Smoking

kills

Topics
1. Introduction 2. Causes of smoking

3. Effects of smoking
4. Preventive measures for smoking 5. Exercise & Photos

1. Introduction
Smoking is a practice in which tobacco is burned and the smoke is inhaled. This smoke which contains nicotine is then absorbed through the lungs. The history of smoking can be dated to as early as 5000 BC, and has been recorded in many different cultures across the world. Early smoking evolved in association with religious ceremonies; as offerings to deities, in cleansing divination or spiritual enlightenment. After the European exploration and conquest of the Americans, the practice of smoking tobacco quickly spread to the rest of the world. In Europe, it introduced a new type of social activity and a form of drug intake which previously had been unknown.

Perception surrounding smoking has varied over time and from one place to another; holy and sinful, sophisticated and deadly health hazard. Only recently, and primarily in industrialized Western countries, has smoking come to be viewed in a negative light. Today medical studies have proven that smoking tobacco is among the leading causes of many diseases such as lung cancer, heart attacks, and can also lead to birth defects. The wellproven health hazards of smoking have caused many countries to institute high taxes on tobacco products and anti-smoking campaigns are launched every year in an attempt to curb tobacco smoking.

The most common method of smoking today is through cigarettes. A cigarette is a product consumed through smoking and manufactured out of cured and finely cut tobacco leaves and reconstituted tobacco, often combined with other additives, then rolled or stuffed into a paper-wrapped cylinder. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smolder for the purpose of inhalation of its smoke from the other end, which is inserted in the mouth. They are sometimes smoked with a cigarette holder. Smoking and Tobacco-related diseases are some of the biggest killers in the world today and are cited as one of the biggest causes of premature death in industrialized countries.

2. Cause of Smoking
Curiosity: The most common reason for teenagers to start smoking is that they want to satisfy their curiosity; that they wished to be like others, or simply that they were given a cigarette. Sense of Relaxation: Heavy smokers tend to smoke more when they are under pressure. Adults claim that smoking gives a sense of relaxation, helps them to concentrate and gives them relief when they are anxious. Advertising: Advertising presents smoking as glamorous, sophisticated and macho. It appeals to the young peoples need to be adventurous and independent. Hence, they may easily pick smoking. However, government has imposed restrictions on cigarette ads, which may arouse teenagers to smoke.

Films and Serials: Films and Serials have a considerable impact on teenagers to smoke. A film/serial personality, who is shown smoking, may have a great influence on young audience. Young adults who want to be like them may try to imitate them and may start smoking. Parental Influence: Smoking by parents also have an enormous influence on the smoking behavior of their children; it motivates the children to smoke. Children of smokers, due to passive smoking, are exposed to so much nicotine over the years that it may set them up for a smoking habit themselves. Peer pressure: Smoking may begin due to peer pressure. Young adults may start smoking in the company of their friends, who have smoking habit. These young adults smoke to be accepted by their group, or else they may feel isolated.

Social Factors: Social factors play an important role in forming a smoking habit. These factors include: Social usage of cigarettes at parties and other such gatherings: people as specially youngsters have an habit of smoking among their peers during parties and function Cigarette accessibility: Cigarettes are freely accessible freely so much that even a child can buy it. Social approval: People in society do not care about any thing hence they dont try to stop it.

Effects of smoking
Tobacco use most commonly leads to diseases affecting the heart and lungs, with smoking being a major risk factor for heart attacks, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and cancer, particularly lung cancer, cancers of the larynx and mouth, and pancreatic cancer. Overall life expectancy is also reduced in regular smokers, with estimates ranging from 2.5 to 10 years fewer than nonsmokers. About half of male smokers will die of illness due to smoking. The association of smoking with lung cancer is strongest, both in the public perception and etiologically. People who have smoked tobacco at some point have about a one in ten chance of developing lung cancer during their lifetime

Following are the few effects of smoking: Mortality: Male and female smokers lose an average of 13.2 and 14.5 years of life, respectively. According to the results of a 50 year study of 34,439 male British doctors, at least half of all lifelong smokers die earlier as a result of smoking Cancer: The primary risks of tobacco usage include many forms of cancer, particularly lung cancer, cancer of the kidney, cancer of the larynx and head and neck,, bladder, esophagus, pancreas, and stomach . There is some evidence suggesting an increased risk of myeloid leukemia, liver cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer after an extended latency, childhood cancers and cancers of the gall bladder, adrenal gland and small intestine.

The following are some of the most important carcinogens in cigarettes responsible for cancer: Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Acrolein Nitrosamines Radioactive carcinogens :In addition to chemical, nonradioactive carcinogens, tobacco and tobacco smoke contain small amounts of lead-210 (210Pb) and polonium210 (210Po) both of which are radioactive carcinogens. Researches estimated that a carcinogenic radiation dose of 80-100 rads is delivered the lung tissue of most smokers who die of lung cancer.

Cardiovascular disease: Inhalation of tobacco smoke causes several immediate responses within the heart and blood vessels. Within one minute the heart rate begins to rise, increasing by as much as 30 percent during the first 10 minutes of smoking. Carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke exerts its negative effects by reducing the bloods ability to carry oxygen. Smoking also increases the chance of heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, and peripheral vascular disease. Several ingredients of tobacco lead to the narrowing of blood vessels, increasing the risk of a blockage, and thus a heart attack or stroke. According to a study by an international team of researchers, people under 40 are five times more likely to have a heart attack if they smoke.

