The consequences of smoking are the key problems of the smoker. Consequences of tobacco use

It has long been studied by leading scientists around the world. Unfortunately, the results of their research are not comforting - tobacco and its smoke components slowly but surely destroy the body and kill it.
We will analyze in more detail about the impact of tobacco products on the human body and the treatment of addiction in men and women in this article.

Health impact

Tobacco smoking has been around for hundreds of years. Initially, it was positioned as a remedy for the treatment of many ailments: obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous tension, constricted blood vessels and low blood pressure.

Then, habitual tobacco users developed an addiction that gradually spread throughout the world. The beginning of the global distribution of tobacco products was given by the famous Christopher Columbus, who brought the plant with him from a voyage to the shores of America.

Now it has long been understood that the benefits of smoking are not one iota comparable to all the harm that is caused to the body. In the process of smoking, an addiction to nicotine first appears, then the lungs gradually begin to become clogged, nerve cells die, the work of the gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system are destroyed. vascular system.

Long-term smokers develop constant fatigue and nervous tension, and there is a drop in the level of physical abilities. The manifestation of the terrible consequences of nicotine addiction can be listed for a long time.

The worst thing that smokers can get in the process of smoking is cancer. Their percentage among those leading a healthy lifestyle is significantly lower than that of those who have smoked a cigarette at least once in their lives.

Diseases acquired by smokers during addiction can be inherited, so that not only they themselves will suffer, but also their children and grandchildren. Let us analyze the harm from smoking in relation to each organ and system of the human body.

Test for smokers

Harm from cigarettes in men and women

A smoker, even at an early stage of addiction, has certain problems with the body, it is very important not to aggravate them and give up the addiction. The female half of the population must be especially careful. In men, germ cells are completely renewed within a month, while in women, poisons, toxins and carcinogens from tobacco smoke remain forever in the egg.

Harm caused to the organs of the smoker:

1. Respiratory system. The mucous membrane of the bronchi and alveoli in the lungs is contaminated. The natural functioning of the system is disrupted, as a result of which the body as a whole suffers, since it does not receive energy from its parts. enough oxygen.
2. Central nervous system. When smoking, nerve cells die, as well as brain cells responsible for various functions. Particularly affected are the parts of the brain responsible for emotional activity, which is why, as a rule, smokers are less emotionally stable and more irritable than non-smokers.
3. The cardiovascular system. Oxygen starvation, caused by the constant intake of tar and nicotine, forces the heart to work more actively, which increases the load on both it and the vessels. Over time, heavy smokers develop persistent hypertension.
4. Gastrointestinal tract. Since nicotine somewhat weakens the walls of the intestines, with its constant intake into the body, problems with diseases such as hemorrhoids can begin. As for the stomach, it increases the likelihood of gastritis and ulcers by a third. Due to the large slagging, the work of the gallbladder is difficult.
5. Liver and kidneys. The acidity in the stomach, which noticeably changes during smoking, is also reflected in these two organs, in the work of which failures are also possible.
6. The immune system. In smokers with an experience of several years, under the influence of tobacco smoke toxins, immunity is significantly reduced, which leads to the development of other diseases that are not even associated with nicotine addiction.

The above are only the main consequences, it is worth mentioning the deterioration in the quality of teeth and skin. The latter becomes drier and yellower, and a yellowish-brown coating appears on the teeth, over time they begin to break down, since they lack the necessary substances for normal life.

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Early cessation and in heavy smokers

Fortunately, there are a sufficient number of methods for getting rid of smoking with the help of:

• medications;
• coding;
• laser therapy;
• folk remedies;
• alternative methods.

All these methods have their advantages and disadvantages, but most of them are based on the moral and mental influence on the smoker, in order to destroy his desire to "pick up a cigarette." In parallel with the elimination of psychological dependence, it is necessary to pay attention to cleansing the body, to put it in order after a serious “smoke”.

In many medicinal and folk remedies the composition of the preparations includes active ingredients that contribute to the removal. For the best effect of cleansing the body, you should normalize nutrition, sleep / wakefulness and pay more attention physical activity: exercise, running exercises, fitness, active sports and more.

Pros and Cons of Breaking a Habit with Coding

The method of coding against smoking is based on the principle of suggestive influence on the psychological state of the patient. To achieve a positive result in this type of getting rid of addictions, the patient must be 100% sure of their effectiveness.

There are several dozen ways, but they are all approximately similar to each other. There is no real intervention in the patient's body, so they are all based on the "placebo" effect.

Tobacco coding has several disadvantages:

• absolutely unpredictable result;
• high risks of fraud;
• the danger of interference in the human psyche;
• the relatively high cost of such a method;
• An essential factor is the qualification of the specialist conducting the procedure.

Nevertheless, many who want to cope with smoking choose the encoding method, as it has a number of advantages:

• lack of discomfort;
• the likelihood of achieving the desired result after the first procedure;
• no invasive intervention;
• the patient is not independently involved in the process, he does not need any of his own efforts.

The most common methods of smoking coding at the moment are: according to the Dovzhenko method, according to the Nikolaev method, and with the help of hypnotic intervention. Services for this type of exposure to the smoker are offered both in public medical institutions, and in private clinics, as well as private specialists.

The advantages of state institutions are their availability and relatively low price for services; in private clinics you can find the most qualified specialists, well, it’s best not to deal with self-taught specialists, since in most cases, they are simply ordinary swindlers.

