|  | Public Health Safety | Smoking

Reasons Why Smoking Makes Life Short

Smoking is the inhalation of smoke, usually tobacco smoke, though the smoke of other plants, like marijuana, is also inhaled on a regular basis by some people. Smoking marijuana, however, is illegal in most of the world, whereas tobacco is legal in most places. Tobacco is addictive and carried with it a number of proven negative health effects that tend to shorten the average life span of a smoker.

  1. Cardiovascular Disease

    • Smoking has a number of negative health effects with regards to the cardiovascular system. Coronary heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States, is one such negative health effect. Smoking also narrows the blood vessels and reduces circulation, which can have a number of complications. Smoking also weakens the body's main artery, the aorta, where it goes through the abdomen, a condition called abdominal aortic aneurysm.

    Cancer

    • Smoking has been linked to a number of cancers. Lung cancer is the most common cancer associated with smoking, which is natural since the lungs take the brunt of the damage that smoking inflicts on the body. Cancer of the esophagus, larynx (voice box), oral cavity (mouth) and pharynx (throat) can all be caused by smoking, and are all directly exposed to smoke as it is inhaled and exhaled. Stomach, kidney and bladder cancer, as well as cancer of the uterus and leukemia are also all caused by smoking.

    Respiratory Disease

    • Beyond lung cancer, there are a number of other lung and respiratory system diseases and conditions caused by smoking, including emphysema, chronic airway obstruction and bronchitis. Smoke inhalation and exhalation damages the airways, as well as the alveoli, which are the small air sacs inside the lungs. This gradual, accumulating damage is what causes so many problems for smokers.

    Overall Mortality

    • These and other negative health effects caused by smoking shorten the life span of a smoker. Smokers who average a pack or more a day of cigarettes -- a pack contains 20 cigarettes -- lives, on average, seven years less than someone else who never smoked. Some smokers may live long lives, but some may also live far shorter lives, possibly decades less than their non-smoking peers.

Smoking - Related Articles