Smoking and Tobacco
Uploaded by jaredm17 on Aug 24, 1999
Tobacco
Tobacco comes from the tobacco plant, nicotiana tobacum. Leaves of the plant may be smoked, inhaled in form of snuff, or chewed. Tobacco smoke contains about 4000 chemicals. Many of them (nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide) are very harmful.
Effects of Smoking
Nicotine is a stimulant (substance that speeds up body activities) which increases the heartbeat and raises blood pressure. Nicotine causes the arteries to narrow, which places stress on the circulatory system.
Cigarette smoke contains many tiny particles. When they form a sticky brown substance called tobacco tar. Tar builds up in the lungs of a smoker.
Carbon Monoxide is a poisonous gas in cigarette smoke. When inhaled, it replaces some of the oxygen that is carried by red blood cells. This makes the heart work harder.
Smoking and the Circulatory System
Smokers are most likely to die of heart disease. Smoking is linked to the formation of blood clots in the arteries. If blood supply to heart is interrupted, a stroke occurs.
Smoking and The Respiratory System
Smoking slows the cilia (tiny hair-like projections) in the nasal passages down. Poisonous substances are then able to spread over the linings of the air passages.
Smokers are more prone to the following upper respiratory problems:
Colds
Pneumonia
Chronic Bronchitis
Emphysema
Lung Cancer
Cancer of the Mouth, Larynx and Esophagus, Bladder, and Kidneys