Breathing Life Out In The Smoke!

While smoking seem may 'cool and trendy' why do you want to be a criminal? Not only hurting your ownself but also the people around you and your future generations who for no reason would be suffering coz 'you adapted this crime thinking it cool'.

Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 different chemicals, out of which at least 69 are known carcinogens (Cancer causing).

Arsenic a known carcinogen causing lung and urinary bladder cancer is important constituent of cigarette. New research suggests that the route of Arsenic administration (inhaled or present in drinking water) is not important but the dose of Arsenic to which we are exposed.(Ref: Smith AH, Ercumen AY, Yuan YA, Steinmaus CM.Increased lung cancer risks are similar whether arsenic is ingested or inhaled.J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2009 Feb 4). Arsenic is a late carcinogen meaning that you may be exposed to Arsenic sometime earlier but the cancer develops years after.

Arsenic also affects the developing baby by affecting it's thymus (involved in providing immunity), it's growth and also affects breast milk. Arsenic reported to damage heart and blood vessels.

Acetaldehyde from tobacco smoke is damaging to DNA causing abnormal muscle development by binding to proteins. (Ref: Nicholas S. Aberle, II, Larry Burd, Bonnie H. Zhao and Jun Ren (2004). "Acetaldehyde-induced cardiac contractile dysfunction may be alleviated by vitamin b1 but not by vitamins B6 or B12". Alcohol & Alcoholism 39 (5): 450-454)

The cigarette smoke contains up to 1,000 times more acrolein. It causes DNA damage ,could cause lung cancer.

A colorless cyclic hydrocarbon obtained from coal and petroleum, used as a solvent in fuel and in chemical manufacture - and contained in cigarette smoke. It is a known carcinogen and is associated with childhood leukemia. (Ref:Chang JS.Parental smoking and childhood leukemia.Methods Mol Biol. 2009;472:103-37) So why gift cancer to your kid?

Greater than 95% of both ammonia and nicotine environmental tobacco are likely to deposit in the oral cavity and upper respiratory tract following exposure. Ammonia is toxic to human body.

Cadmium apart from causing lung cancer disrupts the uterus function, affects the sperm motility (Ref: Kumosani TA, Elshal MF, Al-Jonaid AA, Abduljabar HS.The influence of smoking on semen quality, seminal microelements and Ca2+-ATPase activity among infertile and fertile men.Clin Biochem. 2008 Oct;41(14-15):1199-203) affecting craniofacial, neurological, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and limbs in the newborn. The latest research finds more Cadmium in blood and scalp hair in people who smoke. (Ref: Kazi TG, Memon AR, Afridi HI, Jamali MK, Arain MB et al.Determination of cadmium in whole blood and scalp hair samples of Pakistani male lung cancer patients by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer.Sci Total Environ. 2008 Jan 25;389(2-3):270-6)

The hexavalent Chromium is known carcinogen. Higher levels of chromium were observed in smoking people, cause of lung cancer. Increases damage to DNA by allowing binding of carcinogen Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon in cigarette smoke to DNA.

A colorless liquid, highly poisonous, used to preserve dead bodies - also found in cigarette smoke. Known to cause respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal problems. Although a carcinogenNo definite association with oral cancer observed.In addition, formaldehyde caused metabolic acidosis, which was augmented by iron deficiency. Furthermore, newborns exposed to formaldehyde in utero had abnormal performances in open-field tests. (Ref:Thrasher JD, Kilburn KH.Embryo toxicity and teratogenicity of formaldehyde.Arch Environ Health. 2001 Jul-Aug;56(4):300-11.)

