Resources
Physical Health Impacts
Lung health
Every cell in your body needs oxygen in order to live. Your lungs work tirelessly (without you even having to think about it!) to make sure every organ in the body gets the oxygen it needs.
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Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways in your lungs.
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Smoking can cause lung diseases such as s COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
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Cigarettes also cause most cases of lung cancer.
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Additionally, if you have asthma, tobacco smoke can trigger and escalate asthma attacks.
Brain health
When smoking your brain develops receptors that make the nicotine extremely addictive. Meaning your brain wants more and more nicotine.
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Cutting off the supply of nicotine to your brain when you quit leads your brain to go through withdrawals. That is one reason why quitting is so hard. Your have to rewire your brain to not crave the nicotine anymore.
Smoking causes significant risks for heart disease due to the chemicals inhaled causing damage to the heart and blood vessels, leading to plaque buildup in arteries.
Any amount of smoking, including occasional smoking, can cause this damage. Women on birth control pills and individuals with diabetes are at greater risk. Smoking also increases the risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and other heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.
Secondhand smoke can also cause similar damage to the heart and blood vessels of non-smokers.
Heart Health
Understanding the Dangers and Risks
Cigarette Ingredients
Cigarettes are very harmful to the human body. This can be attributed to the fact that there are 600 ingredients inside a single one.
Three main ingredients that are very harmful to the body are acetone, arsenic, and formaldehyde. Acetone can be found in nail polish remover, arsenic is a major ingredient in rat poison, and formaldehyde is used in embalming fluid.
Second Hand Smoke
Exposing those around you to second hand smoke can lead them to have issues of their own. Even short-term exposure to secondhand smoke can increase the risk of heart attacks, as there is no risk-free level of exposure.
Second hand smoke causes nearly 34,000 premature deaths in those who are non-smokers each year. These deaths are mostly linked to heart disease. The Institute of Medicine reported that even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can trigger a heart attack.
The Hard Truth
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, causing approximately 480,000 deaths per year, including more than 41,000 deaths resulting from secondhand smoke exposure.
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These deaths are commonly due to heart disease and lung cancers caused by prolong smoking.
More Resources
Start here for free coaching, quit medications and more. They have the information and the resources to make your journey to quitting successful; from 1:1 coaching, to texting or email. So whether you’re just thinking about quitting or ready to make it happen, they can help.
For one of the most extensive sources of news, resources, information and content, the Truth Initiative is the place to go. They have something for all tobacco users, from cigarettes to vaping to dip.
Behavioral health – which includes mental health, substance use, and more – is a key part of your overall well-being. A brief and anonymous screening can help you decide if you’d like help with more than just quitting tobacco. Think of it as a checkup from your neck up.
Summit County Care Clinic
If you’re more interested in in-person care, this is the place. They can help you with quitting vaping or any other number of mental and physical health concerns you might be having. And they are located right in your school.
Want to get involved with other people who are interested in helping their community stay tobacco free? This is the place and you’re always welcome. There’s strength in numbers!
Who better to help you understand the effects of smoking on the body than the American Lung Association. Positive motivation is helpful in your quitting journey but sometimes, so are the cold, hard facts.