The 5 ways smoking tobacco is ruining your health

Authors:

Inemesit Udodiong

May 31, 2019 4:33 PM

Tobacco threatens the lung health of smokers and anyone exposed to it.

Black man smoking

Every year, the use of tobacco leads to the death of over 16,000 annually in Nigeria according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Discussing the use of tobacco in the country, Dr John Konto, a Psychiatrist in the Behavioural Medicine Unit, Karu General Hospital in Abuja, said, “Tobacco products, especially when mixed with drugs and other concoctions have severe effects on consumers. Sometimes, cases are so complicated that they even require surgery for full recovery”.

This is why the World No Tobacco Day is celebrated annually on May 31 to discourage the use of tobacco.

This year, the theme is 'tobacco and lung health,' focusing on how it threatens the lungs, which play a vital role in our well being.

World No Tobacco Day 2019 (Photo: WHO) Pulse Nigeria

From autoimmune disorders, Type 2 diabetes, premature deaths, cancer, heart strokes to chronic respiratory disease, here are five ways tobacco smoking is ruining your health:

Cancer

Statistics show that tobacco is the cause of nearly 90% of oral and lung cancers. The tar in cigarette smoke enters and coats your lungs. Over time, it makes the air sacs less elastic and slowly decreases your body's ability to use oxygen effectively.

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Heart attacks

For non-smokers, carbon monoxide from inhaled cigarette smoke can contribute to a lack of oxygen, which makes the heart work even harder. Over time, this increases the risk of heart attacks.

Heart attack(Medical News Today) Heart disease Pulse Live Kenya

Smoking can raise your blood pressure and puts stress on your heart. This stress can weaken the heart and lead to heart complications.

Stroke

The chemicals in smoke can cause the lining of the arteries to become porous (leaky or penetrable). This eventually results in clogged arteries which leaves smokers at the risk of a stroke.

Bad dental health

Smoking or chewing tobacco leads to bad breath and stained teeth.

Bad breath ece-auto-gen

Death

Smoking has an adverse effect on the 'innocent bystanders'. According to WHO, over than 1 million deaths take place every year because of second-hand smoke.