Smoking
Introduction
The long standing impact of smoking on the health of an individual is so severe that a smoker is prone to diseases, health deficiencies as well as poverty. Smoking in the United Kingdom is still on the rise despite the fact that the level of spread of tobacco underwent a drastic reduction. The level of smoking however was attributed to low income earners as individuals in the lower social class did not find proper methods of managing their social lives rather than engaging in drug and substance abuse where smoking was first on the list. The amounts of death cases that are attributed to smoking are three times higher than any other drug related deaths.
With the rise of cancer as the number one killer disease, the level of smoking has undergone a decrease with the teenage and young adults presenting the most percentage of smokers while the adults making up the greatest individuals who have quit smoking. It is also important to observe that some government legislations that specify smoking zones as well as impose bans on smoking and importation of tobacco have greatly contributed to the reduction of smoking among members of the society.
Effects
There are various reasons that are attributed to smoking; individuals smoke to emulate others which is in some instances regarded to as peer pressure mainly caused by hanging around individuals who smoke. This has been a norm for couples where one member is a smoker and the other one does not smoke, through influence and regular interaction they tend to influence each other.
Though there are no medical backgrounds to justify why some individuals smoke, people tend to provide some medical excuses that at some point attribute smoking to a health prescription. Smoking is also said to reduce stress to some individuals while others use it as a depressant. Personal issues such as marriage conflicts, antisocial practices with a feeling of alienation also lead individuals into smoking. Individuals with high blood pressure engage in smoking as a coolant of the pain they undergo. Street urchins and homeless individuals engage in smoking as a stimulant as it keeps them awake for the entire period.
From the look of things and current goings, smoking may soon be permissible in hospitals because patients who find it hard to cope with their lives without smoking while undergoing treatment are seen to be undergoing great difficulties which might easily sent them to their early graves. Permitting smoking in hospital might sound the same as allowing individuals to smoke as one the medical prescription since the smokers tend to satisfy their urge by smoking rather than undergoing the medical processes.
400,000 is the approximation number of people who are reported to have died annually due to smoking related complications. Medical practitioners have discovered that excessive smoking has a negative impact on an individual’s lungs and kidneys as in most cases they recorded to have failed due to their exposure of smoke and heat from cigarettes. However, it is difficult to ascertain the main reason as to why people still engage in smoking despite the knowledge of this health menace.
Statistics reveal that 16% of the global youth population are involved in smoking with the number expected to increase as we aim to achieve the targeted Healthy People 202. The adult population however is considerate about smoking as the number falls each and every day as the anticipate number of smokers by the year 2020 will be at 12% of the entire adult population. This reduction is majorly attributed to diseases and other health problems these people undergo.
Many people view smoking as the main cause of lung cancer and breathing problems, it is however important to note that smoking has also great influences in other diseases such as cardiovascular malfunctions which affects the blood vessel and also causes majority of the heart diseases that are recorded. In majority of the cases that are reported in the world today, cigarette manufacturing companies are more concerned with gaining profit rather than considering the health of the customers they are serving. This is an important aspect that governments should adopt proper measures that help single out companies that do not mean good to the society. Smoking causes emphysema which is a build of tar in the lungs from the chemical Nicotine found in cigarettes.
Conclusion
Cigarettes are made up of the following compounds, benzene, ammonia (hair dye, toilet cleaner, etc), acetone (nail polish remover), tar, nicotine (insecticide/ addictive), carbon monoxide (automobile exhaust), arsenic, and hydrogen cyanide (poisons).this composition present that the smoke produced from cigarettes is harmful to an individual’s health and the impact is longstanding. The addictive nature of tobacco which has nicotine enables individual to reduce tension and feel contended in life as individuals tend to worry less and lack anxiety. Expectant women exposed to cigarette smoke whether through direct inhalation or the exposure from another individual are at a greater risk of giving birth to an abnormal baby.