The Untold Truth about Smoking
We all know that smoking is bad. As bad as the graphic warnings on each pack of cigarettes. There are 1.3 billion smokers in the world today, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). If the trend continues, that number is expected to increase to 1.6 billion by the year 2025. There are more reasons to stop that didn’t show on the packs of cigarettes; such as.
HOW BAD IS SMOKING?
Smoking makes women single.
That’s right! One of the reasons your smoking BFF is still single is probably due to the fact that she smokes even she’s smoking hot. As it turns out, smoking is the no. 1 turnoff for men.
Smoking tops the chart when men vote for the top turnoffs when choosing a girlfriend or a wife.
- Men expect that they and their spouse will live well into their 70s which makes good health a predictor of a long-lasting marriage. On average, smokers die 10 years earlier than nonsmokers.
- 1 out of 2 smokers dies prematurely as tobacco kills 50% of its users. More than 480,000 Americans die each year of smoking, accounting for one of every five deaths.
- The cancer death rate (cancer mortality) is 158.3 per 100,000 men and women per year (based on 2013ā2017 deaths).
- Nonsmoker prefers a nonsmoker for close relationships for date or spouse, and they anticipate negative interactions with smokers. Smokers generally are considered nonattractive and unhealthy from the results of several studies. Both points are within the top 5 traits men, smokers or nonsmokers, seek in women to pursue a relationship with.
- Smokers kill nonsmokers ā nonsmokers take up 12% of the total death toll due to smoking, without smoking. Smoking is injurious to the health of the person and people around them [6]. Almost half of the children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke in public places. Why would a man marry a woman who causes the premature death and pains of their own and those of their children?
By the way, smoking causes excruciating physical pain.
Smoking is the direct risk factor or cause of 16 out of the 20 painful health conditions listed by the National Health Service in England including:
- Heart attack,
- Stroke,
- Shoulder pain,
- Broken bones,
- Fibromyalgia,
- Arthritis,
- Sciatica,
- Slipped disc,
- Sickle cell disease,
- Cluster headaches and migraines,
- Kidney stones,
- Appendicitis,
- Acute pancreatitis,
- Gout,
- Stomach ulcer,
- Shingles (decreased immunity,
Smokers are nearly 3 times likely to get lower back pain than nonsmokers; it also aggravates abdominal and joint pain as it increases pain sensitivity [23].
- Tobacco impairs the delivery of oxygen-rich blood to bones and tissues. Decreasing blood and nutrient flow can cause degeneration, particularly in discs of the spine, which already have more limited blood flow. The result can be lower back pain and sometimes osteoporosis.
Smoking Causes Cancer
Apart from all the deadly diseases mentioned above, there are 16 different types of cancers that can be caused due to smoking According to Cancer Council NSW;
- Cancer of the lung
- Cancers of the mouth, throat, nose, and sinuses
- Cancers of the esophagus
- Cancers of the bladder, kidney, and ureter
- Cancer of the pancreas
- Cancer of the stomach
- Cancer of the liver
- Cancer of the cervix and ovary
- Cancer of the bowel (colorectal cancer)
- Acute myeloid leukemia
1 cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes [26]
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death.
- If no one smokes, 1 of every 3 cancer deaths in the U.S. would not happen.
- In 2020, an estimated 1,806,590 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 606,520 people will die from the disease.
Physical pain and health problems of your body can be avoided by not lighting up a cigarette. Besides the well-documented costs of your health and attractiveness, your bank balance is healthier after quitting smoking.
You save US$ 15,096 per year by not buying nor lighting up any cigarette
Before you pick up a cigarette again, first check out the below summary about the effects of smoking on the human body.
Direct Risks from Smoking – Smoking Damages The Whole Body
Cancers
– Lung – Trachea, bronchus women x 12 times, men x 23 times – Liver – Acute myeloid leukemia – Oropharynx – Larynx – Esophagus – Stomach – Pancreas – Kidney and ureter – Cervix – Bladder – Colorectal – Lip, pharynx, oral cavity, cervix uteri, renal pelvis, colon, and rectum, etc. |
Chronic Diseases
Brain – Stroke x 2 to 4 times |
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Organs and Internal
– Diabetes +30-40% – Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease x 12-13 times – Tuberculosis, asthma, and other respiratory effects – Immune function – Pneumonia – Aortic aneurysm – Atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease |
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Reproductive Disorders
– Reduced fertility (women) – Pregnancy 1) Babyās health would be harmed 2) Preterm delivery 3) Stillbirth 4) Low birth weight 5) Sudden infant death 6) Ectopic pregnancy 7) Orofacial clefts in infants For men |
Heart
– Coronary heart disease women x 5 times, men x 4 times – Rheumatic, pulmonary heart diseases, etc. |
|
Bones
– Hip fractures – Osteoporosis
Musculoskeletal – Rheumatoid arthritis |
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Aesthetic Disadvantage
Hair Androgenetic alopecia (baldness) and premature hair graying
Skin Premature wrinkles and expression lines
Ears Hearing-loss, ear diseases [34]
Teeth Tooth-loss, tooth discoloration |
Eyes
– Blindness, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration Mouth – Congenital defects – Periodontitis
|
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Your bank account
US$ 6.36, an average cost of a pack of cigarettes in the U.S. in 2013 [38] (New York is US$ 10.56 [27]) – US$ 2,321, a pack-a-day for 1 year – US$ 23,210, for 10 years
US$ 35, health-related costs to a smoker per pack of cigarettes in the U.S. – US$ 12,775, a pack-a-day for 1 year – US$ 127,750, for 10 years
= US$ 150,960 for 10 years of smoking. This amount excludes the higher insurance premium that smokers would be charged in the U.S. |
Your Family
Smoking causes 12% of the death of the people you are closed to [6].
Your child Your unborn child would have DNA damage; a shorter telomere meaning aging faster than others and increased health risks [39].
Your granddaughters Smokingās harmful effect is long-lasting. 67% of your granddaughters are likely to display traits of autism if you smoke during pregnancy [40]. |
Check out this article to learn the best ways to quit smoking – it is easier than you think!
The most important step to take is the first step ā admitting you have an addiction
Besides quitting smoking, eating the right food and doing sufficient exercise for your age are key to lead a happy healthy life. Check out these articles!
References:
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