9.Tar

Particulate matter drawn into lungs when you inhale on a lighted cigarette. Once inhaled, smoke condenses and about 70 per cent of the tar in the smoke is deposited in the smoker's lungs. It is a mixture of lots of chemicals, many of which can cause cancer. High nicotine/tar content cigarette smoke increases level of bacterias namely S. mutans and S. sanguis (causing dental decay of tooth) (Ref:Zonuz AT, Rahmati A, Mortazavi H, Khashabi E, Farahani RM.Effect of cigarette smoke exposure on the growth of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sanguis: an in vitro study.Nicotine Tob Res. 2008 Jan;10(1):63-7)

One of the most addictive substances known to man, a powerful and fast-acting medical and non-medical poison. This is the chemical which causes addiction. Nicotine increases the chances of oral cancer though not directly .(Ref:Gemenetzidis E, Bose A, Riaz AM, Chaplin T, Young BD, Ali M, Sugden D, Thurlow JK, Cheong SC, Teo SH, Wan H, Waseem A, Parkinson EK, Fortune F, Teh MT.FOXM1 upregulation is an early event in human squamous cell carcinoma and it is enhanced by nicotine during malignant transformation.PLoS ONE. 2009;4(3):e4849) Similarly high levels of nicotine in the blood of the smokers can accelerate the process of cancer spread (metastasis)
(Ref:Guo J, Ibaragi S, Zhu T, Luo LY, Hu GF, Huppi PS, Chen CY.Nicotine promotes mammary tumor migration via a signaling cascade involving protein kinase C and CDC42.Cancer Res. 2008 Oct 15;68(20):8473-81)

An odorless, tasteless and poisonous gas, rapidly fatal in large amounts - it's the same gas that comes out of car exhausts and is the main gas in cigarette smoke, formed when the cigarette is lit.Binds strongly with Hemoglobin preventing it's binding with Oxygen. Can be lethal in high doses.

Group of carcinogens linked with lung cancer development also causing growth reduction during periods of human development in uterus.(Ref:Detmar J, Rennie MY, Whiteley KJ, Qu D, Taniuchi Y, Shang X, Casper RF, Adamson SL, Sled JG, Jurisicova A.Fetal growth restriction triggered by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is associated with altered placental vasculature and AhR-dependent changes in cell death.Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Aug;295(2):E519-30.)

Polonium (radioactive element) exerts its carcinogenic activity, especially in people with impaired respiratory mucosal clearance. The carcinogenic risk/one year lifetime of a smoker of 20 cigarettes per day is equivalent to that of undertaking 300 chest x-rays.(Ref: Zagà V, Gattavecchia E.[Polonium: the radioactive killer from tobacco smoke] Pneumologia. 2008 Oct-Dec;57(4):249-54)

Internal tobacco industry documents reveal that the companies suppressed publication of their own internal research to avoid heightening the public's awareness of radioactivity in cigarettes. Tobacco companies continue to minimize their knowledge about polonium-210 in cigarettes in smoking and health litigation. (Ref:Muggli ME, Ebbert JO, Robertson C, Hurt RD.Waking a sleeping giant: the tobacco industry's response to the polonium-210 issue.Am J Public Health. 2008 Sep;98(9):1643-50)

The smoke contains traces of polonium, which become deposited inside the lung airways and deliver radiation directly to surrounding cells.

Lethal intakes are expected to cause severe damage to the kidney, spleen, stomach, small and large intestines, lymph nodes, skin, and testes (males) in addition to the fatal damage to bone marrow.(Ref:Scott BR.Health risk evaluations for ingestion exposure of humans to polonium-210.Dose Response. 2007 Apr 20;5(2):94-122)

Following is a table listing harmful effects of smoking (Adapted from Kumar & Clark. Clinical Medicine.5th edtition.W.B. Saunders. Pg 855)

General

Lung cancer, C.O.P.D., Esophageal carcinoma, Ischemic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, bladder cancer, increase in abnormal sperms and memory problems.

Passive smoking

Risk of asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis in infants of smoking parents. Increase in cough and breathlessness in smokers and non-smokers with C.O.P.D. and asthma.Increased cancer risk.

Maternal smoking

A decrease in the birth weight of the infant. Increase in fetal and neonatal mortality and increase in asthma.

