The Harmful Effects of Cigarette Smoking

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Cigarette Smoking

The effects of cigarette smoking can be horrifying. Smoking is dangerous not only to those who smoke, but to non-smokers and unborn children as well. Cigarette smoking is also physically and socially harming.
The large particles in cigarette smoke, commonly known as “tar”, collect in the branching points of the lungs. The tar contains carcinogenic compounds that increase the risk of lung cancer. The small particles in cigarette smoke, including carcinogens, irritants, and corrosive chemicals, collect in the small air sacs in the lungs and damage them. These air sacs are where the blood absorbs oxygen from the air. When the small particles from the cigarette smoke are absorbed into the blood stream and transported to other parts of the body, they include a variety of diseases.
The smoke from a burning cigarette is a mixture of hot gasses and different sized particles that fills the air with over 4000 chemicals, including 43 carcinogens and over 400 other toxins (Glantz & Daynard, 1991). One of the gasses emitted by cigarette is carbon monoxide, a colorless and orderless poison. By attaching to hemoglobin, the carbon monoxide lessens the blood’s ability to carry oxygen.
There are many effects of cigarette smoking on the actual smoker. They include lung cancer and other cancers, cardiovascular malfunctions, strokes, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Cigarette smoking may even lead to changes in the smoker’s appearance such as early wrinkling and yellowing of their teeth.
Heart disease and cardiovascular malfunctions are also major effects of cigarette smoking. A chemical in cigarette smoke called glycoprotein attaches to smooth muscle cells inside arteries, causing the interior of these cells to grow. The hollow space inside the artery narrows, which could cause a blockage of the blood flow to the heart and may lead to heart pains or possibly a heart attack.
Lung cancer is responsible for 117,000 American deaths per year according to the American Cancer Society (1992). It is the cause of 25% of all cancer deaths and 5% of all deaths (Schaadt, 1992). Most carcinogens are the actual particles in cigarette smoke that may cause lung cancer. The particles include tar, metals (nickel and cadmium), and other chemicals such as benzophyrene and dibenzanthracene. The lung airwaves are c...

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...f their stress, it is actually causing harmful effects from them and others. Cigarette smoking causes many types of cancers including lung cancer. Strokes, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema also arise from cigarette smoking. Non-smokers suffer from many of the same cancers and diseases, and often more such as coughing, wheezing, irrated eyes and throat, and asthma. Children living with smokers become passive smokers causing decreases in weight and height. There are many dangers as a result of cigarette smoking not only to smokers, but to non-smokers as well.

Bibliography

Bowman, L. (1995, August). New Research: Chew, Don’t Smoke,
If you need nicotine. Scripps Howard News Service (Online).

Gano, L. (1989). Smoking. San Dfiego, CA: Lucent Books Inc.

Glantz, S.A & Daynard, R.A (1991, June). Safeguarding the workplace: Health Hazards of Secondhand Smoke. Trial (Online).

Monroe, J. (1995). Nicotine. Springfield, N.J: Enslow Publishers Inc.

Pietrusza, D. (1997). Smoking. San Diego, CA: Lucent Books Inc.

Schaadt, R.G (1992). Tobacco and Health. Guilford, CT: The Dushkin Publishing Group, Inc.

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