The Harmful Effects Of Cigarette Smoking

Cigarette smoking has become a global epidemic in today’s society. It is one of the most substance abuse in the world. Cigarette is a roll of shredded tobacco wrapped in paper. It contains hundreds of additives, including acetic acid, ammonia and benzyl alcohol (World book Encyclopedia 2013 p. ). Due to its mixture of over 4000 chemicals; many of them are harmful to the human body. According to the Australian Government of Health:

Currently, all tobacco products available that are smoked deliver substantial amounts of toxic chemicals to their users and those who breathe their smoke. Cigarette smoke is a combination of mainstream smoke that is smoke inhaled by a smoker, sidestream smoke that is the smoke from the end of a lit cigarette and secondhand

Nicotine is one of the 4000 chemicals found in cigarette and acts as a stimulant which becomes addictive. Nicotine itself is a colorless and soluble liquid which is a naturally occurring insecticide that is deadly in its pure form (Williamson 2011). It creates dependence by causing your body to have a need for it. The addictiveness of this chemical makes people who smoke use cigarettes. Once inhaled into your lungs it takes about 10 seconds to enter your bloodstream and increase the way your body and brain works. When adrenaline is released into the body the glucose level rises, it speeds up your heart rate, blood pressure and cause feelings of excitement. However, these feelings only last for a little while and the smoker must continue smoking to lengthen the pleasurable effects and avoid withdrawal. When a person who smokes sleeps, their blood levels of nicotine decreases and as a result, once awaken within ten minutes to half hour they must have their first cigarette, this clearly shows signs of addiction. According to research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse; the average smoker takes in 1-2 milligrams of nicotine per cigarette and a typical smoker will take 10 puffs on a cigarette over a period of 5 minutes that the cigarette is lit. As a result, a person who smokes about one and a half packs (30 cigarettes) daily gets 300 “hits” of nicotine to the brain each day. Moreover, it

They are exposing to secondhand smoke in the homes, workplace, and public places. Word Book Encyclopedia states; Researchers have found exhaled smoke and smoke from a smoldering cigarette can cause lung cancer and other diseases in nonsmokers exposed to it. Such smoke is called secondhand smoke (World Bank Encyclopedia 2013). Research has also shown that it is particularly harmful to children which can lead to respiratory and other health-related issues. Rabinoff stated; that children developing bodies make them more susceptible to secondhand smoke’s effects and due to their small size they breathe more rapidly than adults thereby taking in more secondhand smoke (Rabinoff 2006).Children cannot control their environment and as a result, they are exposed to inhaling the toxic chemicals from smoking, especially if their parents are smokers and someone in the home smokes. Some of the health risks in children include respiratory infections such as bronchitis, asthma attacks, pneumonia, ear infection and Infant Death syndrome. Similarly, pregnant women who are open to secondhand smoke have unhealthy risks for mother and unborn child. This can lead to miscarriage, lower birth rate and premature