LOOKING AT MOTIVATION: Will health help you decide?
Most people know cigarettes are harmful, but don't know exactly what's at risk. Take a look-what do you think?
Ingredients in cigarette smoke reach every part of the body. Damage comes from a few major sources:
- Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke takes the place of oxygen in the blood. So, less oxygen is delivered to all the cells of the body.
- Tars are solids that irritate or destroy various cells and damage organs.
- Nicotine constricts blood vessels, speeds up the heart rate, and puts stress on the blood supply system.
Smokers are at higher risk for health problems than nonsmokers. Often the damage begins long before it's noticed. The following have been linked to smoking:
| ASTHMA | Asthma sufferers who smoke may have more asthma attacks, infections, and lung damage. BACK PAIN Weakened discs in the spine. |
| BONES | Bone fractures and osteoporosis (brittle bones). |
| CHRONIC BRONCHITIS | Attacks of obstructed breathing: inflamed airways, continuous production of heavy mucous, chronic coughing, and severe shortness of breath. |
| CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE (COPD) | Obstruction of airflow into the lungs. Includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Sufferers often need artificial breathing assistance. |
| COLDS AND FLU | Frequent respiratory infections, which can develop into bronchitis and pneumonia. |
| DIABETES | Development of type II diabetes (non-insulin dependent). Type I diabetes (insulin dependent) can be more difficult to treat. |
| EMPHYSEMA | Breathing suffers and it becomes impossible to exhale completely. |
| EYES AND EARS | Hearing loss. Serious eye disease, including cataracts and macular degeneration (a common form of blindness). |
| FEET AND LEGS | Peripheral vascular disease, leading to disability and possible amputation. |
| FERTILITY | For women, damaged oocytes (eggs), hormonal irregularities, and fallopian tube dysfunction. For men, decreased sperm production, deformed sperm, and decreased ability of sperm to move. |
| HEART DISEASE | High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other kinds of damage leading to several types of heart disease or a heart attack. |
| IMMUNE SYSTEM | Immune cells less available to fight off disease and infection. |
| IMPOTENCE | Erectile dysfunction-inability to have or maintain an erection. |
| LUNG CANCER | Uncontrolled growth of abnormal, cancerous cells. Often when the disease is discovered, it is far advanced. |
| MOUTH | Brown teeth, bad breath, cavities, receding gums, gum disease, and tooth loss. |
| OTHER CANCERS | Cancer of the tongue, salivary glands, mouth, lip, esophagus, and pharynx. Strong connection with cancer of the urinary bladder, kidney, cervix, stomach, and pancreas. Possible role in cancer of the colon and rectum, as well as bone marrow (leukemia). |
| PHLEGM AND COUGH | Mucous buildup causing coughing and breathing problems. |
| PREGNANCY | Miscarriage, premature delivery, and fetal death. Low birth weight, resulting in a sick newborn and/or long-term problems for the child such as hyperactivity and problems with temperament, personality, and learning. SEE THE HELPLINE FACT SHEET: |
| SKIN | Early wrinkling and psoriasis. |
| STROKE | High blood pressure and high cholesterol leading to stoppage of blood flow to the brain. |