Here is a mini review of what cigarette smoking is known to cause ( how many things are not known right now!)

An estimated 400,000 deaths each year are caused directly by cigarette smoking. Esophageal cancer and almost all cancers of larynx occur in smokers. 90% of lung cancers occur in people who smoke. Women seem more susceptible to development of lung cancer by smoking. Stopping the smoking reduces the risk of developing lung cancer but the risk would never return to the baseline.

Passive smoking (in which you do not smoke but inhale the smoke of the criminals holding cigarettes) also increases the risk twice of developing lung cancer. The epithelium of respiratory tract of smokers start to change and it is this change in epithelium that gives rise to squamous cell carcinoma. The smoke irritates the respiratory epithelium due to which it constricts causing increased tone.

Heavy smokers if exposed to asbestos face 55 times greater risk of having lung cancers than the non-smokers exposed to asbestos.

When one or more packs of cigarettes are smoked per day for several years, the risk of Ischemic Heart Disease (I.H.D.) raises about 200%.

The single most important cause of chronic bronchitis is smoking. Similarly tobacco and nicotine have been implicated in lung damage in emphysema. The nicotine has direct chemoattractant effect on neturophils and macrophages (white blood cells) which when reach the lung cause tissue damage. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (C.O.P.D.) is caused mainly by cigarette smoking and is related to the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Risk of death from C.O.P.D. in patients smoking 30 cigarettes is 20 times higher than non-smoker.

Smoking is a risk factor in peripheral arterial disease and thromboangitis obliterans. People suffering from Raynaud's disease should not smoke as well. Similarly smoking has also been implicated in polycythemia.

The mixture of nicotine and carbon monoxide in each cigarette you smoke temporarily increases your heart rate and blood pressure, straining your heart and blood vessels. This may cause increased susceptibility towards heart attacks and stroke.

Smoking causes fat deposits to narrow and block blood vessels which leads to heart attack.

In younger people, three out of four deaths from heart disease are due to smoking.

Tobacco use is the most common cause of oral cancer and leukoplakia (pre-cancerous lesion).

Kidney cancers occur high in smoker because of high exposure to Cadmium. Similarly carcinoma of pancreas also occur in smokers.

The most common form of vulvular carcinoma is found in younger patients who smoke.

People who smoke are more likely to develop an ulcer, especially a duodenal ulcer, and ulcers are less likely to heal quickly among smokers in response to otherwise effective treatment. An unhealed ulcer has potential towards cancerous change. This research tracing the relationship between smoking and ulcers strongly suggests that a person with an ulcer should stop smoking as cigarette smoking impairs mucosal blood flow and healing.

Smoking accelerates bone loss and may negate the beneficial effect of estrogen therapy possibly by accelerating estrogen metabolism.

Crohn's disease causes inflammation deep in the lining of the intestine. The disease, which causes pain and diarrhea, usually affects the small intestine, but it can occur anywhere in the digestive tract. Research shows that current and former smokers have a higher risk of developing Crohn's disease than nonsmokers do. Among people with the disease, smoking is associated with a higher rate of relapse, repeat surgery, and immunosuppressive treatment. In all areas, the risk for women, whether current or former smokers, is slightly higher than for men.

Smokers suffer 3 times greater risk of developing peridontitis than non-smokers.

Smoking also alters the human sperm DNA structure resulting in either the decrease in the number of male sperms or increase or affects the normal function of the sperm , thus producing either disabled children or no children at all , smoking in women also causes ill development of baby , sterility and often abortion.

Nicotine is the constriction of bronchioles of lung increasing the resistance to movement of airflow. It also paralyzes the movement of cilia due to which debris cannot be cleared and difficulty in breathing is experienced, also resulting from the fact that smoke being an irritant increases fluid secretion into the bronchial tree. Hence even a light smoker often feels respiratory strain during maximum exercise and level of performance would be reduced.