Smoking in US

Smoking in US

 Smoking is the practice of inhaling tobacco smoke. Tobacco is a plant whose leaves contain nicotine. The tobacco leaves are harvested and treated so that they can slowly oxidate and degrade the carotenoids that are in the foliage. The resulting tobacco product is then mixed with some more additives. They are added to regulate the pH of the end product. They are also meant to maintain and improve the potency of the additives. Besides, they are added to enhance the palatability of the smoke. In the United States, the government regulates up to 599 substances used as additives in tobacco products.

Here are some of the additives; Acetone, which is the main ingredient in nail polish remover and acetic acid, which can also be found in hair dyes. Another additive is ammonia that is a substance commonly found in household cleaners and fertilizers. There is also arsenic, which is the primary substance found in rat poisons. There is also benzene and butane; the former can also be found in rubber cement and gasoline while the latter is available in lighter fluid. Moreover, cadmium is another tobacco additive and is a primary component in battery acid. Formaldehyde, an embalming fluid, and hexamine, available in barbecue lighter fluid, are also among these additives. There is also lead, which is an active component that is used in the manufacture of batteries. Further, there is naphthalene and methanol; the former is available in mothballs while the latter is the primary substance used in rocket fuel. Nicotine and tar are some of the most commonly used additives. Nicotine is used to make insecticides; on the other hand, tar is used in making paved roads. These are just some of the additives that are combined with smoked tobacco. Others include; butyric acid, butyl acetate,

Smoking exists in several types. Cigarettes are one way in which tobacco is smoked. Cigarettes come in different sizes and of different flavors. Some cigarettes are highly filtered to allow only low levels of nicotine. These low-nicotine cigarettes are favorable to beginners and social smokers. Moreover, some cigarettes have menthol and other flavors and sweeteners.

Another type of smoking is that of cigars. Cigars are made by fermenting the tobacco; then, it rolled into bundles very tightly. It has to be too tight so that the smoke may only be concentrated into the mouth of the smoker. Note, nonetheless, that the smoke is usually not inhaled since it has a high alkaline content. This makes it very irritating to the lungs and throat.

Hookah or shisha is another means of smoking. Here, the tobacco is smoked through a water pipe, which is either single or multiple stems. There is a variety of flavors and ingredients added to the nicotine in shisha. There is molasses tobacco, as well as jrak. The smoke is mostly infused with fermented fruits and aromas.

Vaporizers are another way of smoking tobacco. It is a device that burns the tobacco in a vacuum. It then vaporizes, and the smoker inhales the vapor. Different flavors are added to the tobacco before evaporating.

Other notable types of smoking include pipe smoking, roll-your-own, and chewing or storing tobacco in one’s mouth.

Effects of smoking on the body

Smoking tobacco irritates and destroys the airways and the lungs. The intensity of the irritation and damage are dependent upon the smoker’s level of addiction. This irritation causes the smoker to cough persistently. The lung damage can cause lung cancer with statistics from the CDC, showing that this cancer is the most prevalent cause of death for both genders.

Smoking causes heart disease like atherosclerosis. This is whereby cholesterol and unhealthy fats are deposited on the walls of the artery. Consequently, this hinders the flow of blood through the affected artery. Nicotine and some of the harmful additives, further, increase the damage. Aside from heart diseases, smoking also causes thrombosis. This is the process through which clots form inside a blood vessel. It is important to note that clots in blood vessels are usually right when it comes to repairing a wounded tissue. However, smoking expounds the rate at which clots form inside blood vessels, which is now harmful to the body. The clumps are due to a surge in the body’s thrombin levels as a result of tobacco smoking.

Smoking tobacco also spikes the body’s blood pressure. Blood pressure is the intensity level of tension upon artery walls by blood. A person’s blood pressure is measured as a fraction with the systolic pressure over the diastolic. Systolic pressure is the highest intensity to which the heart arrives during contraction. Contrarily, diastolic is the lowest level of power that the heart reaches during relaxation. Smoking increases blood pressure and, in turn, causing the heart to pump harder than usual. This also puts the smoker at risk of destroying essential organs like the kidney.

