Gary Neville

XI Science 1

Causes and Effects of Smoking

Smoking is considered as one of the most dangerous habits of an individual, especially for
women and children eventually leading to several complications and causing grave health
problems. There are numerous harmful as well as dangerous effects related with smoking.
Carbon monoxide and nicotine in cigarette smoking has been related with several adverse
impacts on lungs and heart. For example, in pregnant women it can eventually result in grave
outcomes including; low birth weight babies, preterm delivery; premature rupture of
membranes, placental abnormalities, and increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. It is
pertinent to mention that smoking causes vascular diseases that in turns affect flow of blood
through the placenta. Smokers, in fact, look older than they actually are because the blood
vessels are partially obstructed and calcified. The complications resulting from placental
abruption are more common in smokers.
As mentioned above, smoking cigarette includes carbon monoxide. Since carbon monoxide is
the replacement for oxygen in the blood during smoking, there are some fetuses that could
attempt to compensate for this particular deprivation by creating extra red blood cells for the
purpose of carrying extra oxygen. In some extraordinary cases, the blood gets thicker from
the proliferation of such cells and ultimately cuts off the supply of blood to critical organs
with fatal results.
Smoking causes a person's heart to run in overdrive and ultimately there is a shortage of
oxygen in heart. Heart then has to work more for maintaining supply to the entire human
body. The blood vessels are narrowed causing high blood pressure. Moreover, smoking
impacts the cardiovascular system of human beings which also becomes a cause of high
blood pressure or hypertension. The effect of high blood pressure is heart related diseases.
Cigarettes contain tobacco which, in turn, possesses nicotine and different other toxic
chemicals. These chemicals cause blood vessel to be narrower than normal. When blood
passes through these narrow vessels it creates extra pressure and results in hypertension
having some serious effects on human body including heart strokes and paralysis. Cigarettes
causes deterioration in quality of blood and increases cholesterol level, at times, also creates
clots in the heart. The effect of increased level of cholesterol and creation of clots in blood is
also heart attack as well as impacting other parts of body.
The combination of carbon monoxide and nicotine especially in cigarettes causes increase
heart rate and strained heart blood vessels. It cuts off supply of oxygen to other parts of
human body including hands and feet, and limbs. These causes have grave effects on entire
human body and increase chances of death. In fact, hundreds of thousands of people die
every year, around the world, due to smoking. Smoking is considered as a slow way of death.

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For example, it causes emphysema that slowly but continuously effects lungs. The effect of
emphysema is repeated attacks of bronchitis, lung-diseases and heart failure.
Nicotine in blood causes shortage of oxygen in the human body which, in turn, exerts
pressure on heart. Moreover, it blocks the arteries and causes damage to the blood vessels.
The damage effects flow of blood and increase blood pressure. Chemicals present in tobacco
causes damage to the lining of blood vessels that effects fats level and increase the risk of
atheroma being a major cause of heart diseases.
Smoking limits, unfortunately, restricts the overall nutrition that a newly-born baby is able to
receive. This can be specifically detrimental in late pregnancy when the brain of baby is
swiftly developing. Furthermore, evidence suggests that nicotine has a direct adverse effect
on developing nerve cells. Small doses, in animals, of nicotine injected into the mother in
pregnancy normally result in brain malformations, learning problems, and poor functioning.
Studies have revealed the fact that women exposed to nicotine in pregnancy are more likely
to show behavioral and learning problems years later. Babies born too small or prematurely
for their gestational age may end up confronting learning problems their entire lives.
Smokeless tobacco also includes nicotine. The quantity of nicotine absorbed is generally
more than the quantity delivered by any cigarette. People, who chew or dip, receive about the
similar quantity of nicotine as regular smokers.
The most dangerous substances causing substances in smokeless tobacco are known as
'tobacco-specific nitrosamines' that are found at levels hundred times higher compared with
the nitrosamines allowed in beer, bacon, and different other foods. The juice resulted from
the smokeless tobacco is, in fact, absorbed through the lining of the mouth. This creates white
patches and sores that mostly lead to cancer of the mouth. Users of smokeless tobacco
significantly increase their risk of other cancers. Other effects of smokeless tobacco use
include stained teeth and filings, chronic bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease, tooth abrasion
tooth loss, and loss of bone in the jaw. They could also have problems with high blood
pressure and are exposed to the increased risk for heart disease.
Smokers have comparatively great risk of ectopic pregnancy- a pregnancy just outside the
uterus- and also miscarriage. This risk exist more in smokers compared with non-smokers. It
is most likely that smokers may develop other complications like more risk of infections.
Discontinuing the habit of smoking during pregnancy is beneficial; however, ceasing right
from the time it is planned or at the start of the pregnancy is considered wiser. Any pregnant
women can be successful in giving up the habit of smoking; however, she may need
sympathetic motivation-mental support and health.
Smoking during pregnancy causes certain complications such as detachment of placenta,
bleeding, and premature birth. It produces effects not only on mother but also newly-born
baby along with increased chances of abortion. Studies have shown that, in case of pregnant
women, nicotine has more grave effects compared with heroine or similar drugs. Nicotine in
smoking effects newly-born baby because blood is directly sent to the placenta through
arteries and spans resulting from it can reduce the amount of oxygen received by the baby.
Resultantly, chances of low-birth rate are more. Moreover, premature delivery can eventually

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lead to disastrous health conditions of both mother and baby, for example, cerebral palsy,
metal retardation, and in some cases death.1

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