Cigarette in hand, flame lighting the front, a scene that is repeated everywhere around the world, yes, smoking! This habit has been associated with humans for thousands of years, and surrounds society with a cloud of death.

In this article, we will go on a journey to explore this bad habit and its danger to the health of the individual and its negative impact on society, as well as the benefits of quitting smoking and some effective steps to achieve this.

 What is smoking?

Humans have been associated for thousands of years with smoking tobacco, as smoking is the process of burning tobacco, and inhaling the resulting smoke, usually in the form of a cigarette, in the hope of feeling relaxed and comfortable after that, regardless of the dangerous and carcinogenic substances contained in the cigarette, and among the most dangerous components of cigarettes:

• Nicotine: This substance is associated with addiction, and works by stimulating the nervous system, which gives a feeling of pleasure and relaxation.
• Tar: It is a liquid substance with high viscosity, and it accumulates in the lungs causing cancers.
• Carbon monoxide: Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas that causes dizziness, lightheadedness and nausea, and its danger is that it reduces the ability of the blood to carry oxygen and transport it to the cells.
• Some fine particles that increase the risk of heart and lung diseases.

Why do so many people resort to smoking around the world? Causes of smoking:

According to the World Health Organization, the percentage of smokers around the world reached more than 22% of people in 2020, and most of this percentage is men, and smoking rates increase more in developing and middle countries than in developed countries, and the high smoking rates around the world are due to several reasons, the most important of which are:

• The desire to get rid of anxiety and stress: As mentioned earlier, tobacco contains nicotine, which causes a feeling of happiness and comfort, so some consider it effective in overcoming stress.
• Boredom: Some people may resort to smoking in order to get rid of boredom and fill their free time.
• The surrounding environment: The surrounding environment plays a big role in increasing smoking rates, especially among young people, through the desire of young people to belong to their smoking friends or pressure from friends and relatives to start smoking.
• Easy access to tobacco: This is one of the most important factors that increase smoking rates in society and is represented by the availability of cigarettes in most stores and shops.
• Ignorance and lack of awareness of the harmful effects of smoking on health among young people.

The harms of smoking on an individual’s general health

With every cigarette that an individual smokes, harmful substances spread to wreak havoc in the body, disrupting vital organs and functions, and smoking is harmful to health:

Respiratory diseases: 

• Lung cancer: Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers among smokers, and one of the most common causes of death for this group.
• Damage to the alveoli in the lungs: They are responsible for the exchange of oxygen in the lungs, so their destruction leads to difficulty breathing and the blood does not absorb oxygen and reach the different parts of the body. 
• Chronic bronchitis: Smoking causes damage to the lining of the airways, resulting in chronic coughing, asthma, and increased chances of infection and influenza, as a result of reduced immunity and the body’s ability to resist diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases:

• Clogged arteries: Smoking clearly causes the accumulation of fat in the blood vessels, which leads to clogging and increases the risk of heart attacks and atherosclerosis.
• Increased chances of stroke: Smoking leads to clogging and damage to the blood vessels in the brain, which leads to stroke.
• Vascular disease in the extremities, such as the feet and arms.

Increased rates of cancers:

Not only lung cancer, but also cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus, as well as uterine cancers.

Aging of the skin and loss of youthfulness and health of the skin.

Nicotine addiction:

In fact, nicotine addiction is like a prison that restricts the smoker, and in its simplest form it is that nicotine stimulates the production of dopamine in the body, that pleasure-causing transmitter, and over time the body gets used to nicotine and needs larger amounts to reach the same amount of comfort and pleasure, and this is called habituation or tolerance to nicotine, so the smoker resorts to larger amounts of tobacco, which is called addiction.

 Smoking harms pregnant women:

For pregnant women, smoking threatens the life and health of both the mother and the fetus, as smoking leads to:

• Increased miscarriage rates: Smoking reduces the blood supply to the fetus through the placenta, which leads to a lack of blood supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus; This increases the risk of miscarriage, with lower than normal fetal weight in cases of stillbirth or premature birth.
• Birth defects and malformations: The harmful substances resulting from smoking cause damage to the fetal DNA, which increases the chances of birth defects in various organs and body systems, such as the heart and face.
• Child health issues: Maternal smoking causes children to develop lifelong health conditions such as respiratory diseases, heart disease, and diabetes. 

How to quit smoking for a healthy life and better health

After recognizing some of the harms of smoking on the individual and those around him, how about effective steps and ways to get rid of smoking:

• Make a positive and serious decision to stop smoking completely, and be willing to change your lifestyle permanently.
• Remove all tobacco products from your home, car or work office, and make it more difficult to access cigarettes.
• Stay as far away as possible and avoid places where there is a lot of smoking and smokers.
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle: This is one of the important and essential steps to quit smoking, by exercising regularly, adhering to a healthy diet rich in healthy nutrients, and getting enough sleep daily to reduce anxiety and stress.
• Be persistent and don’t give up: Quitting smoking is not easy, so you must be patient and try again and again, and do not despair if you fail to quit. 
• Consult a specialized doctor to provide assistance and prescribe some medications that may help you quit.  

Frequently asked questions about the harms of smoking:

What is the effect of smoking on the human body?

Tobacco contains carbon monoxide, which reduces the ability of the blood to carry oxygen and transport it to the various organs of the body.

What diseases does smoking cause?

Smoking causes various respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, as well as increases the chances of developing cancers. 

How many cigarettes a day is not harmful?

In fact, any number of cigarettes is harmful; over time, the body gets used to nicotine and needs larger amounts to reach the same amount of comfort and pleasure, this is called habituation or tolerance to nicotine, so the smoker resorts to larger quantities of tobacco, which is called addiction.

When is the worst time to smoke?

The worst time to smoke is any time, because it is harmful to health at all times and for all ages.

Sources

Healthline

WebMD

Cleveland Clinic