HAZARDS OF SMOKING BY PBL 15

SMOKING DEFINITION
Direct inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes.

EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SMOKING

80 000 100 000 new smokers every day -> 1.22 billion smokers worldwide.

Responsible for six million deaths world-widely each year with many of them occurring prematurely.

In Egypt: 19.6% of 91 million are smokers.

GENDER

Smoking is generally 5 times higher among men than women.

IN EGYPT:

Male: 55.2% -

Female:0.3%

AGE

25%: young teens (13-19 years old)

38%: adults (20 years old and above)

COMPONENTS OF THE CIGARETTE AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE

BODY
The Cigarette is composed of approximately 600 ingredients. They create more than 7,000 chemicals when burned. At least
69 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer, and many are poisonous.
C ARBON MONOXIDE

Carbon monoxide is highly diffusible after inhalation. It enters the bloodstream and reacts with hemoglobin to form
carboxyhemoglobin.

When this happens, the blood is no longer able to carry oxygen. Thus, the oxygen supply in tissues decreases and
they eventually fail and die.

NICOTINE

Nicotine affects our body mainly on 2 levels; CNS and Lungs.

CNS: Nicotine is the addictive component of cigarettes.

Lungs: Nicotine is not considered cancerous on its own but it can promote the growth of tumor cells and
increase their proliferation.

TAR

Tar is the main cause of throat and lung cancer in smokers because it can induce mutations in DNA of lung cells

source of yellow stain on fingers, nails and teeth of smokers

SMOKING AND C ARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Increases heart rate, blood pressure, susceptibility to atherosclerosis, blood clots, coronary artery spasm,
and cardiac arrhythmia.
Decreases HDL-cholesterol.
Contains carbon monoxide, which reduces the blood oxygen carrying capacity and can cause damage to
the arterial walls, (atherosclerosis).

SMOKING AND OTHER HEALTH RISKS

Eyes: sting, water and blink - blindness (macular degeneration) - cataracts.
Hands, Legs : peripheral vascular disease (cold fingers) - gangrene
Bones: osteoporosis - spine and hip fracture.
Blood: leukemia.
Liver, kidney, bladder: cancer.
Diabetes: type 2 (non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus).
Female reproductive: periods pains - earlier menopause- cancer of cervix - infertility.
Male reproductive: deformity of sperms and loss of motility.

PSYCHOLOGIC AL ISSUES
ADDICTION

When a person smokes, a dose of nicotine reaches the brain within about ten seconds.
Nicotine improves mood and concentration, decreases anger and stress, relaxes muscles and reduces appetite.

STRESS
2

 People smoke cigarettes to help ease the signs and symptoms of stress is known as self-medication. Feeling
stressed often makes people drink alcohol or smoke more than usual.
ANXIETY
Nicotine creates an immediate sense of relaxation so people smoke in the belief that it reduces stress and
anxiety. This feeling of relaxation is temporary and soon gives way to withdrawal symptoms.
DEPRESSION:
Nicotine stimulates the release of the chemical dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is involved in triggering
positive feelings. It is often found to be low in people with depression, who may then use cigarettes as a
way of temporarily increasing their dopamine supply.
SCHIZOPHRENIA:
People with schizophrenia are three times more likely to smoke than other people and they tend to smoke
more heavily to manage symptoms of schizophrenia and side effects to its medications.

SOCIOECONOMIC
Low income people smoke more, suffer more, spend more, and die more from tobacco use.
Homelessness makes people exceedingly susceptible to smoking. Studies suggest that between 70 99% of
homeless adults smoke due to high stress and anxiety levels.
ACTIVE SMOKING:
The effect of smoking on the smoker's own health (which was discussed previously).
The inhalation of the smoke by the smoker himself.
PASSIVE SMOKING:
The inhalation of the smoke from other people's cigarettes by nonsmokers.

RISKS OF PASSIVE SMOKING

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM:
Cardiovascular/heart diseases, heart rate variability.

C ANCER:
Lung cancer, breast cancer.
RESPIRATORY DISEASES:
Asthma, increased TB risk
Chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD).