Watch the video
X Watch the video on youtubeand the benefits you get by quitting smoking
See also: smoking during pregnancy and the costs of smoking
Harmful substances in smoke
The smoke that originates from the incomplete combustion of tobacco and the paper that wraps it is made up of at least 4, 000 substances. Between these:
irritants; tar; carbon monoxide; nicotine
PLEASE NOTE: Filters reduce the amount of these substances that reach the respiratory tract, but do NOT eliminate them.
Among the irritants present in the smoke, mention should be made of: cyanide acid, acrolein, formaldehyde and ammonia. They cause immediate damage to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. Furthermore, the irritating action causes coughing, excess mucus, chronic bronchitis, emphysema.
The tar, which is part of the corpuscular component of the smoke, includes various substances, among which the best known are benzopyrene and aromatic hydrocarbons; it has been shown that these substances are carcinogenic.
Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin, reducing its ability to carry oxygen. This results in less nourishment for the tissues.
Nicotine is a natural alkaloid, present in tobacco in a percentage ranging from 2 to 8%. The nicotine contained in a cigarette is not very toxic but it is addictive !
When it reaches the lungs, the nicotine passes into the blood and reaches the brain in a few seconds. Nicotine stimulates the release of dopamine in the CNS and adrenaline in the adrenal gland. The effect is excitatory both at the level of the mind and of the body. Shortly thereafter, however, a depressing effect takes over and leads to smoking again to try the positive effects again. This explains the dependence, whose degree is measured by evaluating these parameters:
- difficulty to stop using it;
- frequency of recurrences;
- percentage of employees;
- "value" attributed to smoking, despite evidence of damage.
In addition to the pharmacological dependence on nicotine, a smoker also creates a psychological dependency . When smoking is stopped, a real withdrawal syndrome occurs, characterized by:
- irritability, anger, anxiety;
- uncontrollable desire to smoke;
- difficulty concentrating;
- insomnia.
Nicotine is considered a drug in all respects. Since the early 1990s the nicotine content of cigarettes has been regulated and cannot exceed a certain number of mg.
Smoke Damage
The severity of the damage depends on these parameters
- Start age and number of years of smoking;
- Number of cigarettes per day;
- Smoking (more or less deep inhalations)
Smoking damage to the respiratory system:
- irritation,
- increased mucus,
- acute bronchitis,
- then chronic,
- pulmonary emphysema
It also increases the incidence of respiratory tract infections and asthma.
See also: lungs of a smoker
Heart and circle smoke damage
Smoking increases blood pressure, accelerates atherosclerosis, hindering blood circulation in the vessels and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Circulatory problems caused by smoking can determine:
- impotence in man;
- mental decline;
- premature skin aging
Smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer ; at first risk are the respiratory tract as they are directly exposed to smoke. In smokers lung cancer has a frequency 20 times higher than that found in non-smokers. The risk of kidney and bladder cancer is also high, as the carcinogenic substances of tobacco are eliminated through the kidneys and stagnate with urine in the bladder.
Combined with alcohol, smoking increases the risk of cancer of the esophagus, colon and liver.
Specific smoking damage in women
The risk of tumors of the uterus is greater.
Menopause is anticipated and the risk of osteoporosis is higher.
Smoking decreases fertility and increases the risk of abortions, premature births, underweight babies and premature deaths. Nicotine also has the ability to pass into breast milk.
Smoking during pregnancy can cause growth, mental and pulmonary development of the child.
Other smoke damage
Smoking significantly reduces athletic performance, increases oxidative stress, increases the risk of gingivitis and increases the incidence of gastro-duodenal ulcers.
Passive smoke
Passive smoking is unintentionally inhaled by people who live or work in contact with smokers.
Tobacco smoke is one of the most dangerous air pollutants in confined spaces and constitutes a real risk to the health of non-smokers.
Causes decreased lung function and a higher incidence of lung cancer.
In the children of smokers there is a higher incidence of bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma attacks.
Benefits of Quitting Smoking
One in two smokers dies of a disease attributable to smoking. The life expectancy of a smoker is however 8 years less than that of non-smokers.
By quitting smoking you have immediate benefits (over a period of hours) - such as better breathing, and a greater ability to perceive smells and tastes - and long-term benefits:
- increases life expectancy;
- the risk of tumors is reduced;
- cough and phlegm disappear;
- respiratory tract infections are reduced;
- chronic bronchitis and emphysema are avoided;
- improves circulation and reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke;
- improves physical efficiency and prevents impotence;
- improve reflexes;
- road and work accidents are reduced;
- the risk of osteoporosis is reduced;
- fractures heal sooner;
- improves sleep quality;
- increases fertility and improves the health of the unborn child;
- improves skin and hair condition;
- the breath and the person lose the (unpleasant) smell of smoke.
In Italy every year, due to smoking, a number of people die that corresponds to the number of victims that would occur if a jumbo jet full of passengers fell every day. With such a risk no one would accept flying anymore. Why then do you accept smoking?
"the cigarette is the thing that on one side there is smoke and on the other a fool" Oscar Wilde
