How Does Tobacco Use Affect Human Body

How Does Tobacco Use Affect Human Body An abundant body of research shows that smoking is one of the most harmful habits together with drug and alcohol addiction (Singh Kathiresan, 2015). Although substance abuse is recognized as a serious problem, many people still do not believe that smoking can also cause irreversible health effects for both smokers and their families. Evidence suggests that smoke affects almost all parts of a human body and can lead to numerous health problems, the most common of which are lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchitis, high cholesterol, and so on (Pietrangelo Cherney, 2017). In this harmful effects of smoking essay, I intend to explore how cigarettes affect smokers and how lungs and heart functions are impaired by this dangerous habit. Cause and Effect of Smoking Before analyzing how exactly smoking affects the human body, it is important to understand why people smoke and why this habit becomes so addictive. Researchers believe there are three types of smokers who have their own reasons to inhale the toxic smoke. The first group of smokers thinks that cigarettes help them enjoy life and have fun. The second group of smokers argues that this habit allows to relax and calm down, especially in stressful situations. The third group just smokes and does not even try to understand the reasons behind this decision (Lubin, 2016). Other reasons why people smoke include peer pressure, availability, personality traits, family attitudes, etc. (Addiction Blog, 2011). However, if one looks at the psychobiological effects of nicotine, it becomes perfectly clear why people choose to smoke. Nicotine is believed to be as addictive and dangerous as heroin is because this substance significantly affects a human body, making it extremely difficult to quit. Briefly speaking, nicotine affects the production of dopamine and noradrenaline â€" chemicals responsible for the mood and the feeling of happiness (Sandler, 2012). When a person inhales cigarette smoke, nicotine immediately reaches the brain, which in turn produces hormones bringing the feeling of pleasure and relaxation (Haustein, 2013). The problem is that the more a person smokes, the more dependent he/she becomes on these feelings. More importantly, addiction means that a smoker needs to consume more nicotine to get the same effect, which increases the risk of adverse health effects. In this way, one needs to realize that although nicotine may make life better, smokers pay a high price for this addiction. In the following sections, I will describe in detail the cost of this pleasant yet extremely harmful habit. What Does Smoking Do to Your Lungs? I am confident that many smokers would quit this habit if they knew what happens to your lungs when you smoke. When a person inhales cigarette smoke, it immediately affects his/her respiratory tract, from nose to the most distant parts of lungs (Singh Kathiresan, 2015). In some people, irritation brought by this smoke can cause bronchospasm, which is manifested in wheezing similar to that occurring during asthma. It can also cause a cough, which is especially severe when a person only starts smoking. Although these immediate effects on lungs go away quickly, long-term smoking has a cumulative effect (Pietrangelo Cherney, 2014). If a person continues to smoke for years, his/her lungs and airways change considerably and become susceptible to serious diseases. The first long-term effect is a chronic cough, which develops because tissues in airways and lungs are inflamed under the ongoing nicotine influence. Therefore, smokers often have difficulty breathing and continue coughing even after quitting. The second health effect is emphysema, which is a condition that prevents your lungs from consuming the necessary amount of oxygen. This, in turn, leads to a cough, breathing problems, and possibly even death because treatment can’t reverse the damage (Sandler, 2012). The last and the most dangerous effect is lung cancer, which accounts for the majority of deaths from smoking. What Does Smoking Do to Your Heart? Smoking affects all parts of human body, causing cancer of the mouth and throat, stomach, liver, kidney, etc. (CDC, 2017). It also severely affects a smoker’s heart and blood vessels and can lead to serious and life-threatening diseases. Chemicals contained in cigarette smoke affect blood vessels, which may cause atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease (CHD), peripheral artery disease (PAD), and blood cancer (Pietrangelo Cherney, 2017). People who smoke also have increased risks of a heart attack or a stroke, especially in advanced age. This list of harmful effects of smoking is alarming, which is why smokers need to be educated on dangers and encouraged to quit before smoking causes irreversible changes in their body. 10 Harmful Effects of Cigarette Smoking The list of adverse effects is long, but I would like to give you ten more health conditions caused by smoking. These include: Anxiety and irritability Poor vision Dark teeth Weakened immune system Loss of appetite Infertility Wrinkles and skin dryness Increased risks of diabetes complications Blood clotting Impaired sense of smell Given these numerous health effects of smoking, it is critically important to quit this habit as soon as possible to avoid the development of life-threatening diseases. Smokers need to realize that cigarettes adversely affect their lungs and heart and can cause diseases of almost every part of their body. Some of them are irreversible, while others cannot be treated effectively if a person continues to smoke. Therefore, if you still smoke and think that it is relaxing and funny, remind yourself how dangerous your habit may be.