Introduction
Smoking cigarettes or other tobacco products is still one of the most common means of consumption in Germany, despite its clearly damaging influence. Approximately 30% of Germans smoke regularly, despite the knowledge of the harmful consequences of smoking in every respect. The consequences of smoking include health restrictions that directly affect the smoker.
In addition to lung damage with a greatly increased risk of developing chronic lung diseases and lung cancer, the blood vessels are also damaged, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The general performance capacity decreases. In addition, the consequences of smoking are clearly visible from the outside, such as premature skin aging or yellow discoloration of fingers and teeth. But it is not only the smoker per se who can suffer from the consequences of smoking; people living in the same environment can also be harmed by passive smoking, which is particularly tragic for children. Especially during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, the unborn child or infant can be severely affected, so that smoking is absolutely irresponsible, especially during pregnancy.
General consequences of smoking
General consequences of smoking can be observed not only in the lungs, but in the whole body and in almost all organs. The smoke directly damages the lungs, but the substances dissolved in the smoke are absorbed into the blood and thus distributed throughout the body. General consequences of smoking can be seen mainly in the lungs and respiratory tract.
The smoke directly damages the lung tissue, which over the years leads to chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This causes severe breathing difficulties and frequent infections. In addition, the risk of lung cancer is drastically increased; 90% of the deaths caused by this disease are due to smoking.
Tumors can also develop in the remaining airways as general consequences of smoking. Smoking increases blood pressure and damages the blood vessels. This is particularly important in the coronary arteries and brain vessels, where calcifications and vascular occlusions can lead to heart attacks or strokes as direct consequences of smoking.
In addition, other blood vessels are also affected. Smokers, for example, suffer increasingly from peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAD), known as window dressing disease. Cancer diseases:
Apart from the lungs, many types of cancer are strongly associated with smoking as general consequences of smoking.
These include above all tumors of the gastrointestinal tract such as stomach or colon cancer. However, tumors of the pancreas, kidney or urinary bladder are also a major risk factor for smoking. Other consequences of smoking:
However, general consequences of smoking go far beyond those mentioned above.
Smoking also causes premature aging of the skin and stains teeth and fingernails yellowish. The consequences of smoking are reduced bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis, and a general weakening of the immune system. In addition, inflammation and shrinking of the gums can occur in the oral cavity.
The libido and sperm quality are also negatively affected by smoking. In case of injuries, smoking delays the healing of wounds. Apart from the physical characteristics, psychological dependence is one of the most serious consequences of smoking, as it makes it considerably more difficult to quit.
Except for the lungs, as general consequences of smoking, many cancers are strongly associated with smoking. These include above all tumors of the gastrointestinal tract such as stomach or colon cancer. However, tumors of the pancreas, kidney or urinary bladder are also a major risk factor for smoking.
General consequences of smoking, however, go far beyond those mentioned above. Smoking also causes premature aging of the skin and stains teeth and fingernails yellowish. The consequences of smoking are reduced bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis, and a general weakening of the immune system.
In addition, inflammation and shrinking of the gums can occur in the oral cavity. The libido and sperm quality are also negatively affected by smoking. In case of injuries, smoking delays the healing of wounds.
Apart from the physical characteristics, psychological dependence is one of the most serious consequences of smoking, as it makes it considerably more difficult to quit.Consequences of smoking affect the smoker himself as well as his fellow men in the environment, especially children. These are usually at the mercy of tobacco smoke in a parent’s home where smoking takes place, since they cannot escape the pollutants and cannot assess the dangers and consequences of smoking. Passive smoking children are more often ill as consequences of their parents’ smoking than children of the same age from non-smoking households.
According to current studies one observes increased the occurrence of allergies, middle ear inflammations, pneumonia and above all asthma. This is to be explained by the damaging and the respiratory tract irritating influence of the poison materials contained in the tobacco smoke, which are present in the room air of a smoker household in high measure. These toxins can also be deposited in furniture and carpets and can thus be inhaled by children even after ventilation.
Besides these children complain more frequently headache and sleep disturbances. As long-term consequences of parental smoking, children are at increased risk of ulcers and cancer, and are more likely to develop chronic lung diseases. In addition to the direct damage to health, the long-term consequences of smoking for children cannot be estimated. For example, children who passively inhale tobacco smoke have a significantly increased risk of also being smokers in adulthood. These are therefore put on an extremely unhealthy path at a young age, virtually without their control.