Introduction
In the contemporary world, smoking has become an epidemic that poses various health and economic problems to society (Moini 158). Primarily, smoking has hazardous effects on both passive and active smokers, with the major effects ranging from medical conditions to psychological to another social stigma (Robotin, Olver & Girgis 9).
The difference between passive smoking and active smoking lies in the fact that, the former involves the exposure of people to environmental tobacco smoke while the latter involves people who smoke directly. Generally, smoking tobacco leads to addiction to nicotine; and some of medical complications that can arise from smoking tobacco are respiratory, heart attacks or failure, dental and various types of cancer. Indeed, smoking can be fatal in the long run if not controlled. This paper will discuss the long-term effects of smoking, as well as the possible solutions to the problem.
Effects of long-term smoking
The most common substances smoked are tobacco, marijuana, and cannabis; and out of these, smoking of tobacco is the most common, through either commercial cigarettes or homemade rolls whereas smoking of cannabis marijuana is controlled in some nations. One effect of long-term smoking is in the case of expectant mothers where it leads to low birth weight, infant death or stillbirth. In this case, the children who survive are bound to have troubles with physical development, mental growth, and behavioral advances. In another perspective, long-term smoking not only leads to general deterioration of health, but also hurts the economy of a country due to the huge cost of providing health care and low productivity of the workforce.
The toxic substances in the smoked substances (nicotine and carbon monoxide) weaken the immune system, leaving the person in danger of other infections. Other ailments are caused by damaging or altering the systems. Smoking also has profound effects on the psychological aspects of the users, which may be emotional, cognitive, or behavioral.
Medically, smoking affects almost all vital organs in a person’s system including the respiratory, nervous, reproductive, immune, vascular, circulatory systems, thus increasing the risks of cancers. Various medical effects of long-term smoking are discussed in the subsequent section.
Influence of smoking on the development of Cancer
The most common cancer associated with smoking is lung cancer, and as Kay and Todd (11) notes, “smoking causes 80% of lung cancer and is linked to many other cancers”; however, smokers are also predisposed to other types of cancers namely kidney, oral, esophageal, larynx, cervices, breast and bladder cancer. After diagnosis, continued smoking increases cancer stages and has severe effects on metastatic behaviors. In addition, “continued smoking may reduce effectiveness of treatments or worsen the side” (Robotin, Olver & Girgis 13). Cancer patients who smoke tend to increase chances of secondary tumors and other types of cancers occurrence.
For instance, nicotine and carbon monoxide contained in the smoked substances bring carcinogens that create and increase the risks of cancer. Primarily, lung cancer is caused by tar deposits in the lungs through inhaled smoke, which destroys the lungs and their activities. Comparatively, women smokers have a higher risk of obtaining cancer of the cervices than non-smokers. From a general perspective, the pie chart below indicates the number of smokers who died of lung cancer, in comparison to a non-smoker.
Circulatory Disease
Chemicals like nicotine, when smoked, enter the bloodstream where they are deposited in the blood vessels. These deposits cause narrowing of the blood vessels and could lead to heart failure and strokes which are fatal conditions. When arteries narrow, the heart labors harder hence creating irregular heartbeats. As a result, blood pressure increases, reducing the tolerance for exercise, enhancing clogging of arteries and sometimes collapsing them. The deposits of these chemicals damage the lining of blood vessels making them hardened such that they do not dilate and constrict in the proper manner affecting the blood flow. Another condition emanating from smoking is peripheral arterial disease; this is a significant reduction of blood flow to leg muscles. Indeed, peripheral arterial disease can result in amputation of legs.
Cardio Vascular Disease
Cardiovascular diseases are common because of the destruction of the circulatory system. Clogging of arteries, high blood pressure, or the collapse of arteries leads to heart failure and stroke. Comparatively, smokers who take oral contraceptives are more exposed to cardiovascular diseases than non-smokers are. Generally, smoking increases heartbeats and could lead to palpitation, these increase blood pressure, and result in stroke. Moreover, smoking is claimed to cause corollary heart disease (Pia et al 772).
