Health

Cigarette Smoking is identified as the most important factor for premature mortality and preventable morbidity. Smoking related diseases are responsible for at least 443,000 American deaths every year, which includes babies. Smoking cost the United States a financial loss of $193 billion in 2004 and $ 97 billion has lost productivity. Also, about $ 96 billion had been spent for healthcare by the nation which is an average of $ 4, 260 per adult smoker. Smoking triggers heart disease and lung cancer. The tobacco in cigars, cigarettes and pipe tobacco carry poisonous substances like ammonia, acetone, cyanide and arsenic.

Deadly Facts on Smoking

Here are several facts about smoking which every smoker should pay attention to-

• A single cigarette contains above 4000 chemicals which includes 200 known poisons and more than 60 carcinogens.
• Two or four cigarettes at a go increase blood fats to 400 percent. An average smoker has 4 to 6 times the chance of having heart disease if he is in the 45-54 years age group.
• Smoking results in permanent destruction of the tiny air sacs on a large scale. It also causes constriction of blood vessels in the lungs, reduces higher blood pressure which causes extensive circulatory problems and premature heart attacks. Smokers thus, have difficulty in running and exercising.
• Woman over 35 who smoke excessively have higher risk of cardiac attacks, stroke and blood clotting in the legs.
• Smoking increases the risk of having lung diseases like bronchitis, pneumonia and emphysema.
• Every year about 3000 adults die due to lung cancer as a result of inhaling second-hand smoke.
• Every year about 200,000 million asthmatic children suffer from chronic asthma attacks due to second-hand smoking.
• Smoking is responsible for 15 varied types of cancer and they are mouth, lung, pancreas, cervix, kidney, bladder, stomach and throat.
• A heavy smoker tends to get sick more often which is why he is irregular at the workplace and that result in loss of pay.
• Smokers do not sleep well. The requirement sleep is higher in heavy smokers.
• Food tastes much better to non-smokers. The harsh chemicals, coal tars and other combustion products gathered in the nasal and oral passages do not allow the smoker to receive the subtle aromas and flavors.
• The time required to recover from a specific illness whether that is caused by smoking or not is much longer for a smoker than a non-smoker.
• Smokers die a lot earlier than non-smokers. The limit is 13.2 years for men and 14.5 years for women.
• Smokers tend to have less strong reflexes, due to which they tend to meet with accidents more often than non-smokers.
• Smoking makes a person irritable and highly argumentative and egoistic.
• Smoking has often caused brain damage and premature senility.

Secondhand Smoking Facts

Breathing in secondhand smoke is very harmful for smokers and non-smokers as well. Smokers suffer a double dose which maximizes the destructive effects.

• Secondhand smoking causes coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks, earaches and colds.
• Secondhand smoke kills about 3000 non smokers every year from lung cancer.
• Secondhand smoke results in death of several infants and young children since it causes above 300,000 lung infections.
• Secondhand smoke pollutes the air six times more in a busy restaurant than a busy highway.

Smoking and Pregnancy

Here are a few facts which pregnant women must know when they are smoking-

• In the year 2005, 10.7 percent of all women smoked during pregnancy, a 45 percent decrease from the year 1990.
• It has been estimated that about $366 million expenditure incurred by US every year for neo-natal health-care due t maternal smoking which amounts to $704 per maternal smoker.
• Smoking during pregnancy causes 20 to 30 percent of low weight babies. Also, 14 percent of preterm deliveries and 10 percent of infant deaths.

• Nine out of 10 regular smokers began using smoking products before the age 18.
• The average teen smoker begins smoking at the age of 13.
• Everyday about 3000 kids get addicted to tobacco products.
• About 6 million American teens smoke today knowing that it is harmful.
• Also, it has been found that teen girls who smoke increase their chances of having blood clots and strokes.
• According to surgeons, Teens who smokes right from a young age find their lungs reduced to a smaller size and also their lungs do not function normally when they become adult.
• Kids who smoke face considerable health problems like decreased physical fitness, increased cough production and unfavorable lipid profile.
• Smoking in childhood maximizes the chances of developing cardiac diseases.
• Teen smokers increase the chances of oral cancer by the time they become adults.