Smoking tobacco, further, it increases the production of phlegm. The airways have small hairs called cilia, whose systemic movement removes mucus from the lungs. As such, smoking cripples this process, therefore, allowing mucus to accumulate in the lungs. It is even more dangerous because smoking enhances the development of goblet cells, which causes a surge in the production of mucus. This large amounts of mucus, and the toxic tobacco additives, puts the lungs at risk of collapsing.

Periodontal diseases are also widespread among smokers. Smoking creates bacteria in the mouth, which causes infections in the mouth and teeth. The many toxic components in the tobacco alter the supply of blood and interfere with how the mouth heals itself. As such, it causes bacterial diseases that inflame the gums and rot the teeth. Smoking also causes halitosis because of the bacteria that cause tonsil stones, form on the tongue, and tooth decay, which are the genesis for smelly breath.

Another damage that smoking does to the lungs is causing pneumonia, which is inflammation on the lining of the lungs. Pneumonia allows fluids to concentrate deeper in the lungs hence creating a thriving environment for bacteria. This bacteria also irritate the lungs causing constant coughs and hindering the passage of air. Smoking tobacco accelerates the risk of the body to get pneumonia regardless of age. Pneumonia is deadly is left untreated or if it becomes recurrent. It also causes the lungs to collapse and leaves the smoker with extreme chest pain.

Peptic ulcers are also an effect of smoking on the body. Contrary to the lungs, where smoking accelerates the production of mucus, it inhibits mucus production in the stomach. Mucus acts as a barrier between the lining of the stomach and any acids that may cause the former to self-digest and leave wounds. When a person smokes tobacco, they expose there stomach lining to high levels of acids while hindering the production of the mucus. This leaves the lining of the stomach wounded with ulcers.

Smoking leads to the vasoconstriction of blood vessels. Smoking cripples the body’s ability to dilate blood vessels and expounds on their ability to constrict. It also increases the heart rate of the smoker. This increased heart rate is as a result of vasoconstriction and elevated blood pressure. Notably, an increased heart rate puts the smoker at risk of stroke, heart failure, or heart attack.

The high cost of tobacco

The prices of tobacco-related products continues to rise steadily. The main reason for this is the high taxes levied on them. Governments frequently revise and increases the taxes they request from these products. Experts say that high taxes are aimed at reducing the consumption of tobacco by making the prices relatively high. Research shows that smoking kills more than HIV and road accidents; further, it is the most top cause of preventable deaths in the United States. As such, analysts advise that the government must continuously increase taxes to regulate the consumption of tobacco. These higher prices impact the average adult smoker hence making them stop smoking or to reduce the frequency. Besides, governments levy high taxes on tobacco products because it is a good avenue for collecting revenue since the nicotine addiction makes it almost sure that some individuals will buy the product despite the price.

The prices of tobacco products are high because corporations want to make money. Tobacco is a highly addictive substance because of nicotine. Therefore, the smoker will buy it at any price and regularly because they are hooked. This guarantees that the companies that manufacture the products continue to be profitable. Under the disguise of the taxes, some companies may also inflate the prices to milk the most out of the consumer. Experts contend that these companies increase the rates sometimes by merely changing up the additives and marketing the product as something else.

Some of the substances added to the tobacco enhance addictiveness. Nicotine is the primary source of addictiveness among smokers. This addiction increases the demand for the products because an addict is a guaranteed customer for as long as they have the habit. Consequently, (NAME) asserts that this gives rise to the price elasticity of demand whereby the companies increase the price because of the constant and guaranteed market. The addictiveness makes the consumer damaged and does not mind the cost of the product as long as they use it. This allows corporations to manipulate prices in many ways.

Effects of smoking on the family and society

Smoking at home exposes other family members to second-hand smoke. Studies show that second-hand smoke is hazardous, especially for the kids. Children that live in the same household with a smoker contract ear infections have breathing problems and even asthma, bronchitis, and persistent coughs. The rest of the family, including adults, are at a high risk of developing lung and heart diseases because of the exposure to the toxic substances in the smoke. Research shows that 20 to 30 percent of the second-hand smokers suffer and even succumb to lung cancer. Therefore, it puts the family members at risk of premature death. Besides, the kids that live with a smoker become susceptible to becoming smokers in the future.

