Tobacco and smoking
Smoking statistics are frightening. Smoking is the largest cause of death and disease in the UK. An estimated 21 million people in the developed world alone died during the last decade as a result of smoking. A quarter of young people who smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day will die prematurely in middle age. In the UK an estimated 121,000 deaths a year can be attributed to smoking, and every hour 13 people die from illnesses related to smoking such as lung cancer, bronchitis, emphysema and heart disease. Six times as many people die from smoking-related illnesses than from AIDS, suicide, drug use, murder and road accidents all put together. Smokers lose on average one day of life a week.And smoking seriously damages the bank balance too.
Effects of Smoking
Nicotine causes an increase in heart rate of 10-20 beats a minute and it temporarily narrows blood vessels, which results in a drop in body temperature and a rise in blood pressure. The carbon monoxide in cigarettes cuts down a smoker's ability to breathe effectively because the gas combines with haemoglobin, the substance that carries oxygen in the blood. Tar collects in the lungs and contains chemical known to cause cancer.Smoke contains many different irritants to the lungs. To deal with them the body produces mucus, which is what makes smokers cough. Smoking also depresses the immune system and may contribute to an increased liability to infections.
Smoking alters the way you look. It affects the blood vessels in the skin, resulting in the face losing its complexion. As the skin on the face loses texture, wrinkling occurs.
