The Effects Of Smoking Tobacco

The Effects of Smoking Tobacco

Olivia Nagel

Biology 123
Professor Thompson
May 6, 2014
ABSTRACT
This paper talks about the effects of smoking tobacco on the human body. It also examines the effects that smoking has on the surrounding environment of the individual who is directly smoking. Smoking has been around for a very long time, and dates back to the 1600s. Smoking cigarettes can cause many types of health complications to the individual who is smoking such as bronchitis, asthma, and chronic airway obstruction. These and many other health problems are caused by the carcinogens that are found in tobacco products. Some harmful ingredients in cigarettes include tar, lead, and various pesticides. Not only are the individuals who directly smoke tobacco products affected, but others who are around them are affected as well through environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Pregnant women who smoke can experience some complications when giving birth such as stillbirth or giving birth to a baby with a low birth weight. People who smoke often throw their cigarette remains onto the ground, which pollutes the environment and is harmful to plants and animals. With all of this information it is simple to come up with a solution to these problems, which would be the extreme limitation or even ban of smoking tobacco products.
INTRODUCTION
Tobacco has been a major crop for farmers in the United States since the 1600s2. The first cigarette was made in 1881 by James Bonsack who invented the first cigarette making machine1. It was not until he was able to make 120,000 cigarettes per day that smoking spread across the nation and, soon to follow, the rest of the world1. During the first and second World Wars, soldiers were given cigarettes every day for free, which in turn increased jobs for the women back home due to increased need for them overseas1. Since then, cigarette use has increased significantly along with health complications for the individuals’ who are smoking them. Tobacco is one of the leading causes of deaths in the United States by killing 1 in every 5 individuals2. Smoking cigarettes is the most deadly form of tobacco exposure and causes many health complications2. Some examples of these are reproductive problems, bronchitis, asthma, reduced bone density, emphysema, chronic airway obstruction, damaged immune system, pulmonary disease, respiratory disease, and different types of cancer2. It comes to no surprise that smoking can cause some of these health problems because of some of the ingredients in cigarettes such as tar, arsenic, lead, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and various pesticides and fertilizers2. Whenever an individual inhales the smoke from a cigarette, they are breathing in all of the very harmful ingredients and polluting their lungs, not to mention beginning an addiction to Nicotine3. Nicotine acts a stimulant and affects the central nervous system3. Blood vessels tighten which causes the blood flow to slow, and blood pressure rises which boosts energy but then leaves the individual very tired and sometimes depressed. In return, it will make them crave more nicotine3. Also, by smoking, fat buildup is increased among artery walls and can cause pulmonary system damage2. This artery damage contributes to coronary heart disease2. Because of this, heart attacks and strokes are more a common outcome of extensive years of smoking2. Not only does an individual harm him or herself immensely whenever they smoke cigarettes, but they harm others as well2. When a person smokes, not only are they inhaling the harmful ingredients and polluting their own lungs, but they then exhale and release all of those harmful chemicals into the air that others are breathing2. According to studies, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) kills a minimum of 38,000 people per year and can cause some of the same health effects as direct smoking does2. For women who smoke during their pregnancy, it can affect their baby. Some common complications are sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), low birth weight, prenatal delivery and stillbirths2. An individual who smokes not only harms themselves and others around them, but can harm the environment as well if they discard their cigarette remains onto the ground4. Cigarette remains are one of the most common types of litter that are found worldwide and can harm animals and effect the growth of plants4. This is where the ethics of smoking come in and the question about whether it is ethical or not to smoke around others when it can cause just as much harm for them as it does for the individual who is directly smoking.
CONCLUSION
With all of this information, one can conclude that cigarettes are an addictive and harmful drug that should not be used. The carcinogens that are found in tobacco smoke can cause cancer in humans2. Lung cancer being the most common, is the leading cancer that causes death2. Other types of cancers that can be caused by smoking tobacco are cancer of the nasal cavity, sinuses, pharynx, larynx, oral cavity, esophagus, urinary bladder, pancreas, stomach, pelvis, and cervix2. It has also been studied that genetic mutations can be caused in most cell types by smoking tobacco2. Some places have designated areas for tobacco use, which for all intents and purposes is good, but there should be more regulations put in place by each state that limit the use of tobacco products in public areas. The world would be a much better place, with healthier human beings and a cleaner environment without the use of tobacco.
Cited References
1. Jacobs, Marjorie. 1997. History of Tobacco. Health Literacy. <http://healthliteracy.worlded.org/docs/tobacco/Unit1/2history_of.html>. Accessed 2014 May 7
2. Gates, Alexander E., and Robert P. Blauvelt. "tobacco smoke and health effects." Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=ENPOLL0237&SingleRecord=True>. Accessed 2014 May 7.
3. Villanova University. "Tobacco Cessation." Tobacco Cessation. http://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/studentlife/health/promotion/goto/resources/tobacco.html#question_faq>. Accessed 2014 May 7.
4. Register, Kathleen. "buttlitter.gif." buttlitter.gif. <http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/ciglitterarticle.htm>. Accessed 7 May 2014.