Tremendous measures have been put in place to reduce the high rate of deaths caused by cigarettes but smoking is still responsible for the highest number of preventable deaths and diseases in the United States. Cigarettes contain tobacco which causes a wide range of health problems. According to a study by Gaziano (2007), thirty percent of deaths related to cancer are caused by tobacco use. In addition, twenty-one percent of all cardiac conditions and eighteen percent of deaths as a result of a stroke are linked to tobacco use. In fact, it is estimated that for every individual who succumbs to tobacco use, at least twenty people suffer seriously from an illness caused by tobacco.
Components in Cigarette Affecting Respiratory System
Cigarettes contain tobacco, a compound that is known to have more than four thousand compounds that are toxic, carcinogenic, pharmacologically active and mutagenic. Tar is one of the major components of tobacco; it is a particulate substance that is released and inhaled when smokers light a cigarette. Every particle contains a variety of inorganic and organic chemicals such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, carbon monoxide and oxygen. It is composed of a large number of semi-volatile and volatile chemicals. In solid form, tar sticks on the smokers’ fingers, teeth and lungs; it is brown in color. Smoke from cigarettes contains two main types of tumor initiators, nitrosamines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (American Lung Association, 2018).
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Carbon monoxide is another major component of cigarettes that is formed when lit. The gas has a number of toxic effects on the body and the major one is the destruction of oxygen transportation. It is also attributed to coronary heart conditions. Scientists argue that the condition occurs due to increased platelet stickiness, disruption of myocardial oxygenation and promotion of atherosclerosis. Carbon monoxide is not a cancer-causing agent by itself but it increases the risk of smokers developing cancers and conditions of the respiratory system because it inhibits the clearance mechanism of the respiratory system using mucus (Larsen, 1993).
Nicotine is probably the most acute agent contained in tobacco smoke and is the compound that causes addiction effects. Its immediate side effects include contraction of blood vessels, metabolic, muscular and hormonal effects and increased blood pressure and heart rate. When exposed to nicotine for long periods, it results in high level of platelet stickiness, destruction of blood vessel’s lining and aggregation which suggests the development of coronary disease.
Smoking Affects Balance of Carbon IV Oxide and Oxygen in the Blood
Oxygen is transported chemically in the body through hemoglobin and physically by dissolving in the blood. Carbon IV oxide is combined chemically with blood proteins like bicarbonate and can also be transported by dissolving in the blood. Smokers inhale carbon monoxide, a highly toxic substance, which combines with hemoglobin at a rate 200 times more than oxygen. To this end, oxygen lacks a carrier in the bloodstream and its concentration in the bloodstream becomes low. In addition, carbon monoxide does not easily disassociate from the hemoglobin which causes carbon dioxide to begin to accumulate in the blood because it lacks hemoglobin to combine with thus forming carboxyhaemoglobin, a process that is responsible for the transportation of about thirty percent of carbon IV oxide in the body. Heavy smokers are at a higher risk of suffering hypercapnia among other lung diseases.
Carbon monoxide also causes fats to build on the walls of the arteries causing the hollow arteries to become narrower leading to a decrease in blood flow. The condition is referred to as atherosclerosis and can contribute to the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the blood. Such individuals could experience breathlessness and have a high risk of suffering from heart disease in the long term.
Effects of Smoking on Different Organ Systems
Integumentary Systems (nails, skin and hair)
Skin changes are the most obvious symptoms of smoking cigarettes. The contents of tobacco change the formation and structure of the skin. Recent studies have indicated that prolonged smoking increases the probability of developing squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer ( Anand et al., 2008) . Toenails and fingernails can show someone who has been smoking; their immunity goes down and they easily develop fungal infections on the nails. Skin specialists have also indicated that nicotine affects hair and if used for prolonged periods, it can result in balding, hair loss and greying.
Digestive System
Smoking cigarettes raise the chances of developing larynx, mouth, esophagus and throat cancer. In addition, smokers are at a higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer. It is interesting to note that frequent passive smokers stand a chance of developing mouth cancer due to the exposure to tobacco components (Sandler et al., 1985). Regular smoking affects insulin functioning such that users develop insulin resistance which puts them at a risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The complications of diabetes tend to develop more often and get worse faster in smokers compared to individuals who do not smoke cigarettes.
Reproductive System and Sexuality
Nicotine prevents the flow of blood to genital parts of women and men. In males, the condition results to decrease in performance during sexual activity. In females, it leads to sexual dissatisfaction as it reduces lubrication and chances of getting an orgasm. Smoking can also cause a reduction in sexual hormones for both women and men leading to low libido.
Central Nervous System
Nicotine is one of the ingredients of tobacco that alters moods. When taken, it gets to the brain in just seconds making the user feel rejuvenated and active for some time. As the effect of the drug wears off, the smoker feels fatigued and craves more cigarettes. The reliance on nicotine to be energized makes the usage become a habit that people later find difficult to quit. Physical withdrawal impairs the cognitive functioning and makes smokers feel depressed, anxious and irritated. It can also lead to sleep problems and headaches.
It is difficult to quit smoking but with the help of a doctor, smokers can develop a plan of withdrawal. If the addiction is a serious one, it is advisable to turn to a smoking rehabilitation centre for advice, support and issuance of prescription and non-prescription medications. Because cigarette affects the entire body systems, the best decision for smokers is to find a way of quitting smoking to live a longer, healthier and happy life.
References
American Lung Association. (2018). How lungs work. Retrieved from http://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/how-lungs-work/
Anand, P., Kunnumakara, A. B., Sundaram, C., Harikumar, K. B., Tharakan, S. T., Lai, O. S., ... & Aggarwal, B. B. (2008). Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes. Pharmaceutical research , 25 (9), 2097-2116.
Gaziano, T. A. (2007). Reducing the growing burden of cardiovascular disease in the developing world. Health affairs , 26 (1), 13-24.
Larsen, J. B. (1993). Physiological effects of carbon monoxide. Carbon Monoxide and Human Lethality: Fire and Non-Fire Studies , 111-172.
Sandler, D. P., Everson, R. B., Wilcox, A. J., & Browder, J. P. (1985). Cancer risk in adulthood from early life exposure to parents' smoking. American Journal of Public Health , 75 (5), 487-492.
