What Are the Specific Harms of Smoking?
What are the specific harms of smoking? Everyone knows smoking is harmful to health, but many people do not know the exact risks, so today China Vaping News will explain them. What are the specific harms of smoking? 1. Respiratory diseases. According to L
What are the specific harms of smoking? Everyone knows that smoking is harmful to health, but the specific harms are often unknown. Today, we will provide some insights on this topic.
What are the specific harms of smoking?
1. Respiratory System Diseases
According to Dr. Long Muheng, an ENT specialist at the Guangdong Provincial Armed Police Corps Hospital, the harm of smoking to the human body begins with its impact on the respiratory system. Conditions such as rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, and emphysema are closely related to smoking. Data shows that 82% of deaths caused by emphysema and chronic lung diseases are related to smoking. After the age of 60, the proportion of smokers suffering from lung diseases is 47%, while for non-smokers, it is only 4%.
2. Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Although the health hazards of smoking are well recognized, many do not pay much attention to its relationship with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Dr. Xu Anding from the Neurology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University states, "In fact, smoking can lead to atherosclerosis, which can cause cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction. For instance, we often see young and middle-aged people suffering strokes, even when their blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar levels are normal; the main reason is often due to smoking."
Therefore, to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, quitting smoking is beneficial. Research shows that the effect of quitting smoking on preventing strokes is comparable to that of antihypertensive medications in patients with hypertension and stroke.
3. Malignant Tumors (Especially Lung Cancer)
According to reports from CCTV, smoking is related to 30% of tumor occurrences in China and 80% of lung cancer cases. Numerous epidemiological studies worldwide have confirmed that smoking is one of the high-risk factors for lung cancer. In China, lung cancer ranks first in both incidence and mortality rates among malignant tumors. It can be said that one in every five malignant tumor patients dies from lung cancer.
Statistics show that there are 733,000 new lung cancer cases in China each year, accounting for 35.78% of the global incidence of malignant tumors, with nearly 600,000 deaths annually, representing 37.55% of global deaths. Moreover, 80% of male lung cancer cases are caused by smoking, while 30% of female lung cancer cases are due to smoking or secondhand smoke. Smokers are more than ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers.
In this regard, Dr. Lin Lizhu, an oncologist at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, states that indeed, the earlier one starts smoking, the longer they smoke, and the more they smoke, the higher the lung cancer mortality rate. Passive smokers inhale harmful substances from the air, which can be just as harmful as for smokers, and their reactions to the harmful substances in tobacco may be even more intense.
Additionally, smoking is also related to the occurrence of oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. Furthermore, clinical studies and animal experiments have shown that carcinogens in smoke may affect the fetus through the placenta, increasing the likelihood of cancer in offspring.
4. Male Reproductive Health
Research has shown that nicotine in tobacco can inhibit the secretion of male hormones, which can damage sperm to some extent, leading to reduced or even lost sexual function and fertility in men. Dr. Guo Zhenghui, a urologist at Sun Yat-sen University Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, believes that smoking is indeed one of the high-risk factors for erectile dysfunction. Although there are many causes of erectile dysfunction, most fundamentally, it is due to insufficient blood supply to the penile arteries or rapid blood circulation within the corpora cavernosa, which affects erection. Smoking is closely related to the circulatory system, as the harmful chemicals in cigarettes may cause hardening of the blood vessels in the penis, reducing the blood flow response and leading to erectile dysfunction.
At the same time, since nicotine is the main component of tobacco, it may stimulate the nervous system. Long-term heavy smoking can easily lead to increased nervous system excitement, and "extreme reactions" may eventually lead to a suppression response, which over time can directly or indirectly affect the central nervous system, reducing arousal and leading to symptoms like erectile dysfunction.
Moreover, nicotine in tobacco may also hinder the fertilization of eggs and sperm, reducing the chances of women becoming pregnant. It is important to note that smoking during pregnancy poses even greater risks, potentially leading to premature birth, developmental delays, or even deformities.
