According to smoking facts, tobacco in a cigarette consists of more than 400 toxic substances and 4,000 chemical compounds. Out of them, the most hazardous substances are tar, which is a carcinogen substance, nicotine that increases cholesterol levels in the body and carbon monoxide, which decreases the amount of oxygen within the body. Nicotine is the most addictive substance in tobacco. Smoking decreases the levels of oxygen reaching tissues, giving rise to different health problems such as stroke, heart attack or miscarriage. It increases cholesterol levels in the blood, increasing the risk of heart attack. Smoking causes damage and constriction of blood vessels, leading to various diseases of blood vessels. Smoking also causes chronic coughing, shortness of breath, premature aging, recurrent infections and reduced overall fitness. Smoking-related deaths are mainly because of heart diseases, cancers and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
There are few things in the world today that are as dangerous to humans and yet as commonplace as smoking. Although the habit has steadily decreased in popularity, it is still a threat not only to people, but also to the environment, to our pets and animals, and to society in general.
Why smoking is dangerous is an easy yet complicated issue. There are over 700 chemical additives found in every cigarette. When the cigarette is lit, and reaches nearly 2,000 degrees dangerous chemical compounds are released into the air, and most of them are inhaled by the smoker as well as those around him. Nicotine is the biggest factor in cigarettes because it encourages the body to become addicted. Once the person is addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes, the possibilities for diseases such as lung cancer, throat cancer, respiratory problems as well as a host of other issues increases.
The longer a smoker smokes, the more increased chance they will have of developing a host of ailments that not only cause him or her misery as well as possibly their life, but also costs insurance companies money to care for them, which in turn costs the average taxpayer bundles.
The effects of smoking on pregnant women are even more dangerous. It has been proven countless times that smoking directly affects embryos. It is estimated that 13% of pregnant women smoke. If these women didn't smoke while pregnant, or at least stopped smoking altogether, the infant mortality rate would decrease by 10%. There is an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy while smoking, as well as placental complications, which can be hazardous to the life of both baby and mother. Low birth weight is the most common complication as well as preterm deliveries.
The three main ingredients in cigarettes that cause problems are nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide. Nicotine increases blood pressure and heart rate, but also provides the smoker with a relaxing affect, which is the basis for the addiction. Once the affects of nicotine have warn off, about 30 minutes, a smoker feels the need to reach for another cigarette.
Tar is a nasty substance that attaches itself to the inner linings of the lungs. It destroys cilia, hair-like projections inside the lungs, which promote the trapping of harmful particles. This leads to the need for the lungs to pump harder to get oxygen throughout the body of the smoker.
Carbon monoxide is another oxygen depletor. Combining with hemoglobin, carbon monoxide decreases red blood cells' effectiveness for carrying oxygen. This causes the smoker to become easily winded.
