Quit Smoking
Nicotine is the addictive drug in tobacco smoke that causes smokers to continue to smoke. Addicted smokers need enough nicotine over a day to “feel normal” – to satisfy cravings or control their mood. How much nicotine a smoker needs determines how much smoke they are likely to inhale, no matter what type of cigarette they smoke.
Along with nicotine, smokers also inhale about 4,000 other chemicals in cigarette smoke. Many of these compounds are chemically active and trigger profound and damaging changes in the body. There are over 60 known cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco smoke. Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body, causing many diseases and reducing health in general.
Tobacco smoke contains dangerous chemicals. The most damaging compounds in tobacco smoke include:
- Tar. This is the collective term for all the various particles suspended in tobacco smoke. The particles contain chemicals including several cancer-causing substances. Tar is sticky and brown and stains teeth, fingernails and lung tissue. Tar contains the carcinogen benzopyrene that is known to trigger tumor development (cancer).
- Carbon monoxide. This odorless gas is fatal in large doses because it takes the place of oxygen in the blood. Each red blood cell contains a protein called hemoglobin; oxygen molecules are transported around the body by binding to, or hanging onto, this protein. However, carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin better than oxygen. This means that less oxygen reaches the brain, heart, muscles and other organs.
- Hydrogen cyanide. The lungs contain tiny hairs (cilia) that help to clean the lungs by moving foreign substances out. Hydrogen cyanide stops this lung clearance system from working properly, which means the poisonous chemicals in tobacco smoke can build up inside the lungs. Other chemicals in smoke that damage the lungs include hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides, organic acids, phenols and oxidising agents.
- Free radicals. These highly reactive chemicals can damage the heart muscles and blood vessels. They react with cholesterol, leading to the build-up of fatty material on artery walls. Their actions lead to heart disease, stroke and blood vessel disease.
- Metals. Tobacco smoke contains dangerous metals including arsenic, cadmium and lead. Several of these metals are carcinogenic.
- Radioactive compounds. Tobacco smoke contains radioactive compounds, which are known to be carcinogenic or cancerous.
Read more about smoking effects and its damages to your body or learn how to quit smoking by taking stop smoking aids…
Health Tips
Get Routine Exams and Screenings. Sometimes they're once a year. Other times they're more or less often. Based on your age, health history, lifestyle, and other important issues, you and your health care provider can determine how often you need to be examined and screened for certain diseases and conditions. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, and cancers of the skin, cervix, breast, and colon. When problems are found early, your chances for treatment and cure are better. Routine exams and screenings can help save lives. Read more Health Tips »
