Smoking and chewing tobacco have been proven time and time again to be extremely harmful to our bodies, and yet people are drawn to it every day and others are only beginning to be affected. It is nicotine that causes over 40% of America's adult population to smoke and nicotine which causes people to be blind to the hard evidence that tobacco and nicotine are KILLING THEM!!!!

When people think of tobacco they usually think of Lung Cancer, thinking that is the only major problem with tobacco. That is one of the many misconceptions about tobacco. While tobacco is one of the leading causes of Lung Cancer, it is also well known for causing diseases such as cancer of the lips, tongue, salivary glands, mouth, larynx, esophagus, and middle and lower pharynx. Tobacco can also be directly associated with the development of stomach cancer, along with bladder cancer. To make things worse tobacco has recently been linked to cancers of the pancreas, uterine cervix, and the renal pelvis (part of the Kidneys).

Now Cancer you have to understand is only the tip of the iceberg, there are literally hundreds of different tobacco related diseases that are either directly caused by the smoking or chewing of tobacco, or diseases that are merely cultivated and worsened by tobacco. Pulmonary diseases such as emphysema and others in that area are the main focus of anti-tobacco programs because next to the numerous cancers they are some of the most graphic and dangerous.

The one buffer smokers use to deny the existence of the numerous harmful chemicals in tobacco is that they are around all of these items all day long. They are right, the chemicals found in tobacco are spread all around us. Ammonia, I use it to wash the floors, to clean the kitchen or bathroom. Carbon monoxide? Oh sure that's the stuff that pollutes the air, free flowing from the exhaust pipes of millions of automobiles, and huge industrial factories. What about formaldehyde, bound to be useful in preserving the bodies of the countless dead as a result of tobacco. Also carbon dioxide which can contribute to the depletion of your internal organs as well as the ozone layer.

THE LUNG

Above are two lungs, one healthy and one diseased. The lung on the left is the healthy lung, it has lived a long healthy life with it's owner having never been exposed to anything worse than the occasional common cold and low pollution. The lung on the right however has been exposed to toxic chemicals, filled with toxic gasses and contaminated by the most foul and corroding materials known to man.

Lung Cancer, Emphysema, and Chronic Bronchitis are some of the most widespread and most preventable diseases. The easiest way to prevent diseases like these is DO NOT SMOKE!!!!.
Over 85% of Lung Cancer deaths are attributed to tobacco in one form or another. There is a direct link between the exposure to tobacco and Lung Cancer. It has also been proven that quitting the habit of tobacco use can gradually reduce the risk of Lung Cancer. As of 1985 Lung Cancer has risen to top off Breast Cancer as the #1 killer of women in the United States.
There is no possible way to avoid diseases like this while using tobacco, people who smoke 5 or more pipes and/or cigars a day are five times as likely to contract a disease such as Lung Cancer. Smokers who stick to the more conventional and slightly cheaper cigarette are at a risk 10 times greater than the ordinary person.
So what exactly does smoking do to your Lungs? Well to start off the smoke inhaled through the cigarette into your lung either paralyzes or kills the cilia in your lungs. In addition the alveoli, the tiny air sacs in your lungs which exchange carbon dioxide with oxygen, are completely and irrevocably damaged. When a critical amount of these air sacs are damage your body is unable to transport enough oxygen to your vital organs. This will cause the organs to slowly die, through Chronic Bronchitis or Emphysema both which can be fatal diseases.

The Heart

One surprising tidbit of information that people don't always recognize is that tobacco is a large contributor to coronary diseases or heart attacks. About 1/4 of deaths from coronary diseases are suspected to be caused from cigarette smoking. Nicotine levels in cigarettes cause your adrenal glands to secrete a special hormone which temporarily increase the heart rate and blood pressure. The carbon monoxide inside cigarette smoke bonds with the hemoglobin in your bloodstream replacing the vital oxygen that normally bonds with the hemoglobin. This results in a loss of oxygen to the heart, meaning that every single cigarette that a person smokes lays a small but accumulative burden on the heart. The carbon monoxide in the system also attributes to the weakening of the heart and even the clotting of your blood. Smoking also increases the clumping ability of certain blood cells resulting in added cholesterol in the arteries. This is one of the reasons smoking is such a large contributor in the scheme of heart attack and coronary diseases. In fact smokers are 2 to 3 ties more likely to fall victim of heart problems than non-smokers

The Mouth

The mouth is one of the most affected areas of the body. The smoking process begins and ends in the mouth making it the primary victim next to the lungs. Diseases such as Oral Cancer and Periodontal Disease can destroy and cripple the mouth. Smoking has been proven to weaken the bodies sense of taste and smell. Smokeless tobacco is one major contributer problems of this nature. Leukoplakia, white patches found on the tongue, lip, or cheek which often can become malignant, have been found in a high percentage of people who use smokeless tobacco. Gingivitis is also a major problem associated with the mouth and smokeless tobacco. The swelling of the gums as a consequence of using smokeless tobacco causes the gums to bleed. Smokeless tobacco also aids in the production of many bacteria which can institute cavaties.

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