Useful video on the topic

Drugs and pills to help

Smoking cessation pills are the most common remedy for nicotine addiction. Their ease of use, relative cheapness and patient confidence in them have made the pills the main fighter for freedom from smoking.

The action of most tablets is based on the replacement of cigarette nicotine with nicotinic acid. It helps to cope with strong cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and in a small amount it practically does not harm the body.

But in total there are 5 types of medications:

1. Based on the action of plant alkaloids (Gamebasin, Lobelin). Just such drugs are used for replacement therapy.
2. Causing dislike for tobacco and disgust for tobacco smoke. They are called means of aversive therapy and contain certain fees, when interacting with which cigarettes change their taste to an extremely unpleasant one. bright representative of this type is the drug "Corrida-plus".
3. Lozenges for resorption (Nicorette). Similar in action to products based on plant alkaloids, but have a less natural composition.
4. Psychoanalytic antidepressants that significantly alleviate the withdrawal syndrome. With the help of these drugs, you can improve morale and avoid a sharp increase in excess weight, which is inherent in people who have recently quit smoking. The main drugs of this type are Bupropion, Zyban and Voxra.
5. In a separate group, tablets "" can be distinguished. The action of varenicline, which is part of Champix, is different in its effect on the body from the components of other drugs. Varenicline is a nicotine antagonist that suppresses the desire of a smoker to pick up a cigarette. In addition to the main component, Champix contains a number of herbs that help cleanse the body from the effects of "smoke".

There are no universal pills for smoking. For everyone who wants to “tie up”, only one type of pill will have the most effective effect. In order to find out which one, you need to consult with medical specialists.

Effective acupuncture treatment

Acupuncture is the most popular of alternative ways treatment tobacco addiction.

The reasons for this lie in the numerous advantages of this technique:

• no moral and psychological influence is made on the patient;
• smokers tolerate well, since when choosing a competent specialist, the procedure is almost painless;
• acupuncture is a recognized method in almost all corners of the planet, such therapy is carried out by specialists with appropriate diplomas confirming qualifications;
• the smoker absolutely does not require any effort on his part;
• the price of acupuncture varies within the limits that any smoker can afford;
• shows relatively good efficiency, comparable with other popular methods of quitting smoking.

Unfortunately, acupuncture also has its downsides:

• a significant number of contraindications;
• impressive waste of time for procedures, which may require several dozen;
• invasiveness - when a needle is inserted, a violation of the skin occurs, resulting in a risk of injury to blood vessels and infection.

The essence of acupuncture is the introduction of special very thin needles into certain points of the skin epithelium, activating nerve impulses. With the help of this technique, you can achieve tremendous success in the fight against smoking: significantly reduce cravings for cigarettes, stabilize all processes in the body, level the withdrawal syndrome. The needles are inserted into the patient various places and to a certain depth, these parameters are controlled by a medical specialist in acupuncture.

The main causes of addiction

Answers to the question "why do people smoke?" can be so diverse that it is simply impossible to describe everything, but there are a number of main reasons why teenagers or mature people decide to pick up a cigarette:

1. Smoking is fashionable and stylish. In our time, governments of countries are trying as much as possible to neutralize such a reason, which is characteristic, in the vast majority, of adolescents. The fashion of smoking was inculcated earlier with the help of various methods, for example, cinematography. Heroes of popular movies, cartoons or serials smoke, and teenagers begin to perceive this as “coolness” and decide to smoke themselves. Also, boys think they can look older with a cigarette in their hand.
2. Stress and nervous disorders. The modern high pace of life leads to the fact that some simply cannot cope with it. They are forced to unload from the accumulated unrest. Often in this case, the choice is in favor of alcohol or cigarettes as an antidepressant.
3. Herd feeling. Many of today's smokers are addicted to nicotine simply because many in their company used to smoke. Man, like other representatives of the animal world, has a herd feeling: "they do it, so I will!"
4. An opportunity to somehow pass the time.

The main part of all smokers bought a pack of cigarettes for the first time precisely for the above reasons. Fortunately, almost all of them now have no effect due to the global anti-smoking propaganda.

Consequences for the body

Numerous diseases are related to tobacco products. Tobacco smoke negatively affects the entire body, destroying and gradually killing it. The respiratory system, and the cardiovascular, and the central nervous system, and many others suffer.

In addition to diseases directly from smoking, this bad habit can cause a number of side diseases, such as cancer, brain tumors, infertility and a number of others. Every year about half a million people die from "tobacco" diseases in the world.

With the development of tobacco technologies, this figure may become even higher, as manufacturers, not caring about the naturalness and quality of their product, introduce into cigarettes great amount chemical additives. As a result, an improvement in cigarette taste and a significant increase in their harmfulness.

The problems caused by smoking are hereditary, so that adults who smoke can also affect their descendants. Scientists have noted that in newborns in whom at least one of the parents smoked, the risk of developing chronic pathologies by 20% and various allergies by 35%.

All these data say only one thing - it is necessary to say goodbye to smoking as soon as possible. The imaginary pleasure derived from smoking a cigarette is not in the least comparable with the harm to the body, financial, time costs and unpleasant odor that haunt all smokers.

A light legal drug is cigarettes. The real composition of the product that kills millions. History and modernity.

