Tobacco leaves contain about 4000 different chemicals and several hundreds of them are toxic to the human body. Nicotine that is also found in tobacco leaves is considered to be one of the most dangerous chemicals that makes people addictive to it and is compared to alcohol, cocaine or even morphine. Every year smoking-related diseases cause 5 million deaths.
Nicotine is the main substance that causes effects on the body. Nicotine reaches the brain after 10 seconds of smoking. It stimulates and relaxes our bodies. Nicotine stimulates bowel activity, saliva and bronchial secretions, increases heart rate and blood pressure also enhances insulin production, temporarily improves memory. In stressful situations nicotine relaxes, reduces appetite.
In addition to nicotine, tobacco also contains more than 20 substances that have carcinogenic effects. This include acetone, ammonia, carbon monoxide, cyanide, methane, propane, butane, etc.
Nicotine promotes blood clotting which increases the risk of thrombosis. These clots can get to the heart or brain and cause heart attack or stroke. The risk of thrombosis increases even more in case of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, low physical activity, if women take birth control pills.
Smoking causes oxidation in the body. Free radicals damage healthy cells, promotes development of atherosclerosis, accelerates body’s aging. Smoking also inhibits immune system, thus increasing the risk to have respiratory or other infectious diseases.
Carcinogenic substance violates genes responsible for normal cell growth and causes tumor cell production. Smoking increases the risk of all cancers, especially lung, mouth, throat, urinary bladder and kidneys. Long smoking inhibits senses of smell and taste.
Studies have shown that after quitting smoking over the time the risk to suffer from smoking related diseases reduces. Within 20 minutes, normal blood pressure and heart rate returns. Within 8 hours the level of oxygen in the blood rises. Within 24 hours heart attack risk is reduced. Within 1-9 months lung function improves, it becomes easier to breath, cough disappears. Withing 5 years the risk to die from lung cancer is reduced by 50 per cent comparing to those who smoke one package of cigarettes per day. Within 10 years the risk of getting heart and vascular diseases becomes similar to those who never smoked.