Nicotine has more than 50 ways of increasing health related risks through illness and more than 20 ways of killing you. Smokers face a higher risk than non-smokers for a wide variety of illnesses, many of which may be fatal. However, many medical conditions associated with smoking, while they may not be fatal, may cause years of debilitating illness or other problems. Nicotine is just one of the substances dangerous to health contained in tobacco. Others include TAR, CADMIUM and other carcinogens. Risks include:
Increased risk for smokers |
Gum disease
Angina
Back pain
Buerger's Disease (severe circulatory disease)
Duodenal ulcer
Cataract
Crohn's Disease (chronic inflamed bowel)
Depression
Diabetes (non-insulin dependent)
Hearing loss
Influenza
Impotence
Loss of vision
Ligament injuries
|
Muscle injuries
Neck pain
Abnormal eye movements
Fungal eye infection
Osteoporosis
Osteoarthritis
Pneumonia
Psoriasis
Skin wrinkling
Stomach ulcer
Rheumatoid arthritis (heavy smokers)
Tendon injuries
Tooth loss
Tuberculosis
|
Bodily functions impaired in smokers |
Lower fertility in women (30%)
Impaired immune system
|
Reduced sperm count
Earlier onset of the menopause |
Symptoms made worse in smokers |
Asthma
Over active thyroid gland |
Multiple Sclerosis |
Disease more severe or persistent in smokers |
Common cold
Crohn's Disease (chronic inflamed bowel)
Influenza |
Pneumonia
Tuberculosis
|
.
Nicotine itself is a powerful neurotoxin. Nicotine in pure form can kill in very low doses. It is nicotine that the body gets used to and is therefore the key ‘addictive' part of cigarettes/tobacco. Because it is a stimulant nicotine raises the heart rate and blood pressure, and because smoking tends to be a repetitive habit this means that a smoker's body will be operating at a different (raised) ‘normal level' in terms of their heart rate etc. When the person then doesn't have any nicotine for a while this causes the blood pressure/heart rate etc. to drop back to what most people consider ‘normal' – but it feels ‘funny' to the smoker. The person then feels they need a fag to ‘calm them down', when what actually happens is that the nicotine causes the heart rate etc. to speed up again and the smoker returns to feeling more like their usual selves.
This is why smokers feel that smoking ‘calms them down'!
DEATHS RELATED TO SMOKING:
CANCERS
Lung
Throat & Mouth
Oesophagus
Bladder
Kidney
Stomach
Pancreas
Leukaemia
HEART & CIRCULATION
Heart disease
Stroke
Aneurysm
OTHERS
Bronchitis & Emphysema
Pneumonia
Ulcer of the stomach & duodenum
One in two long-term smokers will die prematurely as a result of smoking – half of these in middle age.
Every year in the UK approx 120,000 people are killed by smoking, accounting for one fifth of all UK deaths. Most die from one of the three main diseases associated with cigarette smoking: lung cancer, chronic obstructive lung disease and coronary heart disease.
Worldwide, about 4 million die prematurely each year as a result of smoking. Based on current trends, this will rise to 10 million a year by 2030.
Tobacco is the dried leaves of the plant that grow in many parts of the world. The main active ingredient is nicotine.
Most tobacco used in this country comes from America and is sold as cigarettes. Cigars and pipe tobacco are made from stronger, darker tobacco. Snuff is powdered tobacco that is sniffed up the nose.
Tobacco is often used when making cannabis cigarettes or joints. Both rolling tobacco and tobacco removed from packet cigarettes are mixed with resin or herbal cannabis and rolled into cigarette papers.
LATEST UK NEWS
In 2001, 27% of adults aged 16 and over smoked cigarettes in England ; 28% of men and 25% of women.
In 2002, 10% of children aged 11-15 smoked cigarettes regularly; 9% of boys and 11% of girls.
More than 120,000 deaths were caused by smoking in the UK in 1995; that is, one in five of all deaths
In 2002-2003, 54,737 million cigarettes were released in the UK for consumption – 48,606 million home produced and 6,132 million imported.