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Tobacco smoking(or simply smoking) - inhalation of smoke from smoldering dried or processed tobacco leaves, most often in the form of cigarette smoking. People smoke for pleasure, because of a bad habit, or because of social reasons(for communication, for “company”, “because everyone smokes”, etc.). In some societies, tobacco smoking is a ritual.

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), about one third of the adult male population of the world smoke tobacco. Tobacco smoking was brought to Spain by Columbus after the discovery of America and then spread to Europe and the rest of the world through trade.

Tobacco smoke contains psychoactive substances - nicotine and harmine alkaloids, which in combination are an addictive stimulant of the central nervous system, and also cause mild euphoria. The effects of nicotine exposure include the temporary relief of fatigue, drowsiness, lethargy, increased performance and memory.

medical research indicate a clear link between tobacco smoking and diseases such as lung cancer and emphysema, diseases of the heart system, and other health problems. According to WHO, over the entire 20th century, tobacco smoking caused the death of 100 million people worldwide and in the 21st century this figure will increase to a billion.

Composition of cigarettes

pyrene- dissolves well in the blood, causes convulsions and spasm of the respiratory system, which reduces the level of hemoglobin, inhibits liver function. Of course it's all in large doses, in small ones (cigarette ones) it just stretches over time and does not act so noticeably.

Anthracite- if you constantly breathe dust or vapors of this rubbish, swelling of the nasopharynx, eye sockets develops, fibromia diseases develop. Also a shitty thing, also not so noticeable.

Ethylphenol- lowers blood pressure, depresses nervous system disrupts motor activity. Well, kind of relaxing.

And finally our favorites - NITROBENZENE and NITROMETHANE.

If you inhale concentrated vapors of nitrobenzene - loss of consciousness and death. In small doses causes irreversible changes in the vascular system.

Nitromethane causes an accelerated pulse and weakening of attention (scattering), and in high concentrations - a narcotic state and irreversible pathological changes in the brain.

These are the lovely substances found in the average cigarette. Still there, of course, there is hydrocyanic acid (about 0.012 g, forty times less lethal dose), ammonia, pyridine bases, and a large number of substances with a total number of about four thousand items.

Harmful substances

Many smokers are comfortable with their bad habit. They are convinced that smoking does not cause much harm to the body, they are unaware of harmful consequences smoking or they try not to pay attention to it. As a rule, they do not know anything or have a very vague idea about the real consequences of smoking.

Serious harm, which causes smoking to the human body, is beyond doubt. Tobacco smoke contains more than 3,000 harmful substances. It is impossible to remember all of them. But you need to know the three main groups of toxins:

resins. They contain strong carcinogens and substances that irritate the tissues of the bronchi and lungs. Lung cancer in 85% of all cases is caused by smoking. Cancer of the oral cavity and larynx also mostly occurs in smokers. Tars are the cause of smokers' coughs and chronic bronchitis.

Nicotine. Nicotine is a stimulant drug. Like any drug, it is addictive, addictive and addictive. Increases heart rate and blood pressure. Following brain stimulation, there is a significant decline up to depression, which causes a desire to increase the dose of nicotine. A similar two-phase mechanism is inherent in all narcotic stimulants: first excite, then deplete. Complete smoking cessation may be accompanied by a withdrawal syndrome lasting more often up to 2-3 weeks. The most common symptoms of nicotine withdrawal are irritability, sleep disturbance, anxiety, decreased tone. All these symptoms do not pose a threat to health, they fade and disappear completely by themselves. Re-introduction of nicotine into the body after a long break quickly restores dependence (just like a new portion of alcohol causes a relapse of the disease in former alcoholics).

Toxic gases (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, nitric oxide, etc.) Carbon monoxide or carbon monoxide is the main toxic component of tobacco smoke gases. It damages hemoglobin, after which hemoglobin loses its ability to carry oxygen. Therefore, smokers suffer from chronic oxygen starvation, which is clearly manifested during physical exertion. For example, when climbing stairs or while jogging, smokers quickly develop shortness of breath. Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless, therefore it is especially dangerous and often leads to fatal poisoning. Tobacco smoke contains 384,000 MPC of toxic substances, which is four times more than in the exhaust of a car. In other words, smoking a cigarette for one minute is about the same as breathing direct exhaust gases for four minutes. Hydrogen cyanide and nitric oxide also affect the lungs, exacerbating hypoxia (oxygen starvation) of the body.

Smoking contributes to atherosclerosis of blood vessels. The consequences of atherosclerosis are myocardial infarctions, strokes, premature aging. Immunity and endocrine system suffer. Many men earn impotence. Women become infertile or give birth to sick children. Due to narrowed sclerotic vessels, blood circulation is disturbed not only in internal organs but also in the arms and legs. Smokers have atherosclerosis obliterans lower extremities threatened with gangrene. At autopsy in malignant smokers, blood clots are often detected in various vessels.

You can get rid of a bad habit on your own or with medical help (for those who are already completely weak-willed).

If a person really wants to quit smoking, he may well do without medical help. All kinds of drugs, chewing gum, procedures, physiotherapy, reflexology, hypnosis, etc. by themselves are ineffective. Moreover, they can even interfere in some sense, especially if you place unreasonably high hopes on treatment and relieve yourself of responsibility for the result.

With a sharp cessation of smoking in some smokers, a temporary deterioration in well-being is possible. Transitional malaise is more common among those who remain ambivalent about smoking. And those who have made the final choice for themselves easily give up the bad habit, even if they have poisoned themselves with nicotine for decades before.