Neighbors are also impacted because they live near the smoker. When the additives it the tobacco burn, they emit over 7000 toxic chemical compounds. As a result, the neighbors are affected according to how close the residences are. For instance, in an apartment building where the balconies are very much near each other, the effects can be more significant. These neighbors will also contract respiratory, lung, and heart diseases like the family living with the smoker. Notably, there are no safe cases of second-hand exposure; hence, putting the neighbors in danger.

The prices of tobacco products are continually increasing. This may financially destabilize a family that has low income and has a smoker. When a spouse is an addicted smoker and spends significant sums of money on these goods will anger and aggrieve their partner. This can cause extreme tensions in the family, with some even going as far as completely breaking up families. The aggrieved spouse reaches a point where they can no longer have any more of the smoking partner and is the latter does not want to give up this habit; divorce can be inevitable. Besides, the health complications that arise from smoking can lead to significant financial burdens that may bring a strain on some families.

Smoking also affects smoker’s coworkers. Some individuals smoke around their colleagues hence exposing them to second-hand smoke. Studies show that some smokers become lazy, unmotivated, and anxious after smoking, and this may counter their production at work. When this happens, individuals will affect their colleagues who have optimum productivity. Moreover, the general aura and smell of some smokers can be distracting to other workers in the company.

Comparison between smokers and non-smokers

Smokers take a longer time to recover from any sickness than a non-smoker. This is because of the many additives when burnt form toxic compounds that hinder the immune system and the blood and cell chemical components. This makes smokers more susceptible to recurring illnesses, as well as suffering more through them than non-smokers. Studies have also established that smoking is the highest cause of sudden and preventable deaths. The chemicals in the additives reduce the life expectancy of smokers hence making them live shorter lives compared to their non-smoking counterparts.

The primary difference between smokers and non-smokers is in their lungs. The lungs of a smoker are black, while those of a non-smoker have the red-pinkish color of flesh. The black color is due to the tar that is added to the tobacco. Moreover, in the lungs of a smoker, the lining of the air sacs are destroyed. This causes the alveoli to become irregular and to reduce in size.

Consequently, it enlarges the alveoli. This is a condition called emphysema. Emphysema hinders the process of gas exchange. A non-smoker’s lung has regular airspaces, and the flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide is sufficient. Another difference in the lungs of these two individuals is that smokers lung produces mucus at an accelerated rate while crippling the ability to clean. Therefore, the lungs of a smoker have a lot of mucus blocking the airway while that of a non-smoker has an unobstructed airway. Additionally, the lungs of a smoker have a destroyed lining while that of a non-smoker has a healthy lining.

Smoking also impairs a person’s ability to be physically fit. (NAME) conducted a study of individuals that are not sportsmen between the ages of 19 and 27 years. The smokers in this research were generally healthy. They found that non-smokers had significant muscle strength and power as compared to smokers. Besides, the younger smokers had diminished physical activity as opposed to the more active non-smokers. The study concluded that smoking causes a steady slope in smoker’s strength and power.

Solution for the smokers

The smoker can enroll in nicotine replacement therapy. This is whereby the body’s demand for nicotine is fed by substitute substances that are not as harmful to the body. This is short term treatments that provide a transition as the smoker ends the habit. These include nicotine gums, inhalers, tablets, among others. There are also nicotine patches that are for a more extended period but supply the body with the simulation of nicotine.

Another way that a person can increase a healthy and more intense work out a plan that will recondition the body. A quick physical activity such as running up and down the alleyway can make a nicotine nudge to disappear. Therefore, a rehabilitating smoker must take up a physical exercise activity and do it religiously to help them with the transition.

Since many smokers report to getting addicted because tobacco relaxes then, which research has disputed and found that it offers the reverse feeling. Nonetheless, this person can begin undertaking relaxation activities such as yoga, meditation, massage, deep breathing, among others. This will help them get rid of the stress and tension and accumulates in the body; hence, triggering the need for smoking.

Join a support group. Support groups are proven to help individuals recovering from various problems in the world. A recovering smoker can look up for a good support group and join it. When they see that the group members have been through the same struggle but pulled through, they will be motivated to hang in and complete their recovery without relapsing. Support groups also assign a new member to an older member so that the latter can guide their former and hold their hand through the process. A person on this recovery journey needs a support group so that they can also be around individuals that understand him and can give him practical advice.