Effects of Smoking

Effects of Smoking
Smoking is known to be the principal avoidable cause of premature deaths in the UK. 106,000 deaths in the UK are caused by smoking every year (87,000 in England). Over 9 million adults in England still smoke.
The Department's tobacco control programmer is split into six 'strands', which each contribute to the overall reduction in smoking. Since 1998 adult smoking rates in England have fallen from 28% to 22% in 2006. These are the lowest smoking rates in England on record.
There are many effects of smoking on health, & these include:

Coronary heart disease
Smokers under the age of 40 have five times greater risk of heart attack than non-smokers.  Smoking causes about 17% of deaths from heart disease.

Cerebrovascular disease

Smoking doubles the risk of stroke
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
COPD affects the lungs & respiratory system. Among st other symptoms, breathing normally is made extremely difficult.  A person with COPD will gradually experience a decline in the function of their lungs.  Smoking is the main cause of
COPD.  Between 80 - 90% of all deaths from COPD are due to smoking.

Cancer
About one third of cancer deaths can be attributable to smoking. People who smoke between 1 to 14 cigarettes a day have eight times the risk of dying from lung cancer compared to non-smokers.  Lung cancer is particularly associated with
smoking, but also linked are cancers of esophagus, larynx, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix & stomach.

Emphysema
Emphysema is a severe lung disease.  Alveolar in the lungs become damaged due to tobacco smoke.

Psychological effects of addiction
Through addiction to nicotine, a person can develop a psychological, uncontrollable dependence on tobacco.  Stopping smoking would cause emotional &/or physical reactions.

Smoking in pregnancy & after birth
Smoking while pregnant causes increased risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, & inhibited child development.  Smoking by parents following the birth is linked to sudden infant death syndrome, & higher rates of infant respiratory illness.

Secondhand smoke
Secondhand smoke is a mixture of side stream smoke from the burning tip of a cigarette, & mainstream smoke exhaled by a smoker. There is evidence that secondhand smoke has negative health effects, particularly COPD & increased risk of lung
cancer.