Jonathan Trent Patterson
McFall
ENG-155
October 7, 2018
The Effects of Smoking
Smoking costs the smoker a lot of money, and can lead = to cancer, health issues, and it is nasty. Cigarettes have an average of cost around $5.51 a pack the price in most states is six to eight dollars. New Y= ork has the most expensive cigarettes in the country at $12.85 a pack (Prices Of Cigarettes By State). If one s= mokes a pack a day for a year they would spend over $2000 dollars on average. Wha= t they spend on cigarettes in ten years could buy them a nice car. It would be aro= und $20,000 to $21,000, and much more in other states where taxes are higher. T= here are many other effects of smoking, such as cancer, asthma, diseases, and bo= ne problems.
Smoking can cause cancer in almost any part of the bod= y, such as the bladder, esophagus, kidney, liver, pancreas, trachea, bronchus, lungs, and much more. Smoking accounts for 30% of all cancer deaths. People that smoke also increases the risk of dying from cancer more than people th= at don’t smoke. Smoking ci= garettes causes most cases of lung cancer, approximately 87% of cases come from smok= ing. There is a percentage of people that have lung cancer that have never smoked because of second hand smoke. Some people also get it for other unknown reasons. (Wanjek)
For people with asthma s= moking can trigger an attack and or make the attack much worse. If they have asthm= a, smoking can make it worse; overtime it may cause, Chronic Obstructive pulmonary dis= ease (COPD), a lung disease that obstructs the airflow and interferes with normal breathing. COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Not everyone who smokes will develop COPD. Most studies show that 20-30% will be diagnosed w= ith it. (C= hronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)) My papa smokes and has been di= agnosed to have COPD; he has difficulty breathing and must be on oxygen daily.
Smoking can also cause diseases such as lung diseases, cardiovascular diseases, heart diseases. Smoking can cause strokes which le= ad to deaths. Smoking can cause blockages and reduce blood flow. Smoking is a cause of type 2 diabetes. The risk of developing diabetes is 30-40% higher = for people who smoke than people that do not smoke. People with diabetes that s= moke may have issues with insulin dosing. It also makes diabetes harder to contr= ol. Smoking is a major cause of Cardiovascular disease (CVD). Smoking can rise triglycerides, that is a type of fat in the blood. It can also lower good cholesterol. It can damage cells that line the blood vessels and increase t= he buildup of plaque. These things can lead to a heart attack. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Smoking can also affect the bones, it can cause weaker= bones and arthritis, and increase the risk for broken bones. There have been seve= ral research studies that have identified smoking as a risk factor of osteoporo= sis and can cause bone fractures. Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens the bones and makes a fracture more likely. Studies have shown a direct relationship between using tobacco and increased bone density. (Smoking and Bone Health) Smoking cigaret= tes can also harm the immune system and cause gum disease. It will weaken the immune system and make it harder to fight off infection. If someone has damage to their gums smoking can make it harder for them to heal. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Treatment for gum disease may not work well for people who smoke. Smoking is an important cause of gum disease and can make their teeth fall out.
Smoking can also cause loss of vision or blindness. Sm= oking can increase the risk of age related of matricula degeneration (AMD), it is= an eye disease that affects a persons central vision, which is the major cause of blindness in older people. Anot= her vision problem caused by smoking is that it can lead to cataracts. Cataracts causes blurry vision that worsens over time and can lead to serious vison loss.
There are also mental health conditions such as depres= sion and anxiety associated with smoking. Smoking is more common among people wi= th mental health conditions. About three out of ten cigarettes smoked in the u= nited states are smoked by people with mental health issues. It is uncertain why = smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to experience mental health conditions such= as depression and anxiety. There needs to be more research done to determine w= hy this is. (Centers for Disease Control and Preve= ntion)
There are many effects of smoking. It can cost a lot m= oney to buy them, support the habit, and pay any medical bills that it could lea= d to. It can cause cancer for some people. It can cause breathing issues for peop= le. It can cause heart problems, broken bones, blindness, and tooth loss. For t= hose who choose to smoke they could face any or all these problems, it could also lead to an early death.
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