HISTORY
The first recorded examples of tobacco smoking were from the Mexican Maya civilisation in about 500 AD. It was first brought to England in the second part of the 16th century by Sir Walter Raleigh. By the early 1600s it was sold in specialist tobacconist shops, grocers and drapers. Many Europeans made extravagant claims about the use of tobacco to cure a variety of diseases and ailments. Initially smoking tobacco for pleasure was confined to the wealthy classes but its use gradually spread.
In the early 1600s King James and the clergy came out strongly against smoking tobacco and regarded it as an a moral and health risk. Rather than attempting to completely ban it the King raised the duty on its importation. Other countries took a more draconian view. Tobacco smoking could be punished by death in Persia or China and by other less drastic, but nonetheless severe physical penalties in Russia and Turkey .
From the late 17th century to early 19th century snuff replaced pipe smoking as the main way tobacco was used in England . Cigar smoking also became more common.
Cigarettes were first introduced to England by troops returning from the Crimean War (1854-86) who had seen French and Turkish soldiers smoking them.
At this time cigarettes were of the roll-your-own variety. By the 1870s English companies started making ready rolled cigarettes but it was not till the 1880s, with the development of automatic machinery, that cigarettes as we know them today became more widely available. Filter tip cigarettes were first introduced in the 1950s.
It was not until the 1960s that tobacco smoking was associated with health problems. Until that time tobacco products were often seen as health enhancing and a good way or relaxing. Smoking was even advertised by famous sportsmen.
Health warnings led to a fall in tobacco consumption in developed countries, increased tax on tobacco products, controls on advertising, low tar varieties and bans on smoking in public places. It has also led to new products and schemes to help people stop smoking including smoking cessation groups, nicotine patches and chewing gums.
Also, it has been revealed that the tobacco companies knew for many years before it became public knowledge that regular smoking was closely linked to cancer. This has led to a number of court cases in the USA from those seeking compensation from the tobacco companies.
The Law
It is not illegal to buy, possess or use tobacco products . Selling tobacco products to children aged under 16 years old is an offence. Under the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 maximum fines for selling to under 16s were increased from £400 to £2,500. Retailers who sell tobacco products have to prominently display a notice about not selling to children and local authorities have a statutory obligation to monitor retail outlets which sell tobacco products.
Since 2003, tobacco advertising and promotion are banned in the UK , following the passage of the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act in December 2002.
Effects/Risks
Tobacco smoking involves the inhalation of tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide and other gases. Nicotine is a stimulant drug which increases pulse rate and blood pressure. Regular smokers often find smoking combats anxiety and stress, helps concentration and alleviates boredom. Some also find it suppresses appetite. First time users often feel sick, dizzy and suffer headache.
Tolerance develops quickly to the effects of nicotine so more is needed to get an effect. Most people who smoke become dependent and feel restless and anxious if they try to stop. Very few people find they can just have the occasional cigarette. They tend to either smoke a number a day or not smoke at all.
Regular, long term smoking greatly increases the risk of a number of serious diseases including lung and other cancers, heart diseases, bronchitis, bad circulation and ulcers. About 120,000 people die prematurely in the UK each year through smoking related diseases .
Women who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy tend to give birth to babies of smaller birth weight. Smoking whilst taking oral contraceptives ('the pill') increases the risk of heart and circulatory problems.
Recent research has also shown that smoking can damage non-smokers who inhale tobacco fumes. It is now well established in the literature that the population is at risk from the effects of passive smoking, ranging from respiratory irritations, infections and asthma (especially children) through to cancer.
ASH estimates that, each year in the UK , about 600 lung cancer deaths and up to 12,000 deaths from heart disease in non-smokers may be attributed to passive smoking .
1. Source: DoH Statistical Bulletin 2003/21: Statistics on smoking: England , 2003.
2. Source: Customs & Excise Annual Report, 1999-2000. The Stationery Office, March 2001.
3. Source: ASH , Basic Facts One, January 2003.
4. Source: Passive smoking: A summary of the evidence. ASH , November 2002
Further information:
10 tips to stop smoking
Nicotine abuse
Passive smoking
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