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Health Effects of Smoking Vs. Effects of Nonsmoking

Over 650 million people, according to the World Health Organization, make the act of smoking tobacco part of their daily lives. Most claim that smoking calms their nerves and produces a mild feeling of relaxation. Others enjoy smoking for its taste. And yet, the WHO also reports that five million of these smokers will die each year. Nearly one in 10 adults worldwide will die from regularly smoking, and because of this tobacco-related deaths remain one of the top preventable deaths of our time.The health differences between a smoker and nonsmoker are often striking.

  1. Cancer

    • After decades of research, tobacco has become a well-known antagonizer and cause of cancer. Though perhaps best known for raising the risk of lung cancer, the effects of tobacco wreak havoc on the body and can give rise to other cancers such as stomach cancer, oral cancer, cancer of the throat and even leukemia. According to the Centers for Disease Control, male smokers are 23 times and female smokers 13 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers. A study published by the Public Library of Science in 2008 suggested that nonsmokers are statistically proven to be at a lower risk of lung cancer than smokers by around 10 percent.

    Reproduction

    • Smoking affects the reproduction system in males and females in a few ways. It affects fertility in both males and females. Females in particular suffer from negative health effects from smoking; nicotine and other chemicals in cigarettes may damage the ovaries and disrupt the creation of estrogen. Smoking causes many problems for pregnancy, too, with female smokers experiencing a higher rate of stillbirth, preterm delivery and sudden infant death syndrome than nonsmoking expectant mothers.

    Respiratory

    • Aside from lung cancer, heavy smokers increase the risk of dying from chronic lung diseases by nearly 13 times that of nonsmokers. Longtime smokers may develop chronic bronchitis or emphysema, a debilitating disease that restricts oxygen intake. Emphysema is most often caused by smoking tobacco, with sufferers experiencing shortness of breath and rapid lung tissue deterioration. Unfortunately, emphysema is irreversible and can best be prevented by not smoking altogether.

    Cardiovascular

    • Smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Smokers are two to four times more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease than nonsmokers. Smoking has also been shown to reduce circulation and harden the arteries, putting smokers at a higher risk of peripheral vascular disease and abdominal aortic aneurysms.

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