Aleena Bilal
Professor Justine Matias
ENG 21003
April 5th,2021
Cigarettes are an addictive substance that many people resort to for leisure and socializing purposes. A cigarette is a narrow cylinder that contains tobacco, which many can roll up and smoke. Smoking is one of the most prevalent difficulties smokers face in today’s society, and it is one of the leading causes of death. Many people develop this habit as a result of stress, personal troubles, and other factors. Some people also start flaunting it. When a person smokes a cigarette, they are harming not only themselves but also those around them. It has numerous negative impacts on the human body which can cause long-term issues later on in life.
Many studies and researchers have found a correlation between smoking cigarettes and cancer. For example, Edward D. Gometz, an internal medicine resident at the University of Chicago Medical Center, claims that smoking tobacco can lead to lung cancer. Gometz argues that smoking can also increase the risk of other cancers that affect different parts of the body such as the throat, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, colon, blood (acute myeloid leukemia), and esophagus (Gometz). Saha et al., who are scientific researchers at the University of Kentucky and Wayne State University, extend on Gometz’ argument and go into more detail about what smoking tobacco can do to the lungs. With years of epidemiological and experimental studies, researchers have come to the conclusion that tobacco smoke inhalation is linked to cancers of the mouth, esophagus, colon, pancreas, breast, larynx, and kidney. (Saha et al. ) In the past, centrally located squamous cell carcinomas of the airways were the most common tumors found in smokers. Peripheral adenocarcinomas and other non-small-cell lung malignancies are now the most common lung tumors in smokers (Saha et al.). Every time a person smokes a cigarette, it not only affects their lungs but could also affect more parts of the body such as the pancreas and colon. Also, the findings concerning the nature of lung cancer show that it has evolved through time in terms of the location and types of lung tumors seen in smokers. While Gometz states some of the negative effects of smoking on a person’s body with a specific emphasis on the lungs, he didn’t mention other cancers such as breast cancer or leukemia. Both Gometz and Saha et al. talk about what other cancers can occur when smoking cigarettes. When talking about cancer, Gometz only states what other parts can be affected when smoking but on the other hand Saha et al. relates the cancers caused in the body to other tumors. Saha et al. also talks about different studies that have been found when smoking.
Aside from leading to cancer, smoking can also affect a person’s health in many other ways. The majority of people are aware that smoking causes cancer. However, it can also create a variety of other illnesses and harm practically every organ in the body. The American Cancer Society, a non-profit health organization focused on the prevention and treatment of cancer, states that smoking tobacco increases the risk of gum disease and tooth loss, lowers the immune system in your body to function, increases the risk of diabetes, lowers your sense of taste or smell, causes premature aging, increases the risk of cataracts, and more. Though Saha et al.’s article focuses on more cancer-related consequences, it also states that smoking cigarettes for a long period of time can lead to cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. While Saha et al. brings up chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, it doesn’t go into detail about what it is. The American Cancer Society on the other hand does. COPD is a very common consequence when smoking tobacco. Damage to the tiny airways in the lungs causes COPD, making it difficult for the lungs to provide oxygen to the rest of the body. Some symptoms include noises in the chest, coughing up mucus, and more (The American Cancer Society). This disease is not curable, meaning that after smoking for a long period of time, the damage incurred to the lungs is irreparable. Robert West, who is a part of the Department of Behavioural Science and Health at University College London, also states that smoking could cause strokes, blindness, deafness, back pain, osteoporosis, and peripheral vascular disease (West). West didn’t state anything about diseases such as COPD in his article compared to The American Cancer Society. According to what all the sources have said this signifies that smoking can lead to much more than just cancer. The diseases that were mentioned can all result in death. Many diseases that can result from smoking for a long period of time are either non curable and/or hard to get rid of. For that reason, smoking tobacco is highly discouraged because of what it can do to one’s body.