Advice to those who do not believe in themselves (who believe too) - start doing regular runs at least 3-4 times a week and at an even slow pace. Saturate your poisoned organism with oxygen and you will find that you can no longer stuff tobacco smoke into yourself, you will have an aversion to it. in need of psychological support help courses to get rid of bad habits, of which there are quite a few in Moscow.

Nicotine

Surprisingly, why do millions of people smoke, despite the obvious damage to health? Once many of us start smoking, they are unable to stop. Why? Tobacco contains nicotine, a narcotic medicinal substance that makes you come back to it again and again. Nicotine recruits us into its supporters quickly and reliably.

The main harm to health when smoking is not caused by nicotine, but by other 4000 chemical substances a contained in tobacco smoke. They are the cause of many diseases that we associate with smoking.

Scientists have been studying nicotine for decades and are finding more and more interesting properties in it. Apparently, nicotine really increases concentration, improves memory and helps control weight. On the other hand, nicotine has a very negative effect on fetal development during pregnancy and, in addition, a link has been established between nicotine and sudden death. infants in a dream.

Perhaps in the future, we can expect pharmaceutical companies to separate the positive and negative properties of nicotine and develop new drugs based on nicotine to treat nicotine itself. a wide range diseases ranging from Alzheimer's disease to obesity.

Along with caffeine and strychnine, nicotine belongs to a group of chemical compounds called alkaloids. These are bitter-tasting and often poisonous substances produced by plants to prevent animals from eating them. Humans, being biologically somewhat perverted creatures, not only ignore this warning signal - a bitter taste, but even enjoy such taste sensations.

Most of the nicotine we get today comes from the Nicotiana tabacum plant, but there are 66 more plant species that contain nicotine. 19 of them grow in Australia. Apparently, the Australian Aborigines were the first people to use nicotine. They mixed crushed nicotine-containing plant leaves with ashes and chewed them. During long journeys through the desert, the natives used nicotine as both a stimulant and a remedy for hunger.

Nicotine owes its name to the French Ambassador to Portugal, Jean Nicot, who was one of the ardent supporters of nicotine as a drug. Tobacco was brought to Europe by the Spaniards and was first used in medical purposes. They were treated for wounds, rheumatism, asthma and toothache. In 1561, Jean Nicot sent tobacco seeds to the royal court in France. This plant was named Nicotiana in his honor. Subsequently, the alkaloid found in the 19th century in this plant was also called nicotine.

The popularity of tobacco grew very rapidly both in Europe and in Asia, despite the fact that in China, Japan, Russia and Muslim countries severe penalties were provided for its use, up to cutting off the lips. The Roman Catholic Church did not ban tobacco, but excommunicated those who smoked in church. The clergy learned to circumvent this prohibition by inhaling tobacco ground into a powder - snuff. By the end of the 17th century, this method of taking nicotine had become very common among the aristocrats of Europe.

Nicotine in our body has a very short life, and it is because of this that smokers smoke so often. With a puff of cigarettes, nicotine enters the lungs, then into the bloodstream and into the brain, where it is captured by receptors on nerve cells. But after about 40 minutes, the amount of nicotine is halved, and the smoker feels the need for a new portion. Therefore, in a cigarette pack of 20 cigarettes, this is a day divided into 40-minute periods of nicotine intake.

If the smoker is exercising, the cigarette after physical activity gives him great pleasure. Why? Because exercise speeds up the metabolism of nicotine and the level of nicotine in the brain drops faster than usual. This also explains the tradition of "cigarettes after sex", romance has nothing to do with it.

One cigarette can contain up to 1.2 milligrams of nicotine. If you enter this nicotine intravenously, then this amount is enough to kill seven adult men. However, when you smoke, you get a very dilute dose. Most of the nicotine in a cigarette disappears with the smoke. The tiny fraction that enters the lungs is diluted again in the bloodstream. As a result, the blood contains about 100 nanograms of nicotine per milliliter, which is 1 billionth of the nicotine content written on a cigarette pack. And by the time nicotine reaches the brain, its concentration drops to 40 nanograms. However, this is quite enough to satisfy most smokers.

Are there any health risks associated with smoking cigarettes? low content nicotine? At first glance it seems that yes. However, if a smoker smokes a "light" cigarette, he unconsciously takes deeper puffs to get the usual dose of nicotine. This is called compensatory smoking. As a result, he will probably smoke more cigarettes than usual, which means he will inhale more carbon monoxide, tar and other products of tobacco combustion. So it's entirely possible that "light" cigarettes are even more harmful than regular cigarettes.

Smoking pipes.

When we see a person smoking a pipe, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Personally, I mean that this is a wealthy person who has achieved almost everything he wanted in his life. People automatically classify such people as the elite. This is due to the fact that pipe smoking is not a cheap pleasure, and not everyone can afford it. A lot of people think that smoking a pipe is not the same as smoking a cigarette. Maybe I don't argue. So all the same, pipe smoking is just as dangerous as cigarette smoking, or is it just the speculation of supporters of a healthy lifestyle.

Pipe smoking has become a fashionable habit in our time, although it has been around for more than three thousand years. Now a little history.

