The Dangers of Smoking

In anyone, of any age, smoking increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer. Even passive smoking has these same risks.

Passive smoking puts children in a high risk group for respiratory disease such as bronchitis and asthma and can damage their development giving them educational difficulties as well as the recognised risks associated with inhaling smoke.

Smoking increases the heart rates and pushes up the blood pressure because the nicotine stimulates the nervous system. It also reduces the amount of oxygen getting to the brain and thickens the blood, increasing the risk of clots leading, as already mentioned to cardiovascular disease in the form of strokes and heart attacks.

The tar deposited from the smoke into the lungs clogs arteries and damages the air sacs causing shortness of breath and long-term damage.

In each cigarette there are at least 4,000 chemicals and at least 60 of them are known to cause cancer. Most people will think of lung cancer as being the cancer caused by smoking however this is simply the tip of the iceberg. Smoking is known to cause mouth cancer, bladder cancer, kidney, pancreatic, cervical and esophageal cancer.

On average smokers will live twelve years less than non smokers. Their lives, even so shortened, will be, quite often, a misery, with lung disease, heart disease and other incurable conditions.

All these risks are made much worse if you already have a long term problem or illness such as raised cholesterol, respiratory disease, heart disease or diabetes. Stopping smoking can, and will, improve many of the effects of smoking and obviously the sooner you do this the more benefit you will receive.

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