The harms of a smoking habit
Tobacco is at the top of the list of substances that negatively affect human health and society worldwide. The damage smoking causes to the human body is enormous. There is no organ in the human body that is unaffected by the toxic substances in tobacco. Unfortunately, the harmful substances contained in tobacco smoke negatively affect not only the smoker’s health but also the health of those in contact with them, including family members. This is due to prolonged exposure to a smoke-filled environment and inhalation of the smoke. When smoking, the human body absorbs about 20-25% of the toxic substances, while the rest is released into the air. Not only the smoker is poisoned, but also those around them, who are forced to breathe the polluted air. This is known as passive smoking. Some people think that airing out the room where someone has been smoking will completely freshen the air and remove the smoke. However, studies show that the smoke from a single cigarette lingers in the air for a long time and is absorbed into clothing. Passive smoking is especially dangerous for children; if this situation persists, it increases the risk of developing diseases such as bronchial asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
Smoking reduces appetite, makes digestion difficult, and leads to gastrointestinal ulcers. The habit of smoking has a significant impact on the development and complication of disorders such as chronic asthma, coughing, changes in heart rate, tachycardia (increased heart rate), bradycardia (slower heart rate), and diseases like bronchitis, pneumonia, heart attack, and stroke. The toxic substances contained in cigarette smoke also cause visible changes in a smoker’s appearance: teeth turn yellow and crumble, nails become brittle, hair falls out and loses its natural shine, skin becomes pale, and the smell of smoke lingers on the breath, hair, and clothes.
Smoking causes many types of malignant tumors, including cancer of the lips, mouth, tongue, nose, sinuses, throat, pharynx, gallbladder, lungs, stomach, pancreas, kidneys, liver, bladder, breasts, uterus, and prostate, as well as certain forms of leukemia.
Tobacco smoke is known to contain more than 400 toxic chemicals, 43 of which are carcinogenic to various organs. Particularly dangerous are cyanide, benzene, benzopyrene, methanol, acetylene, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide. These substances damage DNA (genetic material), especially genes that protect against cancer. Other chemicals in tobacco smoke intensify these effects. For example, chromium damages cancer-protective genes by stimulating the strong binding of benzopyrene to DNA molecules, leading to more severe DNA damage. The combination of arsenic and nickel inhibits DNA repair.
The development of malignant tumors in humans does not happen immediately. The body can resist certain types of DNA damage, but it cannot repair all damaged molecules. Thus, this harmful habit leads to the development of malignant tumors over many years.
The fact that malignant tumors do not develop immediately after taking up smoking does not mean that smokers remain healthy for long. Shortly after smoking the first cigarette and forming the habit, the harmful effects of smoking begin to manifest. For example, nicotine, the most active substance in tobacco smoke, increases the production of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the adrenal glands after it enters the bloodstream. These substances are known to cause the narrowing of coronary arteries in the heart and cerebral arteries, leading to persistent high blood pressure, oxygen deficiency, and the development of atherosclerosis and hypertension. The toxic substances in tobacco smoke also constrict peripheral blood vessels in the upper and lower limbs, disrupting their metabolic processes. A lack of oxygen in the tissues leads to muscle pain, and over time, these changes can result in the formation of trophic ulcers.
Smoking is the main cause of oral leukoplakia, a condition caused by the combined effects of thermal and chemical factors (such as ammonia, phenolic compounds, and nicotine) on the mouth. Long-term irritants, such as tobacco chewing and the use of nasal snuff, also play a significant role in the development of leukoplakia. Smokers’ leukoplakia (leuplasia nicotinica Tappeiner, nicotine leukokeratosis of the palate) often occurs in habitual smokers (especially users of hookahs or pipes). The mucous membrane of the hard palate and the adjacent soft palate is frequently affected. In smokers with leukoplakia, lesions of the palate may be accompanied by the adhesion of morphological elements of the mucous membrane in the cheeks, corners of the mouth, and lower lip. In people with leukoplakia, quitting smoking leads to disease remission.
The sooner you quit smoking, the better your chances of recovery. Your organ systems will begin to restore themselves, breathing becomes easier, digestion improves, coughing and muscle pains subside, blood pressure and pulse normalize, and the condition of the skin, hair, and nails improves. The nervous system relaxes, and both physical and mental activity increase.
Every year on May 31, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partner countries celebrate World No Tobacco Day.