Archaeologists and historians involved in the study of the Mayan civilizations and the Indians of Central America claim that the entire history of the pipe came from there. Here, tobacco was used both for medicinal purposes and in religious rituals (for example, inhaling tobacco smoke helps to communicate with the gods). In Europe, pipes appeared after the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

At first, in Russia, smoking a pipe in public was very severely punished. So the pipe makers were flogged, their nostrils pulled out and sent to Siberia, and those who were caught smoking again were cut off their heads. Impressive, right? But all the same, pipe smokers did not become less, but even vice versa. And the rulers had to make concessions. Pipes were made from various materials: stone, clay (in Europe - from clay and with small cups, because tobacco was too expensive), porcelain, beech, wild cherry, elm, walnut, ivory, marble and much more .

The first briar pipes, now the most famous and popular material for their manufacture, appeared in the first half of the 19th century in the south of France.

There are many types of pipes: bent and straight, long with a small cup and short nose warmers, with various shapes of cups (round (prince), oval (lovet), cylindrical (stand-up poker)), faceted, etc.

Now let's talk about the harm that pipe smoking brings. There is an opinion that a cigarette cannot be compared with a pipe because:

1. a person no longer receives such pleasure;

Smoking a pipe causes less harm to health than cigarettes.

According to the results of research by American scientists from the National Institute of Oncology, it became known that the consequences of smoking for pipe lovers are practically no different from those for lovers of more “simple” types of tobacco products. The "tubifex" also often developed malignant tumors (esophagus, larynx, lungs), diseases of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. These data were obtained after a survey of 138,000 smokers, of whom 15,265 people smoked pipes, not cigarettes.

For a comparison between exclusive pipe smoking and malignant neoplasms of the upper digestive tract, researchers in Italy used data from 1984 to 1999 on a case-control basis. This method took into account age, education, body weight and alcohol consumption. As a result, they came to the following conclusions: compared with never smokers, those who smoked only a pipe are more likely to get sick were 8.7 times higher for all malignant neoplasms of the upper digestive tract. Pipe smokers are 12.6 times more likely to develop oral and pharyngeal cancer, and 7.2 times more likely to develop esophageal cancer. It has also been observed that those pipe smokers who consume a lot of alcohol have this risk increased up to 38.8 times. Thus, pipe smoking and excessive alcohol consumption multiply each other's harmful effects.

Pipe smoking was also found to be associated with a risk of death from 6 of 9 cancers: larynx, esophagus, nasopharynx, pancreas, lung, colon and rectum.

Now, before you light a pipe - think about it, do you need all this?

hookah smoking

The influence of tobacco smoke on the body of a smoker has been repeatedly considered from many positions. However, there have been no studies on the effects of smoke passing through a water filter, as in a hookah. This phenomenon has also been little studied from a sociological point of view. Indeed, from this point of view, we have to admit that for more than four centuries, hookah has been coloring life every day and subordinating tens of millions of people to its rhythm, in public institutions or at home. The practice of hookah smoking has become a real mass phenomenon and continues to develop actively today.

Shisha tobacco comes in mainly three forms: The first is "tumbak", a regular tobacco (Nicotiana Rustica) containing a lot of nicotine, most used today in Iran. The smoker moistens it with water, squeezes it out and puts it tightly in the bowl of the hookah. The second type is "mu essel", tobacco soaked in molasses and flavored with various fruit shavings. The third form, "jurak", can be considered intermediate.

In a hookah, the smoke is cooled by passing through the water, cooling is accompanied by filtration. Smoke from a hookah, devoid of substances such as acrolein and aldehydes, unlike cigarette smoke, does not irritate the mucous membranes of the throat or nose of smokers and non-smokers who are close to the hookah. This fact partly explains the public fascination and widespread use of hookah tobacco smoking. The passage of smoke through water also reduces the amount of tar, tar and other substances of potentially carcinogenic nicotine. Initially, tobacco is distilled in a bowl from hot coals, then the smoke descends through the mine, which is immersed in water, after this "washing" the smoke rises along the hose and enters the smoker's lungs through the mouthpiece.

Various Scientific research showed that filtering tobacco smoke through water in a hookah reduces the content of: nicotine, up to 90% phenols, up to 50% fine particulate matter, benzo (a) pyrene, polycyclique aromatic hydrocarbons (polycyclique). There is a reduction in the carcinogenic potential of smoke that has crossed water compared to that that has not. Passing through the water, the smoke is cleared of acrolein (acroleine) and acetaldehyde (acetaldehyde), substances harmful to alveolar macrophages (macrophages), the main cells of the protection of the lungs and important elements of the human immune system. Akram Chafei, in his research on the Egyptian hookah, notes that hookah smoking, like cigarette smoking, "...brings acute changes in lung function." While cigarette smoke affects the small airway endings of the bronchioles (bronchioles) involved in the pulmonary blood supply, hookah smoke "...has an immediate effect on the large airways."

But the most interesting recent research C. Macaron (C. Macaron). Her merit and the uniqueness of her research lies in the fact that she studied only hookah smokers. Thus, mixed cigarette and hookah smokers and former cigarette smokers were separated. Blood levels of cotinine are higher in hookah smokers than in cigarette smokers. The author believes that if it is likely that the smoke, passing through the water, loses the concentration of some of its components, then other elements probably remain unchanged. On this basis, the researchers believe that the "cleansing" effect of water on smoke is cancelled. Meanwhile, we note that casual hookah smokers, and they represent the majority of hookah lovers, do not have tobacco or nicotine addiction. They almost never smoke cigarettes, because they are primarily looking for new aromas, tastes, environments, like some coffee lovers. In addition, often, such smokers simply follow the fashion or want to appear "cool". They savor the hookah at the level of taste buds, without feeling the need to inhale the smoke. If there is an addiction among them, then it is most likely a behavioral or social addiction.

