Both smokers and passive smokers come under the risk of contracting a number of serious diseases. Smoking might seem cool to you in school or college, but once you start, you will find it hard to quit. Smoking leads to lifelong problems and can damage each & every organ of your body. No amount of healthy eating or regular exercise will nullify the harmful effects of smoking. In almost all the developing countries of the world, smoking is the leading cause of preventable diseases and 50 percent of long term smokers die prematurely. Disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke is caused from secondhand smoke, as a result of passive smoking.
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In America, it is reported that smoking causes more deaths than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide and illegal drugs combined. Some of the major diseases caused by smoking are listed below.
Cancer
Smoking is also the number one cause of cancer and death from cancer. Lungs, mouth, throat and gullet cancer are caused by the carcinogens or cancer causing agents present in cigarettes. Smoking causes almost 90 percent of lung cancer cases. It also causes bladder, pancreas, cervical, kidney and oesophagus cancer.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema are caused by smoking. It blocks the airflow and causes difficulty in breathing. If you are a long-term smoker, the greater your risk will be of affecting severe COPD. The final stage of COPD is death from being unable to breathe.
Cardiovascular Diseases
Smoking results in death caused by diseases affecting the heart, blood vessels of the heart and other blood vessels. Smoking increases cholesterol levels, causing cholesterol and other fats to be deposited in the arteries. This blocks the arteries and causes blood clots, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Reproductive Health
Smoking also adversely affects reproductive health, causing infertility, pre-term delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome(SIDS). Men who frequently smoke have a greater risk of suffering from erectile dysfunction.
Alzheimer's Disease
Smoking has been known to hasten mental decline. As smoking results in damage of arteries, clotting and increases the risk of getting a stroke, it also leads to decline in one's mental facilities.
Increased Infections
The risk of infections affecting your upper respiratory tract and lung increases. Smoking prevents bacteria and debris from being cleared from the lungs and respiratory tracts, resulting in sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
Secondhand smoke
Inhaling secondhand smoke also causes lung disease in non-smoking adults, and raises the risk of heart disease by 25-30 percent. Exposure of pregnant women to secondhand smoke results in the child being born at low birth weight. Children exposed to it are at a greater risk of SIDs, severe asthma, bronchitis and passive smoking even decreases the growth of their lungs.
Quitting reduces your risk of suffering from diseases caused by smoking, as well as improving your overall health. Researches have found that every 7 minutes, a death is caused due to tobacco use. So the only way to avoid diseases caused by smoking is by kicking this bad habit.