Smoking a cigarette looks classy; yes- it is also a classy way of committing suicide. Suicide laws in India are criminalized. You can be thrown into a jail IF you attempt a suicide and fail in doing so. But, if you do want to commit a suicide, and not be thrown into a jail, smoking is the best way to do so- it gives you slow, steady and painful death.
Smoker is a fool, as only a fool would be brave enough to light a fire at something that is at the other end of their mouth. Tobacco is rolled up in the pieve of paper that is used to make up the cigarette – and out of approximately 7,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least about 250 are known to be detrimental, including hydrogen cyanide, carbon monoxide, and ammonia- out of which about 69 toxic chemical compounds can cause cancer.
So we ask- Is there a safe way to smoke? Well, the answer is No! Smoking harms nearly every bodily function, organ and organ system in the body and weakens a person’s overall immune system. Smoking is one of the primary leading causes of the mouth, oral, throat, oesophagus, lung, larynx, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney, bladder, cervix, colon, and rectal cancers; besides causing acute myeloid leukemia.
Other health effects include: heart disease, stroke, aortic aneurysm, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, macular degeneration, and cataracts, and asthma in adults. Smokers are at a far greater threat of developing pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other respiratory infections.
Smoking makes it harder for a woman to conceive and can affect her baby’s health before and after birth- Preterm delivery, Stillbirth, Low birth weight, Sudden infant death syndrome, Ectopic pregnancy, Oro-facial clefts in infants.
Smoking can also affect men’s sperm, which can reduce fertility and also increase risks for birth defects and miscarriage for his partner.
Smoking can affect bone health.
Women past childbearing years who smoke have far greater risk of developing osteoporosis.
Smoking affects the oral-health
Smoking can increase your risk for cataracts and age-related macular degeneration
Smoking is a cause of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The risk of developing diabetes is 30–40% higher for active smokers than nonsmokers.
Smoking causes general adverse effects on the body, including inflammation and decreased immune function
One of the major questions is why people get addicted to smoking? The answer lies in Nicotine, a drug that is naturally present in the tobacco plant and accountable for addiction to tobacco products, including cigarettes. The nicotine present in the cigarette is absorbed in the blood by the mouth and the lungs and travels to the brain. Taking more frequent and deeper puffs of tobacco smoke increases the amount of nicotine absorbed by the body.
So, are there any benefits of quitting cigarette?
Yes. There are considerable benefits of quitting. Most of them are immediate, and some are long term benefits- they are:
Heart rate and blood pressure begin to return to normal.
Within a few hours, the level of carbon monoxide in the blood begins to decline.
Within a few weeks, blood circulation improves, produce less phlegm, and don’t cough or wheeze as often.
Within several months of quitting, people can expect substantial improvements in lung function.
Within a few years of quitting, people will have lower risks of cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases than if they had continued to smoke.
In addition, people who quit smoking will have an improved sense of smell, and food will taste better.
If, you really have the will-power to quit smoking, then you should consult a doctor or a counsellor who will guide you appropriately on steps to quit smoking.
By:Archa Dave
