Smoking: The Hidden Harm

Why is smoking so bad for someone? The answer is both obvious and not-so obvious at the same time. There are all the reasons we already know why smoking is bad, but there are so many other reasons that are often inter-linked with each other that result in making smoking the perfect killing act. We’ve all seen people puffing away seemingly oblivious or in denial about the harm they are doing to their body. Anyone who has smoked themselves will know what it feels like, the combination of a thick smoke and intense smell of ash rushing through a person’s lungs. The feeling can be exhilarating. But what is going on inside the body while all of this is happening?

The chemical reaction begins with the first light of the cigarette. From there the flame ignites the myriad of chemicals contained within each cigarette. The heated smoke then travels to the chest where it is processed by the lungs. Nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream and the addictive process begins. The body is able to take all of these chemicals and efficiently eliminate them but eventually time will always catch up to any smoker.
A smoker is essentially coating their lungs with tar over time. The result is that roughly half of lifetime smokers will die from this habit. They may not just die of cancer though. Other smoking relating diseases include asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis. Smoking also produces carbon monoxide and can greatly influence the development of heart disease and stroke. Smoking can also be devastating during pregnancy since it increases premature births, unhealthy birth weights, and even fetal tobacco syndrome.

For all we know about smoking, there is so much more going on in our bodies that we can’t see. It is all these hidden processes in our bodies where all the damage is being done. So while we know smoking bad for us, and that fact is imprinted in our brains, if we could see the effects on our bodies, we would be much less likely to start smoking and current smokers would surely want to stop smoking now. Unfortunately, we can’t see all of these things and the harmful effects seem to be things that “happen to someone else”, so the habit continues. Before picking up that cigarette, please consider what you might not be seeing.

Other Visitors Read