Respiratory Disease
The role of the respiratory system is to supply oxygen to the body; however, when one is smoking, the amount of oxygen in the blood is reduced by nicotine and carbon monoxide. According to Moini (159) smoking increases the “risks of lung cancer by nearly ten times compared to non-smokers.” In addition, persons with prolonged smoking habits could lead to other respiratory problems like chronic bronchitis, breathing disorders and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as asthma and poor development in children exposed to secondhand smoking or maternal smoking. Moreover, maternal smoking affects severity of asthma and other physical development. Other conditions that are predisposed by smoking are pneumonia and flu.
Reproductive System
Smoking causes reduced fertility in both men and women. For instance, extensive smoking during pregnancy in women affects the mortality and the health of the child, who is born with low weight, thus reducing its chances of living. Generally, children that are born with low weights experience effects in their body and mental development in the future. In the case of adults, men suffer erectile dysfunction due to damaging of blood vessels responsible for erection, while in women, the risks of developing cervical cancer are high. Moreover, smoking reduces bone density and “lowers the age of menopause by two years” (Alters & Schiff 221)
Immunity systems
Long-term smoking usually weakens the immune system, causing the person to be susceptible to bacterial and viral infections. Smoking also counters medication and treatment, delaying the period of recovery. It also increases the risks of side effects associated with some medications like chemotherapy.
Economy
The economy suffers a large loss through the provision of health care for people with diseases related to smoking. Cancers and other conditions like chronic ailments arising from smoking are expensive to treat and manage. In addition, society continues to lose workforce through premature death of smokers or deteriorating health conditions that cannot allow them to work; it creates unemployment for the persons who get ill and become unfit to work hence loss of income. Moreover, addicted smokers have a low productivity due to absenteeism and sick offs. Nevertheless, smokers spent much of their earning to support their habit instead of personal and family development (Goff 1).
Social
Smokers are likely to engage in anti-social behaviors to support their addiction, for example, stealing. There is also the risk of depression and anxiety among long-term smokers due to the addictive nature of the habit (Anonymous 3813). In addition, the persons who end up being amputated give strain to their families as they lose their jobs and have to be taken care of by the immediate family members. Deaths of parents leaving their children have adverse consequences on the society, taxpayers, and the government. For instance, orphans of these parents are traumatized and emotionally disturbed, which could lead to childhood psychiatric disorders. Another social effect of smoking is the fact that most smokers tend to take other drugs and alcohol, making them rejected or ostracized by the social community.
Conclusion
Smoking increases the risks of suffering from lung cancer, damages the respiratory system due to inhalation of toxic substances like nicotine, and adversely compromises the circulatory system since the blood vessels are dented and at times collapse. Smoking also weakens the immune system exposing people to opportunistic infections, while maternal smoking increases infant mortality and severe health consequences to those who survive.
Apart from health issues, smoking leads to other social and economic impairments; for instance, the health care costs are high, orphans are left destitute, unemployment levels increase, and other anti-social behaviors are borne. Generally, the effects of smoking are fatal and controlling or stopping its consumption is bound to increase the quality of life of individuals.
Works Cited
Alters, S., Schiff, W. Essential Concepts for Healthy Living. Ontario: Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2010. Web.
Anonymous. “Depression; Smoking increases depressive symptoms in teens.” Mental Health Weekly Digest. Atlanta: pg. 3813. 2010.
Goff, Kristin. “Job stress is also a private sector matter; mental health issues are leading cause of long-term leave, experts confirm.” The Ottawa Citizen, Vol. 2. 2007.
Hassan, R. Media, Politics and the Network Society. NY: McGraw-Hill International. 2004. Web.
Kay, Martin and Todd, Rebecca. Tobacco challenge issued; WAR ON SMOKING.The Press. Christchurch, New Zealand. 2010. pg. A.11.
Pia, Svedberg et al. “A prospective study of health, life-style and psychosocial predictors of self-rated health.” European Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 21, No.10, pg 767, 2006.
Moini, J. Cardiopulmonary Pharmacology for Respiratory Care. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2010. Web.
Robotin, M., Girgis, A. and Olver, I. When cancer crosses Disciplines: A Physician’s Handbook. Singapore: World Scientific. 2010. Web.