Damage from Smoking

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For further information: Smoking in pregnancy For further information: Costs of smoking ; nicotine

PLEASE NOTE: Filters reduce the amount of these substances reaching the respiratory tract, but they DO NOT eliminate them.

Among the irritants present in smoke, we mention: hydrogen cyanide, acrolein, formaldehyde and ammonia. They cause immediate damage to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. In addition, the irritating action causes cough, excess mucus, chronic bronchitis, emphysema.

Tar, which is part of the corpuscular component of the smoke, includes various substances, the best known of which are benzopyrene and aromatic hydrocarbons; these substances are proven to be carcinogenic.

The tar also irritates the respiratory tract, makes the teeth yellow, contributes to bad breath and the feeling of bitterness in the mouth.

Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin, reducing its ability to carry oxygen. This results in less nourishment for the tissues.

Nicotine is a natural alkaloid, present in tobacco in a percentage ranging from 2 to 8%. The nicotine contained in a cigarette is not very toxic but it is addictive!

When it gets to the lungs, nicotine passes into the blood and reaches the brain within seconds. Nicotine stimulates the release of dopamine in the CNS and adrenaline in the adrenal gland. The effect is excitatory both at the level of the mind and the body. Shortly thereafter, however, a depressing effect takes over that leads to smoking again to experience the positive effects again. This explains the addiction, the degree of which is measured by evaluating these parameters:

difficulty in stopping its use;
frequency of relapses;
percentage of employees;
"value" attributed to smoking, despite the evidence of damage.

In addition to the drug addiction to nicotine, the smoker also creates a psychological dependence.When you stop smoking, a real withdrawal syndrome occurs, characterized by:

irritability, anger, anxiety;
irrepressible desire to smoke;
difficulty concentrating;
insomnia.

Nicotine is considered a full-fledged drug. Since the early 1990s, the nicotine content of cigarettes has been regulated and cannot exceed a certain number of mg.

Acute bronchitis, in an early stage

Chronic bronchitis, later on

Pulmonary emphysema

It also increases the incidence of respiratory tract infections and asthma.

Harm of smoking to the heart and circulation

Smoking increases blood pressure, accelerates atherosclerosis, hindering blood circulation in the vessels and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Circulatory problems caused by smoking can cause:

impotence in man;
mental decline;
premature aging of the skin

Smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer; at risk are first of all the respiratory tract as they are directly exposed to smoke. Lung cancer is 20 times more common in smokers than in non-smokers. The risk of kidney and bladder cancer is also high, as tobacco carcinogens are eliminated through the kidneys and stagnate with urine in the bladder.

Combined with alcohol, smoking increases the risk of cancers of the esophagus, colon and liver.

Specific harms of smoking in women

The risk of cancers of the uterus is greater.

Menopause is anticipated and the risk of osteoporosis is higher.

Smoking decreases fertility and increases the risk of miscarriages, premature births, underweight babies and premature deaths. Nicotine also has the ability to pass into breast milk.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause a delay in the baby's growth, mental and lung development.

Other harm of smoking

Smoking significantly reduces athletic performance, increases oxidative stress, increases the risk of gingivitis and increases the incidence of gastro-duodenal ulcers.

Passive smoke

Passive smoke is that inhaled involuntarily by people who live or work in contact with smokers.

Tobacco smoke is one of the most dangerous pollutants of the air in confined spaces and constitutes a real risk for the health of non-smokers.

It causes decreased respiratory function and an increased incidence of lung cancer.
In the children of smokers there is a higher incidence of bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma attacks.

For further information, you can also read Milan, since January it has been banned from smoking outdoors.

One in two smokers dies of a disease attributable to smoking. However, the life expectancy of a smoker is 8 years lower than that of non-smokers.

Quitting smoking has immediate benefits (over a period of hours) - such as better breathing, and a greater ability to perceive smells and tastes - and long-term benefits:

increases life expectancy;
the risk of cancer is reduced;
cough and phlegm disappear;
respiratory tract diseases are reduced;
chronic bronchitis and emphysema are avoided;
improves circulation and reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke;
improves physical efficiency and prevents impotence;
improve reflexes;
road and work accidents are decreasing;
the risk of osteoporosis is reduced;
fractures heal earlier;
improves sleep quality;
increases fertility and improves the health of the unborn child;
improves the condition of the skin and hair;
the breath and the person lose the (unpleasant) smell of smoke.

In Italy every year, from smoking, a number of people die that corresponds to the number of victims that would occur if a jumbo jet full of passengers fell every day. With such a risk, no one would accept flying anymore. Why then do we accept smoking?