Of course, smoking not only easily leads to the above typical diseases but also new research has shown that long-term heavy smoking may cause declines in intelligence and vision, lead to osteoporosis, premature aging, early menopause, reduce the body's resistance to skin cancer, and increase the risk of dementia. It can be said that smoking is harmful in every way, with dangers that are "deep and unfathomable, causing great alarm."
What are the specific harms of smoking?
1. Respiratory System Diseases
According to Dr. Long Muheng, an ENT specialist at the Guangdong Provincial Armed Police Corps Hospital, the harm of smoking to the human body begins with its impact on the respiratory system. Conditions such as rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, and emphysema are closely related to smoking. Data shows that 82% of deaths caused by emphysema and chronic lung diseases are related to smoking. After the age of 60, the proportion of smokers suffering from lung diseases is 47%, while for non-smokers, it is only 4%.
2. Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Although the health hazards of smoking are well recognized, many do not pay much attention to its relationship with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Dr. Xu Anding from the Neurology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University states, "In fact, smoking can lead to atherosclerosis, which can cause cerebral infarction and myocardial infarction. For instance, we often see young and middle-aged people suffering strokes, even when their blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar levels are normal; the main reason is often due to smoking."
Therefore, to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, quitting smoking is beneficial. Research shows that the effect of quitting smoking on preventing strokes is comparable to that of antihypertensive medications in patients with hypertension and stroke.
3. Malignant Tumors (Especially Lung Cancer)
According to reports from CCTV, smoking is related to 30% of tumor occurrences in China and 80% of lung cancer cases. Numerous epidemiological studies worldwide have confirmed that smoking is one of the high-risk factors for lung cancer. In China, lung cancer ranks first in both incidence and mortality rates among malignant tumors. It can be said that one in every five malignant tumor patients dies from lung cancer.
Statistics show that there are 733,000 new lung cancer cases in China each year, accounting for 35.78% of the global incidence of malignant tumors, with nearly 600,000 deaths annually, representing 37.55% of global deaths. Moreover, 80% of male lung cancer cases are caused by smoking, while 30% of female lung cancer cases are due to smoking or secondhand smoke. Smokers are more than ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers.
In this regard, Dr. Lin Lizhu, an oncologist at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, states that indeed, the earlier one starts smoking, the longer they smoke, and the more they smoke, the higher the lung cancer mortality rate. Passive smokers inhale harmful substances from the air, which can be just as harmful as for smokers, and their reactions to the harmful substances in tobacco may be even more intense.
Additionally, smoking is also related to the occurrence of oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer. Furthermore, clinical studies and animal experiments have shown that carcinogens in smoke may affect the fetus through the placenta, increasing the likelihood of cancer in offspring.
4. Male Reproductive Health
Research has shown that nicotine in tobacco can inhibit the secretion of male hormones, which can damage sperm to some extent, leading to reduced or even lost sexual function and fertility in men. Dr. Guo Zhenghui, a urologist at Sun Yat-sen University Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, believes that smoking is indeed one of the high-risk factors for erectile dysfunction. Although there are many causes of erectile dysfunction, most fundamentally, it is due to insufficient blood supply to the penile arteries or rapid blood circulation within the corpora cavernosa, which affects erection. Smoking is closely related to the circulatory system, as the harmful chemicals in cigarettes may cause hardening of the blood vessels in the penis, reducing the blood flow response and leading to erectile dysfunction.
At the same time, since nicotine is the main component of tobacco, it may stimulate the nervous system. Long-term heavy smoking can easily lead to increased nervous system excitement, and "extreme reactions" may eventually lead to a suppression response, which over time can directly or indirectly affect the central nervous system, reducing arousal and leading to symptoms like erectile dysfunction.
Moreover, nicotine in tobacco may also hinder the fertilization of eggs and sperm, reducing the chances of women becoming pregnant. It is important to note that smoking during pregnancy poses even greater risks, potentially leading to premature birth, developmental delays, or even deformities.
Of course, smoking not only easily leads to the above typical diseases but also new research has shown that long-term heavy smoking may cause declines in intelligence and vision, lead to osteoporosis, premature aging, early menopause, reduce the body's resistance to skin cancer, and increase the risk of dementia. It can be said that smoking is harmful in every way, with dangers that are "deep and unfathomable, causing great alarm."