The alveolar CO content of different types of smokers was measured using a special Smokelyzer apparatus. The findings were consistent with the results cited above, with hookah smokers found to have elevated levels of carbon monoxide. This gas is formed during any slow or incomplete combustion process, as happens with tobacco in a waterpipe. The level of carbon monoxide ranges from 10 ppm to 60 ppm, depending on the individual and the degree of ventilation of the room - in an unventilated room, the CO content is increased - up to 28%. It is this gas that causes an increase in heart rate.

As for the slight intoxication observed in smokers after smoking hookah, it is not caused by any opiates, moreover, not contained in hookah tobacco, but is due to the action of the same carbon monoxide.

Finally, an avid hookah smoker explains that he cannot stop smoking hookah for more than two days. This period is not associated with the half-life of nicotine, which occurs approximately 2 hours after smoking, but with cotinine, whose half-life ranges between 15 and 20 hours. With all the abundance, today there is no coherent hypothesis about the nature of such dependence.

The ministries of health today should focus their efforts on the development of products for hookah that reduce the content of carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke, these can be alternative sources heating, for example electric, replacing coal combustion or special filters.

Teen smoking

Teenagers are not aware of the dangers of smoking because they are constantly watching their elders doing it at ease. Another culprit that drives young people to smoke is peer pressure. However, sometimes smoking is the result of some sort of act of outright defiance, or simply the result of curiosity. If you have suspicions that your teenager has started smoking, and if they are justified, then pay attention to this and educate your child about the dangers of smoking.

Smoking and its associated danger to life.

Every year, millions of people die from smoking-related diseases worldwide. And that number is likely to rise as more young people get into this deadly habit.

The smallest smoker is a seven-year-old boy who makes a living looking for recyclable waste.

This scenario is typical for third world countries and is only the tip of the iceberg. Smoking is gradually taking away young lives, but brings billions of dollars in taxes to states. Thus, the problem remains still unresolved, like the dire forecasts of the coming global warming which most choose to ignore.

Long-term smoking leads to several types of cancer. Because of the early onset and longer exposure to the poison, the group with increased risk include young people. And quitting smoking is just as hard as quitting heroin. There are now support groups to help people get out of the hole and start living a healthy life. But this is easier said than done. Smoking is not prohibited by law and young children caught with a cigarette are not punished for it. Therefore, the vicious circle continues. If you are a parent and you discover that your teenager is smoking, then you need to take immediate action to help your child kick the habit.

How to help your child quit smoking

The confused mother said she caught her son and daughter smoking in the room. The smell of cigarette smoke in the room helped solve the mystery. Empty cigarette packs and cigarette butts were found in the trash can. In alarm, the mother reported the incident to her husband, also a non-smoker. In order to wean children from smoking, parents enrolled them in a rehabilitation and support program.

If you can't catch kids smoking at home, try to find out who they hang out with and where they hang out after school. Someone will definitely tell you if your teen's friends smoke.

Asking a son or daughter not to go out with their smoking friends will not give you encouraging results. Instead, invite their friends over to your home and show them videos, videos or the Internet (eg www.youtube.com) that detail the irreversible effects of smoking on the human body. Give them books about the effects of smoking, or invite the doctor to a class at the children's school or parent-teacher meeting to discuss the dangers of smoking. Mobilize parents and ask school leaders and faculty to start a war on smoking. There should be no smoking areas or non-smoking areas in the school. Instead, smoking should be banned entirely. In response to protests, you can always explain that sometimes parents and teachers have to be harsh to be kind. Smoking is deadly and this case there should be no place for euphemism.

Be relentless in your efforts to wage war on teen smoking. Teenagers who smoke will become adult smokers and suffer the consequences of smoking in the future. Instead of waiting for trouble to hit you, start your campaign today. If you love your children, make a firm decision. Someday, your children will thank you for your perseverance and effort to help them get rid of this deadly and terrible habit.

Second hand smoke

Smokers know that their addiction is hurting them, but they assume that their smoking will only hurt themselves. However, in recent years, more and more information has emerged that passive smoking contributes to the development of diseases in non-smokers that are characteristic of smokers.

When tobacco is burned, main and additional smoke flows are formed. The main flow is formed during the puff of smoke, passes through all tobacco product inhaled and exhaled by the smoker. An additional flow is formed by exhaled smoke, and is also released between puffs into the environment from the charred part of the cigarette (cigarettes, pipes, etc.). More than 90% of the main flow consists of 350-500 gaseous components, of which carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are especially harmful. The rest of the main flow are solid microparticles, including various toxic compounds. The content of some of them in the smoke of one cigarette is as follows: carbon monoxide - 10-23 mg, ammonia - 50-130 mg, phenol - 60-100 mg, acetone - 100-250 mcg, nitric oxide - 500-600 mcg, hydrogen cyanide - 400-500 mcg, radioactive polonium - 0.03-1. 0 nK. The main stream of tobacco smoke is formed by 35% of the burning cigarette, 50% goes into the surrounding air, making up an additional stream, from 5 to 15% of the components of the burnt cigarette remains on the filter. The additional stream contains 4-5 times more carbon monoxide, 50 times more nicotine and tar, and 45 times more ammonia than the main one! Thus, paradoxically, many times more toxic components enter the atmosphere surrounding the smoker than the body of the smoker himself. It is this circumstance that causes a special danger of passive or “forced” smoking for others. When tobacco smoke is inhaled, radioactive particles settle deep in the lungs, are carried by the bloodstream throughout the body, settling in the tissues of the liver, pancreas, lymph nodes, bone marrow etc.

