Why is smoking so dangerous?
Here is a list of some diseases that smoking causes or makes worse:
- heart attacks
- blood vessel disease
- chronic bronchitis
- strokes
- emphysema
- peptic ulcers
cancer of the lungs, throat, vocal chords, mouth, tongue, oesophagus, bladder, pancreas, kidney and stomach
In women, smoking may also lead to the following:
- cancer of the cervix ("neck" of the uterus)
- infertility
- earlier menopause
- menstrual pains
earlier onset of osteoporosis (loss of bone density that can lead to fractures of the hip and spine)
In men, smoking may also lead to the following:
- impotence (inability to achieve and maintain an erection)
- prostate cancer
- reduced sperm count
- sperm with lower motility
deformed sperm (may lead to babies with mental and/or physical abnormalities)
In pregnant women, smoking increases the risk of:
- spontaneous abortion/ miscarriage
- stillbirths
- low birth weight babies
- birth defects
ectopic pregnancy (fetus develops in fallopian tube instead of uterus)
The diseases that smoking causes don't just kill you...
They can cause you to suffer for many years:
- blocked blood vessels can cause pains in the legs when you exercise and can lead to amputation of a limb
- lung problems such as emphysema can leave you bedridden for years, fighting for every breath
Smokers usually start to develop problems in their 30's and 40's, but even 18 year old smokers are not as fit as their non-smoking friends.
" It turns out that quitting is not nearly as tough as not quitting." - Lung cancer victim Phil Walters, age 57
Your family and friends will also benefit from your stopping smoking:
- They will enjoy fresher air
- They won't have to worry about getting lung cancer or heart disease from your second-hand smoke
The children and youth in your life will particularly benefit from your stopping smoking:
- They will be less likely to start smoking themselves
- Their risk of developing asthma, bronchitis or pneumonia will decrease
- Their risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) will decrease
For you, your family and your friends, the benefits begin on the day you stop smoking.
"In a healthy household, only the chimney smokes." - Nancy Corneil, sixth grade