keep smoking.

Because of

Stomach Pancreas Cervix Kidney Bladder Ovary (a type called mucinous ovarian cancer) Colorectum (the colon and/or the rectum) Acute myeloid leukemia Smoking accounts for 80% of lung cancer deaths. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women, and is one of the hardest cancers to treat.Lung cancer can often be prevented. Some religious groups that promote nonsmoking as part of their religion, such as Mormons and Seventh-day Adventists, have much lower rates of lung cancer and other smoking-related cancers.

health problems caused by smoking

As serious as cancer is, it accounts for less than half of the deaths related to smoking each year. Smoking is a major cause of many other deadly health problems heart disease, aneurysms, bronchitis, emphysema, and stroke.Using tobacco can damage a womans reproductive health and hurt babies. Tobacco use is linked with reduced fertility and a higher risk of miscarriage, early delivery (premature birth), and stillbirth. Its also a cause of low birth-weight in infants. It has been linked to a higher risk of birth defects and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), too.Smoking can make pneumonia and asthma worse and it has been linked to other health problems, including gum disease, cataracts, bone thinning, hip fractures, and peptic ulcers. Some studies have also linked smoking to macular degeneration, an eye disease that can cause blindness.Smoking can cause or worsen poor blood flow in the arms and legs (peripheral vascular disease or PVD.) Surgery to improve the blood flow often doesnt work in people who

this, many vascular surgeons (surgeons who work on blood vessels) wont do certain surgeries on patients with PVD unless they stop smoking.The smoke from cigarettes (called secondhand smoke or environmental tobacco smoke) can also have harmful health effects on those exposed to it. Adults and children can have health problems from breathing secondhand smoke. (See our documents called Secondhand Smoke and Women and Smoking.)

Cancers caused by smoking

Cigarette smoking accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths. It is linked with an increased risk of these cancers: Lung Larynx (voice box) Oral cavity (mouth, tongue, and lips) Nose and sinuses Pharynx (throat) Esophagus (tube connecting the throat to the stomach)

Effects of smoking on how long you live and your quality of life
Cigarette smokers die younger than non-smokers. In fact, according to a study done in the late 1990s by the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC), smoking shortened male smokers lives by 13.2 years and female smokers lives by 14.5 years. Men and women who smoke are much more likely to die between the ages of 35 and 69 than those who have never smoked.But not all of the health problems related to smoking result in deaths. Smoking affects a smokers health in many ways, harming nearly every organ of the body and causing many diseases. The diseases often seen are chronic bronchitis, emphysema, heart attacks, strokes, and cancer. And some studies have found that male smokers may be more likely to be sexually impotent (have erectile dysfunction) than non-smokers.These problems can steal away a persons quality of life long before death. Smokingrelated illness can limit a persons daily life by making it harder to breathe, get --------------------------------------People begin smoking for a variety of reasons, but after their health deteriorates, they often want to kick the habit. Since nicotine is a habit-forming drug, quitting can be a challenge for many smokers. Behavior modification, advance planning and diet alterations, as well as nicotine replacement and a strong emotional support system, may offer solutions to help smokers quit the habit.

The following are some possible solutions to deal with this menace; Smoking Laws Because cigarette smoking affects other people beyond the smoking individual through second hand smoke and third hand smoke it is imperative to effectively enact smoking laws.Many countries are controlling smoking by banning smoking in bars, restaurants, hotels and many other public places. In the UK for example it is mandatory for public buildings and pubic transport to display no smoking signs. Most states in America today do not permit cigarettes in public places.Smoking laws have been credited as a smoking solution due to sharp drops in heart attacks in communities that previously had a high prevalence of such. This would obviously significantly reduce the health care bill and consequently the taxpayer's burden.Anti smoking laws can also be used to regulate cigarette adverti sing by tobacco companies. In South Africa for instance, cigarette advertising is banned including the advertising of any other product showing people smoking or holding cigarettes.

Tougher laws against tobacco companies in the US have helped reign them in albeit with much resistance and counter maneuvers. The downside being the transfer of the tobacco burden to developing markets such as China, Africa and the rest of Asia. Many western establishments are now contracting farmers in developing countries to grow tobacco andmanufacture cigarettes. Access to Information Improved access to smoking related information is also key to effective smoking solutions. Most people who smoke hardly have any idea of the end result of their smoking habit. Information on the dangers of smoking must be made widely available especially to teen smokers. The fastest growing group of smokers at over 80000 new smokers per day globally. Over 3000 per day in America.Many people who want to quit smoking hardly have a clue as to were to start. Some try on their own but are quickly reigned in by the sometimessevere nicotine withdrawal symptoms that follow and are bullied into continuing. A little information on how to prepare to stop smoking and how to deal with withdrawal symptoms would surely make a

