Smoking is one of the most destructive things one can do to their body. The cancer that kills the most Americans is lung cancer, and the majority of people who contract that disease are smokers or were former smokers. In addition to the fatal consequences of smoking, there is also extensive bodily harm. The lungs become damaged, it becomes harder to breathe, and one may cough heavily at sporadic times throughout the day. These facts are all commonly known, so why do people continue to smoke?
The primary answer is addiction. Although most people do not think of it as such, tobacco is a drug with heavy addiction potential. Nicotine is released when tobacco is smoked, and it causes a number of immediate harms. It increases blood sugar levels and alters metabolism and appetite. This is the reason many people smoke to regulate their weight, and while it is somewhat effective, it is the worst possible thing one could do to lose weight. Why try to get healthy one way by doing something unhealthy in another way?
People are not aware just how dangerous smoking is. Smoking has killed tens of millions of people in the twentieth century alone, and it is predicted that the habit will kill over a billion people during the twenty first century. While there are some people who smoke their whole lives without having a single difficulty, these cases are highly irregular, and the majority of people who smoke for long periods of time suffer great complications. Even smokers who only smoke for a few years can experience problems of a terminal nature.
Smoking is not just harmful to the lungs; it damages almost every organ in the body. When one inhales tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide is absorbed through the lungs in to the blood stream. This carbon monoxide, a highly poisonous gas, binds to receptor sites that would normally be filled with oxygen.
Thus, less oxygen reaches your organs, most importantly your brain, and every part suffers. There are hundreds of other chemicals found in cigarettes, including arsenic and even a few radioactive substances. Inserting all of this in to your body is not good, and even if one does not come down with a terminal illness, all smokers are bound to at one time or another experience complications of some sort.
Besides lung cancer, other cancers associated with smoking include kidney and stomach cancer. Smoking also contributes to the number one killer of Americans, heart disease, by increasing your blood pressure and the burden on your heart. This can cause heart attacks as well as strokes. With all of the risks associated with smoking, it seems illogical that one would ever start up. While there is still considerable social influence to start smoking, it is not as appealing as it was decades ago. Although millions of people classify themselves as smoker, there are still many more people who choose not to smoke.
One negative thing that all smokers share from day one is the cost of smoking. Long time smokers can spend tens of thousands of dollars on cigarettes in their lifetimes, and for especially strong users, the cost can even reach six digits. By quitting smoking, you can directly save yourself a year s worth of salary, while improving your health and feeling better.
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