Dangers of Smoking

Smoking is a down right filthy habit that affects not only your health, but the health of others around you. A pity on your children if you smoke around them.
And as governments continuously impose higher taxes on tobacco, the costs of lighting up can run into the thousands per year for each smoker.
So why do people still smoke? Simple answer - nicotine addiction!

Nicotine Levels on the Increase

Nicotine

Nicotine addiction has been found to be one of the hardest addictions to kick.
With an increase in anti-smoking campaigns, tobacco companies are upping the levels of nicotine in their cigarettes to make it all that harder to quit smoking.
Nicotine is odorless and colorless and varies in concentrations from 1 to 16 grams per cigarette.
Nicotine enters the bloodstream together with tar, reaching the brain in less than 10 seconds. In less than a minute, nicotine spreads throughout the entire body. It then increases the heart rate and blood pressure, providing the smoker with alertness and a relaxing effect.
In less that 30 minutes, the nicotine effects decrease, and the smoker becomes irritable and less alert. That’s why they have the tendency to grab and light another cigarette to get a new "fix" from nicotine.
This explains the addictive effect of smoking. Before a person knows it, they have lit more than 10 cigarettes in one day.

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Tar

Tar attaches to the linings of the lungs and destroys its hair like projections (cilia) which traps harmful particles inhaled into the lungs.
Tar also decreases the lung's elasticity, making it harder to pump much needed oxygen throughout the body.

Carbon Monoxide

Yet another toxic chemical released into your body when inhaling the smoke of cigarettes.
Carbon monoxide binds with hemoglobin, decreasing the ability of red blood cells to supply large amount of oxygen to the body. That’s why smokers easily get tired because they need to take more breaks in order to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the body.

Long-Term Effects

As time goes by, the long-term effects of smoking become even more clear.
Effects on the skin are apparent. A smoker develops stains on their teeth and fingers and develop halitosis (bad breath). Even the smoker’s clothes and environment smells like cigarette smoke.
Cardiovascular diseases develop because of the accumulation of plaque in the lining of blood vessels, especially on the coronary arteries, causing atherosclerosis.
A decrease in the functioning of the lungs can lead to diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which are irreversible diseases of the respiratory system.
Cancer, heart disease, increased risk of illness and reduced athletic performace is what a smoker really orders each time they buy their next packet of cigarettes.