The silent victims of passive smoking are children!

Children in the same room with smoking parents are twice as likely to have respiratory illnesses compared to children whose parents smoke in separate room or with children whose parents do not smoke. In such children, especially in the first year of life, bronchitis, nocturnal coughs, and pneumonia are more often recorded. Studies conducted in Germany show the relationship between passive smoking and childhood asthma. The impact on the respiratory system of a child of passive smoking does not exhaust its momentary toxic effect on the body: even after growing up, there is a difference in the indicators of mental and physical development in groups of children from families of smokers and non-smokers. If a child lives in an apartment where one of the family members smokes 1-2 packs of cigarettes, then the amount of nicotine in the urine corresponding to 2-3 cigarettes is found in the child!

The WHO Committee of International Experts also concluded that maternal smoking (“passive fetal smoking”) is the cause of sudden infant death syndrome in 30-50% of cases.

Passive smoking can lead to blindness

Passive smoking increases the likelihood of a person becoming blind. According to the British Journal of Ophthalmology, scientists from the University of Cambridge studied the effects of smoking on senile macular degeneration (SDM) and concluded that living with a smoker for five years doubles the risk of this disease, and regular active smoking triples.

Early studies have shown that smoking increases the likelihood of vision problems. However, the work of the Cambridge experts provides the clearest evidence that passive smoking has a similar effect. SDM usually develops in people who have crossed the 50-year mark. It affects the central part of the retina, which is extremely important for reading or driving. As a result, only peripheral vision remains active in a person. SDM does not always lead to blindness.

In the UK today there are about 500,000 people suffering from this disease.

The study followed 435 patients with SDM and 280 without it. Scientists have noticed that more people smokes, the more likely they and their partners are to develop SDM. A person who smokes a pack a day or more for 40 years almost triples this risk. And to double it, it is enough just to live with a smoker for five years.

Wives smoking men harder to get pregnant

The results of a survey of pregnant women in women's consultations Kyiv cities showed a clear effect of smoking by both parents on the likelihood of pregnancy. In particular, a man's smoking reduced the likelihood of the onset and development of pregnancy: the likelihood that pregnancy would not occur during the first year of the absence of contraception increased by almost two times. A weak but highly significant relationship was found between the number of cigarettes smoked by a man per day and the duration of sexual life before conception. Each subsequent cigarette smoked per day by a man reduced the probability of conceiving a child during the first year by an average of 1.05 times. The above study shows that the problem is not that pregnancy does not occur, but that it is interrupted when future parents are not even aware of it.

Passive smoking increases the risk of breast cancer

Research by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has shown that the proportion of non-smoking women who develop breast cancer is 2.6 times higher if they are forced to inhale tobacco smoke at work or at home. This risk is especially high in women before the onset of menopause, which, apparently, is due to higher concentrations of female sex hormones involved in breast tumorigenesis. And the exclusion of both passive and active smoking is a preventive measure for breast cancer

Passive smoking increases the risk of heart disease

According to a recent study, exposure to tobacco smoke at work resulted in the death of about 250 people in Finland in 1996. A study by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health examined statistics on causes of death, exposure to tobacco smoke at work, and risk information for various diseases. In the latest issue of the Finnish medical journal Dr. Markku Nurminen writes that the biggest killer of diseases caused by passive smoking was coronary heart disease. The number of such deaths exceeds 100. Enough high risk, caused by exposure to tobacco smoke, is explained by the fact that the most dangerous substances in second-hand smoke are in the gas phase, while the main risk factors in the smoke that smokers themselves inhale are contained in the particulate phase. In the form of a gas, substances pass deeper into the lungs than particulate smoke, and therefore it is more difficult for the body to get rid of them.

Passive smoking and the brain

Inhalation of tobacco smoke causes disturbances in the activity of the brain, since the nervous system is most sensitive to tobacco poisons, which leads to severe diseases of the central nervous system. According to some studies, circulatory disorders in the brain caused by exposure to tobacco smoke in 1996 caused the death of almost 80 people. Exposure to second-hand smoke increases the risk of brain circulatory problems by 1.8 times.

Consequences of smoking

1. Brain -> Stroke

A stroke occurs when blood vessel, which delivers oxygen to the brain, is clogged with a thrombus or other particles. Thrombosis of cerebral vessels is the most common cause stroke. Thrombosis means the formation of a blood clot and a violation of the blood supply to the brain. Another type of stroke occurs when a diseased artery in the brain (such as an aneurysm) ruptures. This phenomenon is called cerebral hemorrhage.

2. Heart -> Heart disease

Smoking is the main cause of damage to the coronary arteries, which can lead to myocardial infarction. Smokers have an increased risk of atherosclerosis (blockage of the arteries) and other changes that affect the cardiovascular system. Smoking alone increases the risk of coronary artery disease, and when combined with other factors, these diseases become even more likely. Nicotine and carbon monoxide contained in tobacco smoke disrupt the supply of oxygen to the blood and cause damage to the heart and blood vessels through various mechanisms.