Moreover, smoking does not only negatively impact you, but it can also impact your loved ones. Many people who smoke tobacco when pregnant are at a higher risk of facing pregnancy related complications. Gometz and The American Cancer Society both go into detail on what happens when smoking tobacco. Gometz claims that pregnancy problems linked to maternal smoking include complications such as abruption placentae, placenta previa, bleeding during pregnancy, early and delayed membrane rupture, and preterm delivery (Gometz). They also bring up that smoking can increase the risk of coronary artery disease for smokers compared to non-smokers. Smoking during pregnancy also increases the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, lowers muscle strength, and causes blood to clot more easily (Gometz). These diseases and problems are extremely dangerous, and they can harm both the mother and the child, if the mother smokes while pregnant. The American Cancer Society states in more detail what happens during pregnancy if someone is smoking. When a woman smokes when pregnant, the placenta, the organ that joins the mother and the fetus, might become inflamed. The placenta may be in the wrong place (placenta previa), or it may split too soon from the uterus (placental abruption). These issues could result in severe bleeding, an early delivery (premature birth), or other complications during delivery, some of which may necessitate an emergency C-section ( The American Cancer Society). If a woman is smoking when she’s pregnant, it could also be known that having these issues when pregnant can cause a high risk of premature births and can also cause miscarriage if worst comes to worst. Gometz mentioned specific diseases and concerns that can arise when a pregnant woman smokes during her pregnancy, while The American Cancer Society discusses how smoking causes these issues. The American Cancer Society doesn’t talk about diseases or issues that can occur when pregnant. Overall, both sources come to the conclusion that if a woman is pregnant and wants to smoke, she should think twice about it because of the significant implications it could have on the mother’s body and her child.
Children who are exposed to people who smoke cigarettes or children who smoke already have more health problems than children who don’t smoke or never had any exposure. Children who are exposed to the smoke from cigarettes show a decrease in lung function, more days of limited activity, more respiratory infections, more days in bed, more absences from school, and more hospitalizations than children from nonsmoking households. Some side effects could be coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing or gasping to breathe, more headaches, and increased mucus, and a respiratory illness that could worsen over time (The American Cancer Society). Tobacco can not only be found in cigarettes, but it can also be found in other smoking devices such as e-cigarettes or vapes. Many teenagers and kids smoke these devices thinking it’s cool or that it won’t cause any negative effects on their bodies because it’s not a cigarette. But this is most likely not true because e-cigarettes also cause the same amount of harm that tobacco does. Teen tobacco users are more likely than non-users to take alcohol and other drugs. Teens who smoke are more likely to get into fights, carry weapons, try suicide, have mental health issues including depression, and participate in high-risk sexual practices (The American Cancer Society). This isn’t to say that tobacco use caused these behaviors, but they are more common among kids who smoke. The longer teen’s smoke, the more severe the consequences they face in the future; for example, smoking can lead to the long-term diseases that were stated in the other sources such as cardiovascular disease or cancer. In western societies, it is believed that the reason people go into smoking is because they may have friends who smoke, parents who smoke or have low grades in school (West). West states that the more reasons that lead to smoking could also be low parental support or drinking alcohol (West). People who smoke cigarettes usually smoke them to overcome mental health problems such as depression. Many people, who rely on tobacco or nicotine,believe it helps them stay relaxed and stress-free when it turns out to be not the case for the long-term effects it has on the body. West and The American Cancer Society both stated that children who smoke usually smoke to ease their mental health but, West talks about reasons that could lead to a child who smokes; for example, becoming an alcoholic or having low parental support. American Cancer Society just talks about reasons why children would start smoking. But both sources do have a certain set theme on smoking which is that smoking is bad, especially for kids and due to that, it could lead to issues that are not good for the person.
All of the health problems and diseases that result from smoking for an extended period of time could lead to a person’s death if not stopped. Smoking is known to cause a variety of health problems, and as a result, death rates have risen over time. Saha et al. determined that in Europe, tobacco is responsible for 24% of all male deaths and 7% of all female deaths. The death rates rise by over 40% in central and eastern Europe and by 17% among women in the United States. According to United Kingdom doctors, they anticipate that the worst is yet to come in most nations, as there will be around 10 million fatalities per year from tobacco use by the time today’s youthful smokers reach middle or old age ( Saha et al. ). Gometz states that 50% of smokers die from a smoking-related illness, and one in every four smokers has their average lifespan cut by as much as 15-20 years ( Gometz ). Most of the causes of these could be from cancer in several organs, diabetes, COPD, and more. Because of smoking tobacco, someone’s lifespan gets cut to at least 10 years or more which is shorter than a nonsmoker. This shows how effective it is to the body. The high death rates could also mean that even if someone who smokes tobacco believes they are doing so for their personal enjoyment, the long-term effects of smoking tobacco are harmful. Both sources have different estimation percentages of the death rates of people who died because of smoking cigarettes. Because Gometz’s article is more current than Saha et al., it may be more credible due to its relevance.
