Tobacco use and also second-hand smoke will eventually ill over one fifth of the population now living in the developed world: about 250 million.
Of the 50 million Americans who smoke, one third to one half will die from a smoke-related disease and all will reduce their life expectancy by an average of nine years.
Smoking acts as either a stimulant or a depressant – depending upon the smoker’s emotional state.
The average pack-a-day smoker takes about 70,000 hits of nicotine each year.
”Second hand smoke” hurts non-smokers: it speeds up the heart rate, raises blood pressure and doubles the amount of deadly carbon monoxide in their blood.
Secondary smoke contains more nicotine, tar and cadmium (leading to hypertension, bronchitis and emphysema) than mainstream smoke.
Babies born to mothers who smoke tend to have lower body weight and smaller lungs.
Lung illnesses are twice as common in smokers’ children.
Children and teenagers make up 90% of the new smokers in the United States – and teenage smoking is on the rise!
The death rate from breast cancer ranges from 25% to 75% higher among women who smoke.
Female smokers may face a higher risk of lung cancer –as much as twice the risk of male smokers, according to a study done by Dr. Harvey Risch at Yale University.
Your body contains almost 100,000 miles of blood vessels.Smoking constricts those vessels, depriving your body of the important fresh, rich oxygen it needs.
Tobacco is the main introduction to more deadly drugs.
Teens who smoke are far more likely to engage in other risky and life-threatening behaviors (including using other dangerous drugs; violence; gang involvement; carrying
weapons; and engaging in premarital sex which often results in pregnancy or disease) than non-smoking teens.
Cataracts, cancer, angina, arteriosclerosis, osteoporosis, chronic bronchitis, high blood pressure, impotence and respiratory ailments are linked to smoking.
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