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Do You Know? What’s in tobacco smoke? There are more than 7,000 toxins found in tobacco smoke that are harmful to not only the smoker but those exposed to secondhand smoke. • • • • • Cyanide Carbon Monoxide Acetylene Formaldehyde Nitrogen Oxide Take a minute to think about what you are choosing to subject your body to. February 2016 Smoking Tobacco Smoking is a choice that many people make. However, many of these individuals do not take the time to educate themselves about the effects smoking can have on their body and those around them. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death, disease, and disability. According to the CDC, 42.1 million (about 1 in 5) adults in the United States smoke cigarettes. Each day, approximately 3,200 people younger than 18 years of age smoke their first cigarette. In the United States 8.6 million people who smoke, suffer from a serious illness. Out of everyone who is exposed to tobacco smoke, second hand or by smoking, 443,000 people die annually. Smoking tobacco is a devastating habit that harms almost every organ in the body, and can cause irreversible damage. How smoking effects the: Brain Overcoming nicotine addiction is not an easy feat due to the changes that occur within the brain. The brain of a smoker develops extra nicotine receptors to accommodate the large amounts of nicotine being taken in. When taking the steps to quit, the brain is still looking for that nicotine, making the process of quitting even harder to overcome. Once the decision to quit has been made, be prepared for what is known as nicotine withdrawal. The brain will no longer be receiving the nicotine it is used to, resulting in one experiencing anxiety and irritability. This could be permanent damage to the ear causing mild to moderate hearing loss. Eyes: Smoking can reduce night vision and in some instances, cause blindness. Nicotine restricts the production of the chemical that is necessary to be able to see at night. There is an increased risk of getting cataracts and macular degeneration, which could ultimately lead to blindness. Mouth: Smoking can lead to oral health problems, such as cavities and cancers of the mouth and throat. Face: Tobacco usage can lead to what is called “smoker’s face.” This is when the skin becomes dry and Head and Face Ears: Smokers can experience loses elasticity resulting in wrinkles hearing loss due to the reduction to appear around the mouth and of oxygen supply to the inner ear. eyes. How smoking effects... continued... Heart: Over time, smoking can cause irreparable damage and stress on the heart. Constant stress on the heart can result in the heart becoming weak and less able to pump adequate amounts of blood to the rest of the body. Smoking can lead to: high blood pressure, thickening of the blood, fatty deposits in the blood and a lack of oxygen from the inhaling of carbon monoxide. These changes within the blood and vessels cause damage to the entire cardiovascular system, which affects other organs and the body as a whole. The risk of heart disease and heart attack increases dramatically in those who choose to smoke. Lungs Smoking has the most direct effect on the lungs. Smoking can cause scarred lung due to inflammation, emphysema and respiratory infections. Inflammation in the airways and tissues of the lungs can make your chest feel tight and cause one to feel short of breath and/or wheeze. When you smoke you are permanently destroying the alveoli (air sacs) that exchange oxygen within the lungs. When these air sacs are destroyed you lose the ability of your lungs to maintain elasticity which is required for proper air exchange. Small “brooms” known as cilia are normally responsible for helping to keep the lungs clear by sweeping out foreign objects. Smoking kills or paralyzes the cilia which leaves smokers more prone to respiratory tract infections as a result of not being able to keep the lungs clear. Muscles and Bones Smokers tend to have more muscle aches and pains than non-smokers. Smoking causes muscle deterioration as a result to the lack of blood and oxygen flow to the muscle. The makeup of a cigarette also disrupts bone health. Your body is less likely to form new healthy bone tissue resulting in the thinning of bone tissue, causing a higher risk of bone fractures and broken bones. Smoking tobacco also has major effects on one’s immune system, stomach, hormones and DNA. To learn more about how smoking tobacco affects the body, visit www.cdc.gov or www.lung. org. For help on quitting smoking, go to NYQUITS or cancer.org. Medications to Help Quit Nicotine replacement products: These are available as over-the-counter patches, gum, and lozenges. There are also prescription versions of inhalers used either orally or nasally. These products help you gradually withdraw from nicotine without using tobacco products. The intent is to slowly taper down your usage so that your body will down-regulate (reduce) the number of nicotine receptors to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Prescription oral medications: Products such as bupropion (Zyban) or varenicline (Chantix) help stop the cravings for nicotine. Although bupropion can be used in conjunction with the nicotine replacement therapies above, part of the mechanism of action of Chantix involves stimulating the nicotine receptors. For that reason, it is not recommended to use Chantix along with nicotine replacement, as there will be competition for the receptor sites. 6333 Route 298 Suite 210, East Syracuse, NY 13057 For Questions or Comments Call: 1-877-635-9545 Syracuse - New York - Newark - Chicago - Minneapolis - Houston - Orlando