Besides causing bad breath, yellowed fingers and speeds the progression
of facial wrinkles, smoking contributes to a long list of health problems.
- increases coronary heart disease and stroke by 2 to 4 times (coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States)
- increases lung cancer in men by 23 times-women 13 times
- dying from chronic lung conditions causing constant shortness of breath (COPD=Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease such as emphysema, bronchitis and increase susceptibility to pneumonia) by damaging the "air sacs" of the lungs preventing them from expanding to exchange air
- increase in peripheral vascular disease (causes poor circulation in extremities, esp. legs and poor wound healing resulting in severe infection, loss of limb or possibly death if unable to control infection due to inadequate circulation)
- causes abdominal aortic aneurysm (weakening in the wall the largest artery in the body that supplies all other vessels)
- causes multiple types of cancer
- bladder
- cervix
- prostate
- lung
- esophagus
- throat
- stomach
- pancreas
- oral cavity
- larynx (voice box)
- causes complications in pregnancy and for newborn such as low birth weight
- miscarriages
- pre-term labor
- increases risk for and makes worse osteoporosis (brittle bones)
- slow wound healing
To quit smoking is never easy but it is definitely worth it no matter
how many times it takes to quit completely.
http://www.stopsmokinggelsite.com/
http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/
