Why Tobacco is Injurious to Health?
The first reason for not smoking cigarettes was the discovery of automated cigarette-making machinery in the American South during the 1880s. These machines allowed for the mass production of cigarettes at low prices. In addition, they sparked the tobacco prohibition movement, which challenged the harmful effects of tobacco and sought to ban the sale of tobacco products. In 1889, American physician Isaac Adler made the first known association between smoking and lung cancer. In 1890, American physician Irving Fisher wrote an anti-smoking article for Reader's Digest, detailing the effects of tobacco on the body's tone and vital power.
Nicotine addiction
Tobacco is one of the world's leading causes of preventable death. The Center for Disease Control reports that nearly four hundred thousand Americans die prematurely yearly from tobacco use. For every person who dies prematurely from tobacco use, thirty more battle health conditions caused by tobacco use. This simple math shows that tobacco consumption is bad for the health of fifteen million Americans and could kill 500,000 more by the end of the year.
Damage to blood vessels
Smoking not only damages your heart, but it can also damage your blood vessels. For example, women who take birth control pills are at an increased risk of developing heart disease. Children who are exposed to second-hand smoke also develop damaged blood vessels. Even though this damage is subtle, they increase your risk of diseases such as PAD and heart attacks. Contact a vascular surgeon to learn more about the potential effects of smoking on your body.
Increased risk of lung cancer
Inflammation and tobacco smoking are intimately linked. We will gain a more comprehensive view of the pulmonary environment by investigating these relationships. In addition, using powerful new tools in genomics, proteomics, and imaging will help refine the definitions of premalignancy and inflammation. Ultimately, these results will lead to new risk assessment and prevention opportunities. Continue reading to learn more about these new findings.
Damage to the placenta
The effects of tobacco use on the placenta are largely unknown. However, some scientists believe that smoking during pregnancy may affect the epigenome. This research shows that methylation patterns on tobacco-associated DMRs overlap with genomic regions controlling imprinted genes and enhancers. These changes may directly impact the fetus or future child. The findings also suggest that smoking during pregnancy could affect the placenta and the fetus's development.
Increased risk of heart disease
Smoking increases your risk of heart disease by narrowing the blood vessels and increasing the chances of forming plaque. These factors can lead to heart attacks and strokes. For example, a smoker is twice as high a risk for heart attack as a non-smoker. Smokers also have an increased risk of peripheral artery disease, which occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries. People who smoke 25 cigarettes daily have a three times greater risk for heart attack and a five times higher risk.