whole world of difference.On a global scale smoking is increasing in developing countries. Not only that more and more women are also getting to smoke in these countries as women are finally being considered equal and capable partners. This is at a time when smoking statistics are falling in the developed world due to increasing knowledge.Stopping the spread of the tobacco menace in these developing and poorer countries will take more resources to destroy ignorance to the dangers of smoking cigarettes. Access to Stop Smoking Products and Programs Even if information were made available it would be of limited and less effective purpose if stop smoking products still remained out of the reach of many. Also of importance are quit smoking programs which usually offer free stop smoking products and are also key to reducing the number of smokers.Individuals, communities and governments will have to spend more on purchasing quit smoking aids such as nicotine chewing gum . These products when used together with quit smoking programs have been shown to be highly effective smoking

solutions.Quit smoking programs will take quitting smokers by hand stage by stage to ensure they succeed. This can be done on a mass scale with 30 to 50 smokers on a program in any given locality.To increase access, some effective quit smoking drugs such as Chantix will need government subsidization. This is the tragedy of tobacco usage; it is a costly damage to repair. Stop Smoking Campaigns More smoking solutions would also include massive stop smoking campaigns via TV, Radio and the Internet. Billboards, SMS and over medium can also be effective in communicating the stop smoking message.Campaigns must only be careful not to leave the targeted audience convinced yet stranded by failing to guide on the next step after driving the message to quit home.Other methods especially to do with teens would be for parents and guardians, schools and other authorities to spend more time with the young people to understand their behavioral patterns. This would help to quickly identify changes induced by tobacco smoking.

Health Effects of Smoking

Did you know that smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the country? In fact, more than one in five deaths in the United States are contributed to tobacco use. It is so powerful and dangerous that it affects almost every part of the human body. Heart When you smoke, your pulse quickens, causing your heart to beat an extra 10-25 times per minute, or as many as 36,000 additional times a day. This forces the heart to work harder and can double the risk of a heart attack. Cigarette smoking is directly responsible for at least 20% of all deaths from heart disease; it lowers "good" cholesterol levels, causes deterioration of elastic properties in the aorta and increases the risk for blood clots. Lungs Cigarette smoke attacks the lungs' natural defenses and can completely paralyze the natural cleansing process. Excess mucus in the lungs will make you more susceptible to colds, flu, bronchitis and other respiratory infections. Continued exposure can lead to lung cancer and lung diseases, including pneumonia and emphysema. Smoking causes 90% of lung cancer in men and 80% in women. Cancer Lung cancer is just one of the serious health risks caused by smoking. Smokers are also susceptible to cancers of the larynx, mouth, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, kidney, cervix, stomach, and possibly breast, according to new research. Eyes Smokers have a much higher risk of developing two major sight-threatening conditions. Macular degeneration can occur when the macula, the central part of the retina at the back of the eye, becomes scarred, inhibiting the central central

vision. Research has shown that smokers are about three times more likely to develop cataracts, a gradual thickening that develops in the lens of the eye. Smoke can also cause serious irritation for those who wear soft contact lenses. Nose & Throat Irritating gases in cigarette smoke, such as formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and others, can cause serious irritation to the sensitive membranes in the nose and throat. The results: a runny nose and the proverbial smoker's cough. Continued exposure can produce abnormal thickening in the throat lining, a condition, when accompanied with cellular changes, that has been linked to throat cancer. Mouth Stained yellow teeth, bad breath and an acute loss in the sense of taste are just some of the less serious consequences of smoking. Smoking as well as the use of spit tobacco or "chew" can also contribute to cancer of the lips, gums and throat. Skin Smoker's have what is called a "smoker's face." Characterized by a grayish appearance of the skin and deep lines around the corners of the eyes and mouth, smoker's face is caused by a lack of oxygen to the skin. These conditions occur because smoking constricts the blood vessels in the skin, making it more susceptible to wrinkling. Male Reproductive System The negative effects of smoking on the blood vessels leading to the male reproductive organs may mean men can experience erectile dysfunction or even impotency. Smoking can also affect fertility by decreasing sperm count and mobility. In fact, smokers are 50% more likely to become impotent. Female Reproductive System Cigarette smoking increases the risk for infertility, preterm delivery, stillbirth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Bones Smokers have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition that involves bone thinning. The loss of bone tissue, more prevalent among women, can result in an increase of bone fractures. Blood The carbon monoxide inhaled with each drag on a cigarette can stay in the bloodstream for up to six hours and the levels are four times higher than normal. Once in the bloodstream, it begins attacking the red blood cells, virtually replacing the oxygen your body needs to function. The process means less oxygen is available to the brain and other vital organs. Digestive System Smokers are at greater risk of developing peptic ulcers, Crohn's disease and gallstones and can experience chronic heartburn. Smoking also affects the way the liver operates, particularly in terms of how it processes alcohol.