Do they know that more men smoke and 75 percent of them are habitual smokers? In some areas and countries even only 40 percent are non-smokers. The number of women smoking cigarettes is also steadily increasing. Maybe they even smoke a lot themselves or are already successful non-smokers?
History and statistics about smoking
It is a well-known fact that nicotine and smoking is the most dangerous poison for the circulatory system among the common stimulants. When Columbus was the first European to see Indians smoking cigars in 1492, he certainly had no idea of the importance this custom would acquire for the world economy, private life and health. Alexander von Humboldt once said, “Two plants of great importance have come over to us from America, one to blessing – the potato, the other to ruin – tobacco!” In 1930, the annual world production was already about 2800 million tons of raw tobacco, which is about 50,000 tons of pure nicotine. However, today these figures have already increased many times over. After the end of the Second World War, cigarettes and tobacco products were even an important means of payment, almost a substitute for currency. In April 2008, 3.3 billion cigarettes were taxed in Germany alone. Annual consumption rose to 46 billion cigarettes. This means that on average, every German smoked 1000 cigarettes. Increasing nicotine consumption is a serious problem.
Dangers and diseases
Preventing smoking diseases and combating cigarette abuse are becoming, or have been for years, increasingly important medical and public health issues. The danger of habitual abuse is particularly great in the case of nicotine consumption, which only becomes really enjoyable when smoked regularly. Regular smoking, however, quickly leads to addiction. The acute intoxication after the first cigarette with its unpleasant phenomena, such as nausea, dizziness and heart problems, is overcome all too quickly and soon smoking becomes a mental, spiritual and physical stimulant or drug. Almost all the senses (taste, smell, touch) are initially stimulated. The tired are refreshed, the nervous relaxed, the anxious brave – at least that is what smokers believe – and the way out of many difficulties is to reach into the pocket for the cigarette. The harmfulness of smoking can hardly be proven in animal experiments, because the smoking process can hardly be imitated by the animal. Therefore, only one of the factors harmful to the smoker at a time, such as the tar products or the volatile alkaloid nicotine or carbon oxide, can be tried in animal experiments. But the large-scale experiment on humans should be fully sufficient to draw the necessary conclusions. For several decades, bronchial cancer has been increasing tremendously, in line with the increasing consumption of cigarettes. The tar products released during combustion trigger inflammation, prevent healing, and thus the ground is prepared for a tumor. We find the described damages again and again in our patients in the clinic and in the doctor’s office. For several years we have been particularly attentive in observing sick smokers for such phenomena. In about 45 percent of all smokers, the symptoms are triggered, aggravated or hindered in healing by smoking. Especially disease symptoms such as circulatory disorders of hands and feet and heart (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction), smoker’s inflammation, bronchitis, bronchial cancer, gastritis and duodenitis and ulcers, some chronic constipation are typical smoker’s ailments. In-depth studies have also proven the harmful influence on the reproductive organs. More often we see that patients get stomach ulcers again and again due to their chronic gastritis, until one day they end up at the surgeon who has to operate away half of the stomach. The harmful smoking continues to have an effect, the gastritis gets worse again, and new disorders develop, which then soon affect the neighboring organs. The nicotine is mainly a vascular nerve poison. While the tar products cause inflammation, making it chronic and thus preparing the ground for a tumor, the special effect of nicotine on the heart and blood vessels must always be emphasized.It is a well-known fact that nicotine and smoking are the most dangerous poison for the circulation among the common stimulants. The circulatory disorders of the legs have such an effect that cramps gradually appear after shorter and shorter distances, patients have to stop temporarily and only then can they continue walking. The vernacular speaks of smoker’s leg. These facts persist even though there are people who allegedly smoke daily without harm into old age. The sensitivity of each individual to toxins is extremely variable. Nevertheless, it can affect anyone, as prediction is never possible.