Smoking is one of the factors that are considered the leading causes of several health problems in the current society. As Fritz (2008) says, there is a need to encourage people to adopt a lifestyle that would help in protecting the health of an individual. The above scholar is of the view that many professionals, including doctors, support the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Other professionals, such as psychologists and teachers, have firsthand experience of how some health complications would negatively affect some users. The cost of living is on the rise, while employment opportunities are shrinking. The health facilities are under pressure to increase their capacity, but due to the limited resources, the government has not been possible to meet the demands needed in the hospitals. This has seen the cost of accessing proper medical attention skyrocket within the past decade. This has been the main reason why people are constantly advised to adopt healthy lifestyles that would ensure that they keep doctors away.
Most smokers would develop the smoking habit out of the fun. They consider this behavior a form of lifestyle that would help them be categorized in a specific group of people. Some start smoking as a way of gaining acceptance to a certain group of people. As Wong (2000) says, no one is born a smoker. Similarly, smoking is not medicinal, and as such, it is not possible that one could have been addicted because of a medical condition. Getting into addiction as a chain smoker always starts of one’s own willingness to be a smoker. However, after a successful introduction into the habit, the behavior of an individual would change forever. Smoking will cease being an activity done to generate fun. It would be a necessity without which the body might not function properly. Indeed, there has always been a massive global campaign against smoking. A section of the society may be wondering why this vice has attracted the attention of various professionals and the public in general. Smoking has several severe health conditions that make it unfit for people. It affects the health of an individual to the extent that it might lead to amputation. Several individuals have lost some parts of their bodies simply because of smoking.
Liver cirrhosis is one of the main health complications that result from smoking. Have you ever wondered where all smoke that one inhale goes? The best physical test would be to study the chimneys or the car exhaust for a while. When the car is newly taken from the showroom, the exhaust is sparkling clean. After driving the car for a while, the exhaust would develop black soot. The same would be the case with the chimney. As time goes by and as the chimney or the exhaust is continually put into use, the soot gets bigger and uglier. It reaches a time when the soot has to be scraped off to increase the efficiency and make the exhaust or the chimney more effective.
Similarly, this is what happens to the lungs and the entire respiratory organs as one persists with the smoking habit (Hawkins, Mothersbaugh, & Best, 2010). The soot would start developing in the lungs as one continues to smoke. When this habit is not changed as soon as possible, the individual would have an infection of the lungs as the smoke accumulates. The soot would settle in the chambers of the lungs, blocking them from functioning completely. This would render the lungs ineffective. The liver would face difficulties in ensuring that the lung is cleaned to allow it to perform its functions. This means that the soot will be transferred into the liver. The liver will try to eliminate this contamination for a while. However, as their volume becomes unbearable, it would affect the liver to the extent that it would not be functioning. This contaminant will negatively affect the liver leading to what is always referred to as liver cirrhosis. This health complication can lead to death if it is not addressed appropriately.
Smoking is also known to contribute to other health conditions. According to Graham (2010), smoking has been confirmed to be the leading cause of some forms of cancer. The above scholar says that smoking always increases the chances of one developing such cancers as cancer of the throat and mouth. Cancer is a medical condition that has been considered the leading cause of death in the world today. A case in point is the death of Apple Inc’s founder and former chief executive, Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs was a chain smoker who heavily relied on smoking to make the body system function properly. Since this habit is welcome in society, the famous CEO did not consider it a factor that could complicate his health. When this realization dawned on him, it was too late. The smoke had massively affected him, and he was diagnosed with cancer. He ignored the advice of the medics to quit smoking and adopt a different behavior that would save his life, but he was reluctant to do so.
Consequently, he was brought to his humbling knees by this complication. The demise of Steve Jobs should be a wakeup call to all smokers and those planning to join smoking. These people should know that smoking is dangerous. There are other consequences of smoking, such as changing the coloration of the teeth. The smoke makes the teeth to develop a brown coloration that may not be pleasant, especially among the youth and the middle-aged individuals who would always want to be presentable to others. Smoking may also make one be alienated from friends. Some people hate smoking with a passion. This may force one to drop trusted friends because of this habit.
Smoking is a habit that may be easy to start, but getting out of this vice might be one of the biggest challenges in one’s lifetime. Psychologists have always stated that quitting smoking is not as easy as quitting other addictions, such as alcoholism. Although it is not an impossibility, the process of quitting this habit is always complex and may be accompanied by some pain, especially when an individual reaches an advanced stage. As such, it is always important that this habit should not be started in the first place. One gains no advantage by being a smoker. However, the health and social complications that are accompanied by this are always devastating. One faces a possibility of rejection from trusted friends, besides developing the dreaded cancer disease. This may change the lifestyle of an individual permanently.
References
Fritz, R. (2008). The power of a positive attitude: Discovering the key to success. New York: American Management Association.
Graham, J. (2010). Critical thinking in consumer behavior: Cases and experiential exercises. Boston: Prentice Hall.
Hawkins, D., Mothersbaugh, D., & Best, R. (2010). Consumer behavior: Building marketing strategy. Boston: McGraw Hill.
Wong, R. (2000). Motivation: A bio-behavioral approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.