Infection: Tobacco is also linked to susceptibility to infectious diseases, particularly in the lungs. Smoking more than 20 cigarettes a day increases the risk of tuberculosis by two to four times. It is believed that smoking increases the risk of these and other pulmonary and respiratory tract infections both through structural damage and through effects on the immune system. The usage of tobacco also increases rates of infection: common cold and bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and chronic bronchitis in particular.

Bronchitis
Smoking also cause Chronic bronchitis, bronchitis is nothing but a chronic inflammatory condition in the lungs that causes the respiratory passages to be swollen and irritated, increases the mucus production and may damage the lungs. The symptoms are coughing and breathlessness, which will get worse over the years. The definition of chronic bronchitis is chronic cough or mucus reproduction for at least three months in two successive years when other causes have been excluded.

Psychological effects Smokers report a variety of physical and psychological effects from smoking tobacco. Those new to smoking may experience nausea, dizziness, and rapid heart beat. The unpleasant symptoms will eventually vanish over time, with repeated use, as the body builds a tolerance to the chemicals in the cigarettes, such as nicotine. The usage of tobacco also creates cognitive dysfunction, which include: increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and decline in cognitive abilities, reduced memory and cognitive abilities in adolescent smokers, brain shrinkage

4. Preventive Measures for Smoking

The following are the preventive measures for smoking: Modification in Cigarette: The harmful effects of cigarette smoking might be reduced by efficient filters, by using modified tobaccos, or by leaving longer cigarette stubs. Stubbing of Cigarette: The cigarette smoke from the second half contains a higher and steadily rising concentration of potentially toxic substance then the smoke of the first half-some means of persuading cigarette smokers to stub out their cigarettes before the second half is burnt would almost certainly reduce the risk.

Use of pipes and Cigars: Pipes and cigar smokers have a lesser risk than cigarette smokers of developing lung cancer, bronchitis, and coronary heart disease. Hence, cigarette smokers could be persuaded to change to these safer forms of smoking Anti-Smoking Education: Anti-smoking education by means of lectures, pamphlets, posters, of video films must be introduced in Schools and colleges. Mass media can play an important role by highlighting the disadvantages of smoking. Government Measures: Government should take the following steps to curb the present rising consumption of tobacco, especially cigarettes:-

Public Education: Efforts should be devoted to draw the attention of the public to the hazards of smoking. Special attention should be paid to effective education of school children and young adults. The attention of parents should continually be drawn to their responsibility for discouraging their children from smoking. Such public education may also point out towards safer smoking habits for those whose addiction is too strong to overcome. An educational effective restrictions on the sale of tobacco to children

Restriction an Ads: Economically powerful industrialists and their distributors spend heavily on enticing cigarette advertisements to lure people to take to smoking. Strict legislation should be introduced to control such advertising in the interest of public health. The Government of India has imposed restrictions on cigarette advertisements. Also, the government has passed a resolution on 2nd October, 2005, that smoking in any form in serials or films in ban.

Restriction on Smoking at Public Places: The right to a smoke-free environment is spreading in public places and hence, a wider restriction on smoking must be introduced in public places. This would be desirable for nonsmokers. It might ultimately contribute much to the discontinuance of smoking due to social acceptance by others. People who need to smoke can be allowed to do so in special smoking zones. Taxes: An increase in taxes on tobacco can act as one of the important preventive measures for smoking. Increase in taxes will result in increase in cigarette prices. The increase in cigarette Prices may reduce cigarette smoking.

Anti-Smoking Clinics: Anti-smoking clinics can be introduced for individuals, who find difficulty in overcoming smoking. Such clinics help smokers to receive expert advice and also the assistance of other people who had succeeded in freeing themselves form addiction to tobacco. Such clinics use nicotine injections to provide some satisfaction during the period of withdrawal symptoms. Measures by None-government Organizations (NGOs): Measures taken by NGOs to prevent smoking are Public awareness campaign. Counseling, etc.

Getting Ready to Quit

Set a date for quitting. If possible, have a friend quit smoking with you. Notice when and why you smoke. Try to find the things in your daily life that you often do while smoking (such as drinking your morning cup of coffee, etc). Change your smoking routines: Keep your cigarettes in a different place. Smoke with your other hand. Don't do anything else when smoking. Think about how you feel when you smoke. Smoke only in certain places, such as outdoors. When you want a cigarette, wait a few minutes. Try to think of something to do instead of smoking; you might chew gum or drink a glass of water. Buy one pack of cigarettes at a time. Switch to a brand of cigarettes you don't like. Just before your stop date, get rid of all of your cigarettes, matches, lighters and ashtrays.

Exercise

On the Day You Quit

Get support and encouragement. Learn how to handle stress and the urge to smoke. When you get that urge to smoke (and you will), drink some water. Relax by taking a hot bath, going for a walk, or breathing slowly and deeply. Think of changes in your daily routine that will help you resist the urge to smoke. For example, if you used to smoke when you drank coffee, drink hot tea instead. Think about how your cigarette money helps support those hypocritical tobacco companies whose income is derived at the expense of the health, wealth, happiness, efficiency, and resources of the addicted smoker. Give yourself rewards for stopping smoking. For example, with the money you save by not smoking, buy yourself something special. Get medication and use it correctly. Nicotine replacement products are ways to take in nicotine without smoking. These products are like: gum, patch, nasal spray, inhaler and lozenge. Using one of these roughly doubles your chance of stopping smoking if you really want to stop.

Lung cancer

Larynx cancer

Esophagus cancer

Valentina Dsouza 190 Monica Fernandes 197 Josephine Francis 204 Alphonso Paul 234 Rebecca Pinto 245 George Puthenpurackel 246

Thank You for your time

Source: Internet and Foundation course textbook