|The Non Smokers' Movement of Australia|
Protecting the rights of the Non-smoking majority from
and from the tobacco industry's propaganda.
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|Fact Sheet - How Tobacco Causes Diseases|
It is worth having a simple model of tobacco-caused diseases in mind,
as there are so many of them that it may cause confusion.
Tobacco diseases are best seen as the inhalation of toxic substances, some of which act immediately, and some of which have effects in the longer term.
1. The Toxic Ingredients
2. Input Cancers
These are caused as the smoke goes in to the body
Airway damage is caused by poisoning of airway lining cells with carbon monoxide, tar and nicotine and deposition of soot particles. The smooth muscle in the airways is also contracted by nicotine. This leads to an inability to remove secretions with blockages causing recurrent infections leading to chronic bronchitis and trapping of air, which is called emphysema.
The lung changes are also called Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or sometimes Chronic Obstructive Airways Disease (COAD). It is different from lung cancer mentioned above.
4. Arterial Diseases
The tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide cross from the lungs into the bloodstream. The tar and carbon monoxide may directly damage the blood vessel walls, and change the platelets (clotting cells) so that they stick to the blood vessel walls. The smooth muscles in the blood vessel walls are contracted by the nicotine, so the lumen (hole the blood goes through) is smaller. Hence the pressure is higher (due to the same volume having to pass through a smaller pipe), and the flow more turbulent.
The arterial effects of smoking are thus caused by reduced blood flow, by complete blockage of arteries or by the weakening of the blood vessel walls so that they dilate or rupture as an aneurysm. This process affects a large number of organs. The organ affected depends on which artery is affected.
These are caused by tars as they leave the body in secretions. The unpleasant smell on the skin of smokers is due to the tars coming out of the sweat glands.
All body secretions are filtrates of the fluid outside cells, which is concentrated, thus making the cells lining the secretory glands exposed to higher tar concentrations. This results in an increased chance of:
Thus the trying of it and the temporary adolescent belief of its image-giving properties gives time for a re-setting of nerve outputs. By definition, an addictive substance gives a withdrawal syndrome, as the nicotine level falls. This is why nicotine supposedly 'relieves stress'. It removes the 'stress' of the withdrawal syndrome. This is important in keeping people smoking.
So this is why there are so many diseases caused by smoking tobacco. If you have not started, then donít and if you have, it is never too late to quit.
|The Non-Smokers' Movement of Australia Inc, Box K860, Haymarket NSW 1240.|
|This page was last updated on Friday, 4th May, 2012.|
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