 Officially
the medical professions concern with tobacco smoking started
in 1952, although unofficially concerns about tobacco
smoking can be traced back to 1602 ! when an article was
published in the British Medical Journal which stated
that there was a real association between carcinoma of
the lung and smoking.
4 Major Smoking Related Facts:
Smoking kills 120,000 people a year in the UK, most
die prematurely losing 13 14 years of life.
98 % of lung cancer is caused by smoking
Smoking related sickness leave costs British industry
34 million working days every year.
120,000 British men are impotent because of smoking.
Passive Smoking
The medical profession believes that passive smoking
causes cancer in humans, with research showing that
adults exposed to passive smoking may experience the
following
Irritation to the eyes, nose and throat
Headaches, dizziness and sickness
Aggravation of asthma and allergies
Increased risk of coronary heart disease
A 10-30% increased risk of lung cancer, for non smokers
exposed to passive smoking over long periods
Effects on children
A much higher risk of cot death than children of non-smokers.
An increased risk of meningitis
Increased risk of ear infections and glue ear, which
can lead to partial deafness and chronic ear disease.
More coughs, colds and wheezes.
Babies exposed to smoky atmospheres
are
Twice as likely to have asthma attacks and chest infections
More likely to need hospital care in their first year
of life.
Off sick from school more often
Smoking during pregnancy
Smoking in pregnancy leads to an increased risk of
spontaneous abortion, haemorrhaging during pregnancy,
premature birth and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Cot
Death).
Women who continue to smoke are more likely to experience
vomiting, urinary infections and thrush.
With each cigarette a pregnant woman smokes, the blood
flow through the placenta is reduced for about 15 minutes,
causing the babys heart rate to increase.
The carbon monoxide contained in inhaled cigarette
smoke reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of a foetus
by about 40%. This affects the growth rate of the baby
babies of smoking mothers are an average of 200g (6oz)
lighter at birth, and are therefore more likely to require
life support.
Stillbirths or the death of an infant within the first
week of life is increased by about one third in babies
of smokers
Infants of parents who smoke are twice as likely to
suffer from serious respiratory infection than the children
on non-smokers.
Smoking during pregnancy puts your child at a greater
risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in
life
On average, smokers have more complications in pregnancy
and labour, which can include bleeding, premature detachment
of the placenta and premature rupture of the membranes.
Babies will cry more after birth if the mother has
smoked during pregnancy the baby will suffer withdrawal
symptoms.
Children whos parents smoke are more likely to become
smokers themselves.
Smoking in pregnancy leads to the risk of having a
low weight baby which may require special care or
even life support, with problems such as breathing difficulties.
Illness and Smoking
Smokers face a higher risk than non-smokers for a variety
of illnesses, many of which may be fatal or cause debilitating
illness or other related problems:
Gum disease
Muscle injuries
Angina (20 x risk)
Neck pain
Back pain
Abnormal eye movements (Nystagmus)
Severe circulatory disease
Fungal eye infection
Duodenal / Stomach ulcer
Osteoporosis
Cataract (2 x risk) / Subcapsular posterior cataract
(3 x risk)
Osteoarthritis
Erectile dysfunction
Colon polyps
Peripheral vascular disease
Chronic inflamed bowel (Crohns disease)
Pneumonia
Psoriasis (2 x risk)
Diabetes
Skin wrinkling (2 x risk)
Hearing loss
Influenza
Rheumatoid arthritis
Impotence (2 x risk)
Tendon injuries
Loss of vision (16 x risk)
Ligament injuries
Tooth loss
Tuberculosis
Tobacco - a brief
history
Why do
people smoke?
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