with dopamine. When smokers take a single puff, nicotine rushes to the brain in a fraction of second and its effects are felt within a minute.

Smokers argue that smoking lessens their stress. But the truth is that they only forget their worries for a short while. This only happens when they are under the influence of chemicals. Later on, the brain starts recording back, and the reality hits them back, including the stress.

Now, lets discuss the negative effects of smoking;

1.     Smoking Causes Throat and Lung Cancer

Cancer is a serious health threat across the globe. While smoking leads to lung and throat cancer, smokers are also vulnerable to other types of cancer.

Due to the high chemical composition in a cigar, when you inhale the harmful smoke, there is a coarse feeling on your throat. The smoke directly enters into your lungs, which at times make you cough. Sadly, the chemicals slowly eat up your lungs, making them weaker and unhealthy.

Concerning one of the American Cancer Society’s studies, the chances of a smoker getting pancreatic cancer range between 20 to 30 percent. Also, the probability of a smoker acquiring bladder cancer is 3 times compared to non-smokers.  

As that’s not the end, there is a close connection between smoking and stomach cancer, which occurs near the esophagus. Cigarettes heighten the possibility of getting colon, liver, mouth, kidney, cervical, and laryngeal cancer.

2.     Smoking Causes Infertility

Many people desire to have children and remain fertile throughout their lives. Smoking is a key reason behind the high rate of infertility. It destroys the female’s reproduction system lowering their chances of conceiving; the chemical affect hormone levels.

In males, prolonged smoking increases the risk of having erectile dysfunction. On top of that, it lowers your sperm count, making you unable to impregnate a woman. In the end, this may bring issues in your marriage, and may lead to separation or divorce.

3.     Unsatisfactory Oral Hygiene

Smokers have bad breath! That sounds ridiculous, right? I know, but that’s the harsh truth. Likewise, smokers have a higher chance of getting gum diseases.

Symptoms of gum diseases include:

•      Sensitive teeth

•     Tender and swollen gums

•     Loose teeth

•     Bleeding when brushing

Smoking leads to teeth discoloration; black and yellow are the most common colors. If you can’t withstand bad breath, stay away from smokers. Even daily brushing of teeth can’t prevent bad breath!

4.     Risk of Heart Disease

The heart is a vital organ in your body. Cigarette smoking damages your heart, blood cells, and blood vessels. Tar is a component of cigarette that causes atherosclerosis (the plaques build up in the blood vessels) which limits blood flow leading to blockages.

Additionally, smoking intensifies the risk of having Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), the narrowing of legs and arms’ arteries, thus restricting blood flow.

People who have PAD experience:

•  Heart attacks
• Blood clots
• Stroke
• Chest pain or angina

5.     Pregnancy Complications

Female smokers are at a high risk of experiencing pregnancy complications. Ectopic pregnancy is common in heavy smokers. The chemicals affect the fetus in different ways. More negative effects of smoking in mothers include;

•    High risk of abrupt infant death syndrome

•     Possibility of preterm delivery

•     Damages of the fetus central nervous system, brain, and lungs

•     May lead to congenital abnormalities like cleft palate or cleft lip

•     Reduction in baby’ birth weight

Pregnant women should equally avoid passive smoking, which also affects the fetus.

6.     Vision Impairment

Cigarette smoking causes eye problems like macular degeneration and cataracts. A cataract is an age-related eye complication that occurs as a result of the clouding of the eyes naturally clear lens. Cataracts cause blurry vision, increased glaring sensitivity, and faded colors.

Macular degeneration impairs the central vision and also causes blind spots. It’s the prominent cause of permanent vision loss among Americans aged 65 and above. Macular degeneration negatively affects the retina that is responsible for a sharp central vision which aids in reading and doing some other daily tasks.

Other vision-related problems include:

• Diabetic retinopathy

• Glaucoma

• Red dry eyes.

7.     Unhealthy Skin and Hair

Tobacco smoking is harmful to your hair and skin. Smokers age prematurely, and have wrinkled skin. Besides, they are at a high risk of getting skin cancer, particularly on the lips. A smoker’s hair and skin smell tobacco. On the extreme, smoking may cause baldness and loss of hair.

Skin experts reveal that smoking fastens aging where smokers look 1.4 years older compared to non-smokers. You know how? Smoking hinders blood supply that keeps the skin tissues looking healthy and supple.  

Parting shot

Although it’s hard to stop smoking and only a few quits, you can be among the few. With a positive mentality and willingness,you can bid smoking goodbye. The secret is, don’t over expect because you won’t quit abruptly. For God’s sake, don’t wait to die of cancer and don’t let ignorance make you lose a baby.