DANGERS OF SMOKING
EFFECTS OF SMOKING
Smoking cigarettes causes more deaths each year than the following causes combined:
-
HIV
-
Illicit drug use.
-
Alcohol use.
-
Motor vehicle accidents.
-
Firearm-related incidents.
​​
​Additionally:
-
Smoking causes about 9/10 of all lung cancer deaths
-
More women die from lung cancer each year than from breast cancer.
-
Smoking causes about 8/10 of all deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Smoking increases the risk of:
-
Coronary heart disease by two to four times.
-
Stroke by two to four times.
-
Developing lung cancer by 25 times.
NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL
The reason that it is so hard to quit smoking is that nicotine is addictive, which means that when the body stops receiving it after having gotten used to it, withdrawal symptoms will ensue. Nicotine affects the entire body, from the heart to the blood vessels to the endocrine system. Sudden cessation of nicotine receival leads to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Fortunately, this does not last forever, and the body will gradually return to its normal state given sufficient time. Withdrawal symptoms could be classified under two main categories: physical and mental.
Mental, emotional, and behavioral symptoms may include: anxiety, depression, irritability, and mental fog.
Physical symptoms may be an increase in appetite, cravings, cough, headaches, fatigue and constipation.
