All of us are potentially aware of the fact that smoking cigarettes is horribly destructive and in many cases, deadly, killing half of the people who don’t quit. Over 7000 chemicals have been identified in cigarettes and cigarette smoke to date, 93 of which are harmful or potentially harmful, and more than 70 which can cause cancer. These ingredients and addictive’s affect everything from the internal functioning of your organs to the efficiency of your body’s immune system.

Toxic Ingredients:

Smoke is first inhaled into the lungs and from there, like oxygen and other gases is transferred to the rest of your body causing damage in numerous ways.

1. Nicotine reaches the brain within only 7-10 seconds after it is inhaled. Nicotine has unfortunately been found in every part of a smokers body, including breast milk which is also extremely harmful for the baby. It is said to be as addictive as heroin.

2. Carbon Monoxide, which is present in cigarette smoke, binds to the hemoglobin in blood thus preventing these calls to efficiently carry the amount of oxygen they are meant to carry. this inefficiency can lead to disastrous carbon monoxide poisoning.

3. Cancer causing agents (carcinogens) in tobacco smoke damage important genes that control the growth of cells, causing them to grow abnormally and harm the smokers health.

Apart from all the serious health benefits mentioned above, smoking can also deteriorate a healthy persons everyday life tasks. It can affect your breathing, causing shortness of breath and coughing. It can also cause severe respiratory problems, increasing the risk or respiratory infections, including bronchitis.

Smoking can alter your senses of smell and taste and reduces the ability to perform physical exercise and energy level. it also has an adverse impact on your physical appearance, causing yellow teeth, prematurely aged skin, unpleasant odder etc. Worst of all, smoking condemns you to a life of repeatedly trying to suppress feelings of withdrawal and regret. Forcing you to live a life of depression and anxiety, smoking therefore becomes the leading cause of deteriorated relationships with friends and family.

Smoking is not only extremely harmful for the person solely involved in the act but is also a great source of harm to those living around and surrounding the smoker. Family members are greatly increased for the chance of getting lung cancer even if the cigarette never touched their lips. Children who grow up watching their family members smoke are more likely to develop breathing problems, asthma and even bronchitis. They are also more likely to start smoking in their teens. Second hand smoke contains over 7000 chemicals, out of which hundreds are toxic and 70 have been known to cause cancer in humans. Breathing from second hand smoke, whether its your neighbors cigarette or someone smoking outside your window, has been shown to have instant effects on the cardiovascular system of nearby individuals. Overtime, second hand smoking takes a toll on peoples lungs and have increased their chances of getting a stroke by 30-40%.

As soon as you quit, you can greatly improve your health as well as of those living around you. You can also influence others to follow your footsteps and revitalize their health also!

Source by Olivia Argon