There are over 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes; 51 are known to be carcinogenic. Cigarette packages come with health warnings. Listed in very small font on the side of cigarette packages are some of the toxic emissions: tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and benzene. The average smoker is still unaware of exactly what is in a cigarette and the dangers of lesser known serious health effects. Some facts about cigarettes are shocking.
Chemicals in Cigarettes
Three of the most widely known chemicals are nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide. Nicotine is a strong, poisonous, addictive drug. It is the main ingredient in insecticides. In its pure form, only one drop on a person's tongue can kill. According to Health Literacy if a person ate one pack of cigarettes, that person would die.
There are many toxins found in cigarettes when smoked, such as lead. Some other toxins include: DDT and cadmium. DDT was banned many years ago after being proven to be detrimental to human health.
A toxic gas found in cigarette smoke is hydrogen cyanide, which was used in WWII gas chambers. Freon is proven to eat away at the earth's ozone layer and is also in cigarette smoke.
Household toxins that are in cigarettes or in cigarette smoke include: acetone (nail polish remover), ammonia (corrosive cleaner), arsenic (rodent poison) and propylene glycol (windshield cleaner). The ammonia in cigarettes helps the body to absorb as much nicotine as possible, therefore ensuring addiction. Propylene glycol aids in the delivery of nicotine to the brain. This information comes from a poster that the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services produced called “Hidden Dangers”.
There are countless other toxic chemicals in cigarettes.
Lesser Known Serious Health Effects
Smoking has been known for years to be the cause of emphysema, bronchitis and other lung diseases. It's also known to cause numerous forms of cancer throughout the entire body. There are other lesser known health effects that are serious and are directly linked to cigarettes such as:
- For women, it speeds up the loss of bone density.
- Osteoporosis.
- People who are HIV positive are twice as likely to develop full blown AIDs.
- Smokers are more apt to get stomach ulcers.
- Heavy smokers have an increased chance of getting PVD (peripheral vascular disease). This means the arteries to the limbs get narrower resulting in less blood to the arms or legs causing pain. Serious cases lead to gangrene and amputations.
- Men with PVD will experience difficulty in getting and maintaining erections due to the loss of blood flow.
- Cataracts.
- Gum disease and tooth decay.
- Leukoplakia (white patches in the mouth).
- Raynaud's disease is when the small arteries that serve the fingers and toes go into spasms. Once spasms occur blood flow is cut off, which causes the fingers and toes (digits) to turn white or blue and lose feeling.
Second Hand Smoke
Second hand smoke comes from two sources. Mainstream smoke is exhaled by the smoker. Sidestream smoke is produced by a smoldering cigarette. Second hand smoke contains at least 250 chemicals including 50 cancer-causing chemicals. According to the U.S. Surgeon General there is no risk-free level of exposure to second hand smoke.
If You Smoke....
Smoking cessation is not easy. First the desire and the will must be there otherwise any attempt to quit will not be successful. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to explore what options there are and what is best for you. Not all cessation products are safe for all smokers wanting to quit. Some health plans cover smoking cessation products so if you have health insurance, check to see what may or may not be covered.
There is no time like the present to stop inhaling all these deadly chemicals. You'll be rewarded with benefits beyond what you can imagine and they'll occur faster than you think.
