“Health Risks of Smoking”

According to Medical Dictionary from The Free Dictionary (n.d.), “smoking is the

inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars.” The major

component of tobacco is nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance that makes it difficult for

smokers to simply quit their habit. The nicotine substance increases the level of the dopamine

neurotransmitter, which activates the feeling of pleasure and happiness (Ciccarelli & White,

2013). As stated by Benowitz (2010), a doctor who studied nicotine addiction, as the smoker

inhales the nicotine, it dashes promptly to one’s brain, where it produces the feeling of

satisfaction and in turn, reduces stress and anxiety. This is one of the reasons why smokers are

fond of inhaling the smoke of burning tobacco. According to his researches, as they do it more

often, their brain becomes more dependent and used to the inhaled nicotine, which means that

they have to smoke more to receive the same feeling. People smoke for many different reasons

which include coping mechanism for stress and anxiety, pleasure, relaxation, peer pressure,

weight control and many more. A research by Shoss (1997) studied these reasons to different

types of smokers such as stress smoker, social smoker, young smoker, skinny smoker and smoker

who refuses to quit. Despite these reasons, smokers must deal with many health risks associated

with one of the strongest addiction recognized by all. Smoking has harmful effects on a person’s

health physically, mentally and emotionally.

The physical condition of the body is at risk when inhaling the chemicals from tobacco.

According to the study conducted by Champion et al. (2017), smoking is one of the six key
behavioural risk factors that has been identified as a strong determinant of chronic diseases like

cancer. The smoke that a person inhales has chemicals that enter the bloodstream and could

damage the body. Smoking causes 15 types of cancer, which includes cancers of the mouth,

pharynx, nose and sinuses, larynx, esophagus, liver, pancreas, stomach, kidney, bowel, ovary,

bladder, cervix, and some types of leukemia (“How Smoking Causes Cancer,” 2018). The main

type of cancer associated with smoking is the lung cancer. The study of Islami, Torre & Jemal

(2015) stated that in 2012, approximately 1,590,000 died because of lung cancer and it is the

leading cause of death worldwide. The death rates differ across the nation for both genders and

this variation follows the trend of smoking since it is the cause of most of the lung cancer cases.

Smoking tobacco harms one’s lungs by damaging first the airways and small air sacs in the lungs

(“Health Risks,” n.d.). The damage starts at the early stage and the function of the lungs

continues to aggravate as the person continues to smoke. Long-term lung diseases are called

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In accordance with the study of Pallasaho et al.

(2014), the negative health effects of COPD rises up as the person smokes more or if one is

continuously exposed to dusts, gases or fumes. Furthermore, it gets worse as time goes by and

there is no cure for this disease. “Smoking is by far the most common cause of COPD and

chronic bronchitis is a type of COPD (“Health Risks,” n.d.).” According to Mejza et al. (2017),

“chronic bronchitis is defined epidemiologically as cough and sputum production for greater than

or equal to 3 months in each of least two consecutive years.” The airways make mucus, thus,

forcing the person to remove it by coughing. As the airways become swollen, the cough becomes

chronic and this can lead to more lung infections.

The physique of a person can also be damaged because of continuous usage of the

nicotine substance. Nicotine reduces appetite which is the reason why light smokers have lower
body weight compared to heavy smokers who gain weight fast because of other risky behavior

associated to their lifestyle (Chiolero, Faeh, Paccaud & Cornuz, 2008). Some beginners of this

habit become thin since nicotine releases a hormone called melanocortin which inhibits people to

feeding behavior (Hanson, 2011), while some heavy smokers gain weight fast because their risky

lifestyle which include too much eating and no exercise.

With regard to the mental state of the smokers, Malik, Kohli & Sharma (2015) found out

that smokers have poorer mental health compared to non-smokers. Some people believe that

smoking cigarettes could help ease the signs of stress and anxiety. But, according to Moylan,

Jacka, Pasco, & Berk (2013), cigarette smoking affects the biological pathways of a smoker that

may increase the risk of anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders. As per the study conducted by