The only two sources that talk about lung cancer were Gometz and Saha et al. Saha et al. goes into more detail on how smoking affects the body compared to Gometz’s article. Saha et al. lack information on other diseases that can occur if smoking tobacco other than cancer and what happens to children who smoke. West and The American Cancer Society don’t talk about lung cancer but do bring up information on other diseases that are caused by smoking tobacco. West and The American Cancer Society both talk about other diseases other than cancer that can occur if someone smokes over time. West only names certain diseases that occur when smoking tobacco but The American Cancer Society talks more about it in detail about certain diseases such as COPD. Gometz and The American Cancer Society lack information on other diseases that can happen when smoking tobacco. The only two sources that talk about the death rate of people who smoke are Gometz and Saha et al. Because Gometz’s article is more current than Saha et al., it may be more credible due to its relevance. West and The American Cancer Society also both talk about what happens to children who smoke. The American Cancer Society goes into detail for reasons why children would start smoking and West goes into detail on reasons that could lead to a child who smokes for example becoming an alcoholic or having low parental support. Gometz and The American Cancer Society are the only two sources that talk about what would happen to pregnant women if they smoke tobacco. The American Cancer Society outlines how smoking causes these complications, while Gometz listed particular disorders and concerns that can occur when a pregnant lady smokes during her pregnancy. The American Cancer Society does not discuss diseases or problems that can arise during pregnancy.
While looking at each source what they all have in common is that they all believe that smoking is bad and has an impact on a person’s body if they smoke it too often. Smoking for a long period of time can impact a person’s body in many ways for example causing cancer in the mouth, esophagus, colon, pancreas, breast, larynx, and kidney. Smoking can also cause an increased risk of miscarriage, cardiovascular disease, increase diabetes, and affects the immune system in our bodies. Adults aren’t the only ones who smoke cigarettes because children smoke them as well. Children who smoke have more health issues than children who do not smoke, such as coughing or shortness of breath.The tobacco industry continues to actively advertise and sell addictive products with the aim of maintaining existing customers and attracting new consumers, especially teenagers and young adults which increases the use of tobacco. Future researchers can look into how experts can set strict guidelines for tobacco product ingredients in order to make some or all tobacco products less hazardous and enticing to young adults.Overall, smoking is associated with a high rate of death. One question I have for smoking is: If smoking has so many side effects and causes so much harm, why hasn’t the government or any country done something to limit smoking tobacco and help save people’s lives?
Work Cited
-American Cancer Society. “Health Risks of Smoking Tobacco.” Www.cancer.org, 28 Oct. 2020, www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/health-risks-of-tobacco/health-risks-of-smoking-tobacco.html.
-Gometz, Edward D. “Health Effects of Smoking and the Benefits of Quitting.” AMA Journal of Ethics, vol. 13, no. 1, 2011, pp. 31–35, journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/health-effects-smoking-and-benefits-quitting/2011-01, 10.1001/virtualmentor.2011.13.1.cprl1-1101..
-Saha, Sibu P, et al. “Cigarette Smoke and Adverse Health Effects: An Overview of Research Trends and Future Needs.” The International Journal of Angiology: Official Publication of the International College of Angiology, Inc, vol. 16, no. 3, 2007, pp. 77–83, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2733016/.
-West, Robert. “Tobacco Smoking: Health Impact, Prevalence, Correlates and Interventions.” Psychology & Health, vol. 32, no. 8, 28 May 2017, pp. 1018–1036, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5490618/, 10.1080/08870446.2017.1325890.
