Why You Should Quit Smoking

  Smoking tobacco, no matter what form, is unhealthy and extremely dangerous to health. Even in tobacco leaves themselves, there are no safe substances, from tar and acetone to carbon monoxide and nicotine.  It is commonly thought that smoking only affects places where the smoke touches, meaning mouth, throat, and lungs; however, the consequences of tobacco penetrate much deeper than that, with many of the outcomes being long-term. Contrary, ceasing smoking can immediately begin to rectify the short- and long-term adverse effects of the many chemicals.

   In this article, we will review the adverse effects of smoking and the benefits of ceasing.

Adverse Effects
   Cigarettes contain 599 chemical compounds, and many of these chemicals can also be found in cigars and hookahs, so replacing one form of smoking with another will not help someone avoid the health risks. Further, when these ingredients burn, they combine through chemical reactions catalyzed by the heat from the flame and generate more than 7,000 chemicals, according to the American Lung Association.

   In the United States, smoking causes more than 480,00 deaths annually, which is nearly one in five deaths and more than the combined total of HIV, illegal drug use, alcohol use, vehicle injuries, and firearm-related incidences. Thus, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) states, “Cigarette smoking is the l ...

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