Effects of Smoking
March 26, 2014
APA
Effects of Smoking Cigarettes are one of the most commonly abused drugs in the United States and according to the CDC about 18% of Americans smoke cigarettes (Agaku, I.T., King, B.A., Dube, S.R., 2014). For many people, it is easy to start this habit but very difficult to quit. There are so many campaigns against smoking and information about the negative effects is widely available. There are even many free programs available to people to aid in the process of quitting smoking cigarettes. Despite all of this information and aid, people continue to smoke. Unfortunately, it not only affects the smoker but all of those around the smoker as well. The purpose of this essay is to explain a few of the more dangerous effects that smoking can have on their health and lifestyle.
The effects of smoking on appearance and presence are immediate. The smell of cigarettes is strong and clings to a person’s clothes, body, and is on their breath. There is new evidence showing that that the lingering scents of cigarettes is harmful. "Third-hand smoke is tobacco smoke contamination that remains after the cigarette has been extinguished," (Ballatyne, 2009). It increases production of an enzyme that breaks down collagen in the skin, leading to premature wrinkling, mostly around the eyes and mouth. The risk of developing psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition, is much higher than a non-smoker. Cigarette smoke can cause halitosis, bad breath, and stained teeth, and an increased risk of periodontitis, which can cause swollen gums and loss of teeth. These effects on appearance can be great motivators to help a person quit, especially women (ash.factsheet, 2014). Cancer is a life threatening effect of smoking cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes has been linked to many different forms of cancer. It can actually cause cancer and then prevent the body from fighting it off. The poisons in cigarette smoke can weaken the body’s immune system, making it harder to
APA
Effects of Smoking Cigarettes are one of the most commonly abused drugs in the United States and according to the CDC about 18% of Americans smoke cigarettes (Agaku, I.T., King, B.A., Dube, S.R., 2014). For many people, it is easy to start this habit but very difficult to quit. There are so many campaigns against smoking and information about the negative effects is widely available. There are even many free programs available to people to aid in the process of quitting smoking cigarettes. Despite all of this information and aid, people continue to smoke. Unfortunately, it not only affects the smoker but all of those around the smoker as well. The purpose of this essay is to explain a few of the more dangerous effects that smoking can have on their health and lifestyle.
The effects of smoking on appearance and presence are immediate. The smell of cigarettes is strong and clings to a person’s clothes, body, and is on their breath. There is new evidence showing that that the lingering scents of cigarettes is harmful. "Third-hand smoke is tobacco smoke contamination that remains after the cigarette has been extinguished," (Ballatyne, 2009). It increases production of an enzyme that breaks down collagen in the skin, leading to premature wrinkling, mostly around the eyes and mouth. The risk of developing psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition, is much higher than a non-smoker. Cigarette smoke can cause halitosis, bad breath, and stained teeth, and an increased risk of periodontitis, which can cause swollen gums and loss of teeth. These effects on appearance can be great motivators to help a person quit, especially women (ash.factsheet, 2014). Cancer is a life threatening effect of smoking cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes has been linked to many different forms of cancer. It can actually cause cancer and then prevent the body from fighting it off. The poisons in cigarette smoke can weaken the body’s immune system, making it harder to
References: Agaku, I.T., King, B.A., Dube, S.R. (2014). Current cigarette smoking among adults – United States, 2005-2012. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 63(02);29-34. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6302a2.htm?s_cid=mm6302a2_w#tab Ballantyne, C. (2009). What is third-hand smoke? Is it hazardous? Scientific American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-third-hand-smoke/ Sebelius, K. (2014). The health consequences of smoking —50 years of progress. Retrieved from http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/50-years-of-progress/full-report.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014). Health effects of cigarette smoking. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/health_effects/effects_cig_smoking/ Ash. Fact sheet(2014) How smoking affects the way you look. 10. Retrieved from http://ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_115.pdf