Benowitz (2010) about the biological factors of nicotine addiction, nicotine creates the feeling of

satisfaction, which makes them believe that it reduces stress and anxiety. Moreover, the

satisfaction felt is just for a short period of time and will eventually lead to withdrawal symptoms

that intensifies the cravings. The findings of the research of Anda (1990) states that depression

plays an important role in the dynamics of cigarette smoking through the analysis of data from

the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the National Health and

Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. Some people start to smoke

before having depression, while some start to smoke because of depression. It is quite uncertain

whether smoking causes depression or depression leads people to smoke. The only certain thing

is that there is a correlation between depression and smoking of tobacco. Based on the findings

of Degenhardt & Hall (2001), continuous usage of tobacco is strongly associated with higher

rates of affective disorders since smokers were reported greater psychological distress and

disability than non-smokers.

emotional condition. Smokers are addicted to the nicotine substance, making them dependent

on it. “Many smokers are having view that smoking increases emotional problems and feelings

of depression and anxiety” (“Quitting Smoking,” 2014). Articles and studies have shown that

smoking could decrease emotional stability. Giannakopoulos et al. (2010) emphasized in their

research that “emotional symptoms, conduct problems and hyperactivity/inattention were all

significantly associated with adolescents' current smoking.” Smokers think smoking is their way

of coping with their emotional distress since it gives them the feeling of pleasure and

satisfaction. This belief is not true because they just become addicted to the substance itself,

which leads them to mistakenly associate their ability to relax to their addiction. Moreover,

smokers feel isolated according to a poll by the 2013 Gallup Survey by Katie Bass. Ninety-three

percent of non-smokers felt that they were treated with respect, while only eighty-seven percent

of smokers felt that. People who smoke are less likely than non-smokers to feel positive

emotions, to smile and to laugh. A report by Cerimele, Halperin & Saxon (2014) suggests that

smoking is common to those who are emotionally isolated because of their mental state.

The harmful effects of smoking on one’s health is highly evident. Inhaling the smoke of

burning tobacco has been recognized as one of the strong determinants of long-term diseases

such as cancer. It also causes weight loss for some and weight gain for those who are heavy

smokers with sedentary lifestyle. Additionally, smokers have higher risks of experiencing

psychosis and greater psychological distress than people who are non-smokers. Lastly, smoking

rises the level of emotional despair of a person. They tend to think that smoking is their only way

of coping with problems, but in reality, it just isolates them from the world which would

eventually make them unhappy. On that account, smoking can worsen the physical state and
mental condition of a person since it can develop different diseases. Having an illness affects

one’s emotional health negatively, which means that smoking is not a way to manage feelings.

Furthermore, “secondhand smoke causes disease and premature death in nonsmoking adults and

children“ (“The Health Consequences,“ 2006). Aside from developing diseases associated with

smoking, one’s habit can be a reason for the health illness of non-smokers. People who don’t

smoke can develop different diseases through second-hand smoke. This is passed by smokers

who blow the smoke into the air and eventually, inhaled by non-smokers. Second-hand smoke

has benzo[a]pyrene which is one of the most potent cancer-causing chemicals, formaldehyde,

hydrogen cyanide and ammonia (“The Harmful Effects,” 2018). These chemicals are very

dangerous which could poison a person. “More than 6 million people across the world die every

year from causes directly linked to tobacco use, and about a million more die from second-hand

smoke” (Byrnes, 2018). Smokers do not only harm themselves but also the people around them.

Smokers must start helping themselves to stop smoking. In fact, there are no physical

reasons which view that one needs to smoke. The physical structure of a person does not require

these substances from the cigarettes the way it requires water and food. Chemicals and

substances from tobacco can actually kill a person (Ben-Joseph, 2016). Smokers should engage

themselves in programs, activities and rehabilitation centers that would make them quit. A study

of Barnett et al. (2008) about “Smoking Cessation Program” produced results which state that

these types of programs are highly cost-effective. Although it is hard to withdraw from this habit,

smoking is definitely one’s choice. It is in the person’s hands whether to quit or to continue. As

said by an author and motivational speaker, Jim Rohn (n.d.), “If you really want to do something,

you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.” People know that smoking is really bad for

one’s health. Having the knowledge about the risks of smoking is a proof that smokers must be
responsible enough for their choices. Laying all the consequences and negative effects not only

on one’s physical, mental and emotional condition of the body but also on non-smokers, is ought

to help smokers think thoroughly about quitting their smoking habits. They should find different

ways in coping with their problems and find help with professionals regarding their conditions.

People should know that keeping their hormone levels at equilibrium can make them feel the

satisfaction and pleasure without the help of nicotine, hence, smokers must stop the habit of

smoking since it doesn’t have a good impact to one’s health.

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