What are the ill effects of smoking cigarettes?

Studies have shown that cigarette smoke contains 7000+ chemicals which comprise arsenic, tar, nicotine, hydrogen cyanide, and more. These chemicals burn at around 1000 degrees Celsius. Besides, smokers ingest one cup of tar into their lungs everyday. About 11 of these chemicals are known to cause cancer which can prove to be deadly.

About 34.6 per cent of the Indian adult population are smokers. Union Budget 2023-24 has announced a duty hike on cigarettes by a whopping 16 per cent. This will have an impact of about seven to twelve paise per cigarette stick, implying that it will now cost heavier on your pockets. Well, this hike in the price of a cigarette will directly affect your personal expenses if you are a smoker. Through this article, we aim at making the ill effects of smoking cigarettes clear amongst the population, thereby leaving them at the peril of making a decision for themselves.

Ill Effects Of Smoking Cigarettes

Here are some of the major ill effects of smoking cigarettes:

- Lung Damage

Nicotine is the principal ingredient available in cigarettes. It is a potent substance that holds the ability to damage your lungs. Chain smokers have a higher probability of contracting high-risk diseases like lung cancers. Besides, the risks associated with the contraction of and drying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) is higher amongst the habitual smokers. They are even more prone to developing emphysema and chronic bronchitis which is a condition wherein the lung airways become damaged and stretched.

- Cardiovascular Diseases

The damaging effects of smoking cigarettes is that it damages your blood cells and vessels. The damaging effects of smoking cigarettes is a higher risk of contracting heart-related diseases which damage blood vessels and cells. Tar in cigarettes enhance the risks of atherosclerosis causing the hardening and narrowing of the arteries. This was due to the build-up of plaque around the arteries' walls. This limits the blood flow through your veins and may result in dreadful blockages. If you are a smoker, you may also often develop Peripheral Artery Diseases (PAD) which in return raises the risks of heart attacks, chest pain, blood clots, and strokes.

- Weakening of Immunity

The susceptibility to several diseases is higher amongst smokers than the normal population. Tar, nicotine, and several other harmful substances in cigarettes will make your immune system weak, thereby resulting in faster ageing of your body. You will not only feel lethargic/tired easily, but also get stressed relatively quicker than those who are non-smokers. Inflammation is one of the most dangerous impacts of smoking.

- Cancers

Another health effect of smoking is the complete assortment of several kinds of cancers. Lung, tongue, mouth, throat, oesophagus, colon, kidney, liver, and many more cancers are caused by smoking cigarettes. This is one of the major reasons why the government has made it mandatory for tobacco companies to roll out warnings on their packets to make customers aware.

- Fertility Issues

Fertility-related issues amongst women and men is one of the biggest ill effects of smoking cigarettes. The hormone levels resulting in complications in conceiving amongst women are adversely affected by the tobacco/nicotine present in cigarettes. This damages their reproductive system to a great extent. In the case of male smokers, their sperm quality is affected by smoking cigarettes.

- Vision-related Issues

One of the most harmful effects of smoking is also the loss/damage of vision or eye-eight. Smokers are at a higher risk of contraction of such issues like glaucoma, cataract, dry eyes syndrome, and diabetic retinopathy. Smoking cigarettes also causes degeneration of the macula before the smoker starts to age.

Smoking cigarettes is not a very smart move for your health. It has many ill effects which tend to damage your physical health and sometimes turn into an addiction. The first puff of your smoke makes the toxic chemical in tobacco reach your heart, brain, and other organs within ten seconds. Almost every inch of your body is harmed by smoking cigarettes, thereby raising your risk of perceiving multiple diseases. How you feel, look, your finances, and your relationship with the people around you are affected by smoking cigarettes in the most negative ways possible. Hence, think twice before you purchase that one stick of tobacco smoke.

However, it is more advisable to keep yourself insured with a proper health insurance plan in order to secure yourself against financial burdens that may arise as a result of incurring health issues due to smoking.

This story has been provided by ATK.will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/ATK)

( With inputs from ANI )

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