Tobacco belongs to a plant in the nightshade family that is cultivated for its dried leaves. Tobacco plants grow 1 to 3 metres tall and produce more than 10 broad leaves. The leaves of the tobacco plant are dried, processed, and used to manufacture cigars, cigarettes, etc., which are lethal to human health and have immense health hazards. Cigarettes contain about 4000 chemicals, of which 43 are carcinogenic (cancer-causing chemicals). like polycyclic hydrocarbons, ammonia, which causes cellular irritation, formaldehyde, and oxides of nitrogen. Carbon monoxide is one of the most dangerous and poisonous gases, which reduces the oxygen carrying capacity among smokers and shortens the lives of smokers worldwide. It is being considered that in 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on Tobago Island, and he found that the natives of the island were using the dried tobacco leaves for pleasure. It is also believed that since then, the dried leaves of the tobacco plant have spread throughout the world in different forms, like chewing tobacco, cigars, etc. Nicotine is present in the tobacco leaves and is a major component as well. Nicotine, which has harmful effects on human health as it causes heart attacks, affects the nervous system of the human body. Nicotine also has interesting uses, such as being used for agricultural purposes as an insecticide. Nicotine is also used for gastro-intestinal disorders. Nicotine addicts the human mind and make one dependent, sick, arrogant, unhygienic, and short tempered. Tobacco contains tar, which causes lung cancer and is responsible for many diseases among active smokers. Active smokers are ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than passive smokers. The mixture of carbon monoxide and nicotine temporarily increases the heart rate and blood pressure and is responsible for the strokes as well. Carbon monoxide reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of the muscles and brain, making them stressed organs. Consuming tobacco products in different forms triggers IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). IBS is common throughout the world these days. One thing is clear: smoking can infect the stomach, and the stomach spoils food, which causes intestinal irritation. Smoking is not just a concern for the active smokers; it also affects the passive smokers and causes irritation among children through coughing and sneezing and greatly pollutes our environment. On May 31st of every year, anti-smoking day is celebrated throughout the globe, with different seminars and anti-tobacco campaigns being held at different spots like in colleges, schools, and at different public attractions. Today in this article, I am going to highlight the lethal health hazards caused by the cigarette smoking areas: Being a good human and a responsible citizen, we ought to take the steps to look at what are the main factors that our youth get into drug use very early. Our friends are losing their health and wealth in a very cheap way. There are a number of health hazards caused by smoking cigarettes, like heart disease: Smoking cigarettes can damage the heart, blood vessels, and blood cells. The chemicals and tar in cigarettes can increase a person’s risk of atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque in the blood vessels. This buildup limits blood flow and can lead to dangerous blockages. Smoking also increases the risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD), which occurs when the arteries to the arms and legs start to narrow, restricting blood flow. Research shows a direct link between smoking and developing PAD. Even those who used to smoke face a higher risk than people who never smoked.
Damaged lungs: Smoking cigarettes affects lung health because a person breathes in not only nicotine but also a variety of additional chemicals. Cigarettes are responsible for a substantial increase in the risk of developing lung cancer. This risk is 25 times greater for men and 25.7 times greater for women. The CDC reports that roughly 9 out of 10 lung cancer deaths are linked to smoking. Smoking cigarettes also presents a greater risk of developing and dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). In fact, the American Lung Association reports that smoking causes 80 percent of COPD deaths. Cigarettes are also linked to developing emphysema and chronic bronchitis. They can also trigger or exacerbate an asthma attack.
Fertility problems: Smoking cigarettes can damage a female’s reproductive system and make it more difficult to get pregnant. This may be because tobacco and the other chemicals in cigarettes affect hormone levels. In men, the more cigarettes a person smokes and the longer they smoke, the higher the risk of erectile dysfunction. Smoking can also affect the quality of the sperm and therefore reduce fertility.
Weakened immune system: Smoking cigarettes can weaken a person’s immune system, making them more susceptible to illness.
Vision problem: Smoking cigarettes can cause eye problems, including a greater risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Other vision problems related to smoking include: dry eyes, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.
Poor oral hygiene: People who smoke have a double the risk of gum disease. This risk increases with the number of cigarettes a person smokes.
Symptoms of gum disease include: Swollen and tender gums, bleeding when brushing, loose teeth, and sensitive teeth Smoking tobacco can limit a person’s ability to taste and smell things properly. It can also stain the teeth yellow or brown.
Unhealthy skin and hair: Smoking tobacco can affect a person’s skin and hair. A person who smokes may experience prematurely aged, wrinkled skin. They also have a higher risk of skin cancer, “especially on the lips.”
Smoking can cause the hair and skin to smell of tobacco. It can also contribute to hair loss and balding.
Risk of other cancers: In addition to the well-documented link with lung cancer, smoking cigarettes can also contribute to other forms of cancer. The American Cancer Society reports that cigarette smoking causes 20 percent to 30 percent of pancreatic cancers. People who smoke are also three times as likely to develop bladder cancer as people who do not. Smoking cigarettes can also double a person’s risk of stomach cancer. Tobacco is especially linked to stomach cancers that occur near the oesophagus. Cigarettes can also increase the risk of: mouth cancer, laryngeal cancer, throat cancer, oesophageal cancer, kidney cancer, cervical cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer, and acute myeloid leukaemia.
(The author a resident of Raiyar Budgam is pursuing PG In Environmental Sciences. The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are author’s own and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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