9 Alarming Facts About Smoking and Your Health
Discover how smoking impacts your body and those around you. These 9 facts might make you think twice.
(Photo: shutterstock)Did you know that a cigarette contains over 4,000 different toxins? Here are 9 facts that should make you reconsider.
1. Smoking During Pregnancy
Smoking during pregnancy poses severe risks to both the mother and the unborn child. It increases the chances of birth defects, preterm births, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome.
Moreover, there's a long-term impact on the child, including attention disorders, respiratory problems, and a higher likelihood of smoking later in life.
Incidentally, smoking while breastfeeding exposes infants to these dangers too.
2. Wrinkles and Stains
Nicotine causes stains on teeth and leads to gum disease. It also leaves yellow marks on fingers and nails.
According to statistics, smoking makes young people appear older than they are.
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3. Cataracts
Smokers develop cataracts earlier than non-smokers, as smoking increases the risk of this condition by 22%.
4. Cancer
Smokers are four times more likely to develop skin cancer compared to others. There's also a strong link between smoking and lung cancer, as well as other cancer types. One in three cancer cases is attributed to smoking cigarettes.
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5. Graying Hair
Research shows that smoking harms hair texture, makes hair turn gray, and even leads to early baldness.
6. Dementia
Scientific research indicates that smoking increases the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.
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7. Diabetes
Smoking is dangerous for people with diabetes and is a contributing factor to the disease. A Dutch study found that smokers have more internal fat, increasing the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes.
8. Psoriasis
Research shows that smoking a pack a day for 10 years increases the risk of developing psoriasis, an autoimmune condition that causes scaly skin, by 20%, and can worsen symptoms for those already affected.
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9. Health Risk to Others
Secondhand smoke, where people are in a closed room with a smoker or enter such a room afterward, exposes them to numerous toxins.
In Summary: Smoking Shortens Lives
When someone smokes, they're taking on the responsibility for various health problems, an unappealing appearance, and exposing those around them to smoking's harmful effects. Think it over again.
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