Facts on smoking

The facts on smoking are disturbing and indicate that smoking has a devastating effect on the body. Despite scientific studies that show the traumatic effects smoking has on the mind and body, millions continue to smoke. This leaves many people asking, why people continue to smoke despite its known health risk?

Smoking is an addiction

The facts on smoking indicate that smoking is very much an addiction, similar to heroin and cocaine. The main ingredient in tobacco, nicotine, stimulates the portion of the brain that is connected with a pleasurable feeling. The neurotransmitter, dopamine, controls the desire to consume drugs. Nicotine has been shown to increase dopamine levels in the pleasurable portion of the brain. This feeling is quickly realized, within 10 seconds of the inhalation of nicotine and dissipates soon after the cessation of smoking. This causes cravings and the subsequent use of nicotine to calm the craving. This repetitive process; craving, satisfaction, craving; associated with symptoms of withdrawal is indicative of addiction.

Symptoms of withdrawal

Nicotine users can experience withdrawal symptoms within hours of their last cigarette. This negat ive experience causes many people to return to smoking soon after vowing to quit. These symptoms are rapid, and are relatively strong for the few days. They may last for weeks and some smokers who quit may experience these withdrawal symptoms for months. Those who decide to quit smoking may experience the following symptoms of withdrawal:

Cravings

The desire to have a cigarette intensifies with the absence of nicotine in the body. This desire can be overwhelming and drives many people to smoke within a few hours of quitting.

Irritability

Nicotine users can experience increased irritability when going through nicotine withdrawal.

Sleep disturbances

A person going through nicotine withdrawal can experience unpleasant sleep disturbances.

Increased appetite

Another common withdrawal symptom of nicotine is an increased appetite. This causes many people, especially women, to resume smoking.

Attention deficits

Many people experience attention difficulties when going th rough nicotine withdrawal.

In addition to the physical aspect of withdrawal, many nicotine users experience psychological symptoms as well. These may include desiring certain smoking rituals, smells, tastes and sights. A smoking cessation program can help a person effectively and permanently kick the habit.

Effects of smoking

Numerous studies have evaluated the adverse health effects smoking has on the body and the economy. The most serious facts on smoking related health and economic risks are listed below.

• Tobacco is the only product, that when used as intended, damages the body and causes numerous life threatening health ailments.
• Smoking related diseases, such as chronic lung disease and coronary heart disease, result in the deaths of over 400,000 Americans every year.
• Tobacco products contain close to 5,000 different chemicals, of those chemicals 69 are known to cause cancers.
• 90% of all lung cancer deaths can be directly contributed to smoking. In addi tion to that, smoking is responsible for 80 to 90% of all deaths related to chronic lung diseases.
• Nearly 9 million Americans suffer from a serious smoking related health ailment. For perspective, nearly 20 Americans suffer from a serious smoking related illness for every 1 person that dies from smoking related health issues.
• Aside from heart and lung issues, smoking also has a detrimental effect on the digestive systems. It can cause infertility, peptic ulcer disease and delayed healing in wounds.
• Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to an array of neonatal and infant health issues.
• 10% of all infant deaths, 14% of preterm deliveries and 20 - 30% of low birth weight babies can be directly related to smoking during pregnancy. Additionally, seemingly healthy babies born to women who smoked during pregnancy were found to have narrow airways and decreased lung function.
• Facts on smoking in public places have shown that a non smoker will inhale the equivalent of 4 cigarettes if they remain in a room with a smoker for over 2 hours. This dispels the myth that smoking only endangers the health of the smoker.
• In the United States, nearly $170 billion is incurred for health care costs caused by smoking related health issues.
• Neonatal care costs attributed to tobacco exposure during pregnancy is estimated at over $350 million a year.

Covering the costs

Many families' who have lost loved ones due to smoking related illnesses are suing tobacco companies. They claim that their loved ones had been mislead by deceptive tobacco advertising and that critical warnings about smoking illnesses and nicotine addiction had been withheld from the public by tobacco companies.

• In 1999, an Oregon jury awarded Mayola Williams $80 million in a lawsuit against Phillip Morris. William's husband, a long time smoker, died in 1997 as a result of smoking related health issues. The suit argued that Phillip Morris had engaged in an elaborate mar keting scheme designed to conceal the dangers of smoking.
• In 1994, $200 billion dollars was awarded in Florida as a result of the first class action lawsuit against big tobacco companies. The class was comprised of 500,000 smokers, their families and the heirs of smokers. This suit also revolved around the plot to cover up the facts on smoking and the deception of those who smoked.

The facts on smoking are overwhelming clear and simple. Smoking causes debilitating and life threatening illnesses, these illnesses can be avoided by not smoking.

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