3. Lungs -> Lung Cancer

Approximately 85% of lung cancers occurring per year can be associated with smoking. People who smoke two or more packs of cigarettes a day for 20 years have a 60-70% increased risk of lung cancer compared to non-smokers. The risk of lung cancer is higher the more cigarettes smoked per day, the longer they smoke, the more quantity inhaled smoke, as well as the higher the tar and nicotine content of cigarettes.

On the x-ray the lung shows a pathological mass (arrow). A biopsy later proved it to be lung cancer. Characteristic symptoms: persistent agonizing cough, hemoptysis, repeated pneumonia, bronchitis or chest pain.

4. COPD -> Chronic bronchitis

COPD is a chronic lung disease characterized by progressive narrowing and destruction of the bronchial tree and pulmonary alveoli.

Although smoking is the main cause of COPD, other factors such as long-term exposure to smoke, dust and chemicals, and frequent childhood lung infections also play a role. Some people are at increased risk for COPD for genetic reasons. These individuals have a genetic defect called alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency. COPD includes two main diseases - Chronical bronchitis and emphysema. Most patients with COPD have a combination of both diseases.

Chronic bronchitis is manifested by a cough with sputum that occurs in winter for 2 years in a row. Some patients cough with sputum - the only symptom, others complain of shortness of breath or shortness of breath. If you are coughing or producing phlegm, see your doctor to have your lungs checked.

Emphysema refers to the pathology of the alveoli, when the tissue around the alveoli changes, they become enlarged and look like holes in the lungs on an x-ray (similar to Swiss cheese). The main symptom is shortness of breath. There is a cough, but less pronounced than with chronic bronchitis. Rib cage becomes barrel-shaped.

5. Stomach -> Cancer and stomach ulcer

The effect of prolonged smoking is to stimulate the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which corrodes the protective layer in its cavity. Aching or burning pain between the sternum and the navel is the most common symptom, occurring after eating and early in the morning. Pain can last from a few minutes to several hours; Sometimes the pain is relieved by food or antacids. Smoking slows down the healing of ulcers and promotes their recurrence.

Typical symptoms:

- aching or burning pain in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite and weight loss.

On the early stages Gastric cancer usually does not show up. It is known that stomach cancer can occur against the background of an ulcer, and smokers have a higher risk.

6. Fetus -> Risk Factors

In women, smoking significantly increases the risk chronic diseases, including pulmonary complications, and premature death. According to studies, smoking significantly increases the risk of heart disease in premenopausal women, especially when taking birth control pills. Studies have shown that women who regularly smoke one pack of cigarettes a day or more during pregnancy have babies weighing less than non-smoking mothers. Carbon monoxide, inhaled as part of tobacco smoke, enters the blood of the fetus and reduces the absorption of oxygen, leading to severe oxygen starvation. Other effects of smoking include reduced blood flow, which interferes with the transfer of vital nutrients from the mother to the fetus.

Underweight newborns are generally weaker and more prone to disease than those of average weight. Women who smoke are more likely to end a pregnancy premature birth, miscarriage or stillbirth. Also, studies do not rule out that children born to mothers who smoked during and after pregnancy are more likely to have sudden infant death syndrome.

7. Bladder -> Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer occurs mainly in smokers over 40 years of age. In men, the risk is 4 times higher than in women. The most common early symptom is blood in the urine without pain or discomfort.

Typical symptoms:

- blood in the urine;
- pain in the pelvic area;
- difficult urination.

8. Larynx -> Cancer of the esophagus

Smoking can cause esophageal cancer by damaging cells located inside the organ. The longer a person smokes, the higher the risk.

Typical symptoms:

- difficulty swallowing;
- chest pain or discomfort;
- weight loss.

9. Tongue -> Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is most common in smokers and heavy drinkers. In most cases, the tumor occurs on the sides or on the lower surface of the tongue, as well as in the floor of the mouth.

Typical symptoms:

- small pale swelling or thickening unusual color on the tongue, in the oral cavity, on the cheek, gums or palate.

10. Uterus -> Malignant tumors

Smoking exposes the entire body to various carcinogenic chemicals. For example, in women who smoke, derivatives of tobacco components are found in the mucus of the cervix. According to scientists, these substances damage the cells of the cervix and probably increase the risk of cancer.

Only the facts

1. In Russia, 70.5% of men smoke, and among high school students in large cities, 30-47% of boys and 25-32% of girls cannot do without cigarettes. Every year 25 billion cigarettes are smoked in Russia.
2. Men and women smoke different reasons. This was established during the experiment by a Californian scientist. Each participant in the experiment was asked to carefully record the mood that prevailed at the moment when he took up a cigarette. It turned out that men, for the most part, smoke when they are irritated or angry with something. Women reach for a cigarette when they feel emotionally uplifted or enjoy it. True, both use smoking as a means to alleviate sadness or depression.
3. A museum of tobacco appeared in Russia. Its exhibits are many types of pipes, mouthpieces, different varieties tobacco. Its creator is Vladimir Yablokov, a well-known collector of cigarettes and cigarettes in his circle. He opened the museum right in his house in the city of Kachkanar. Now Vladimir Yablokov is planning to create a club at the museum, where he plans to wean the current generation of young people from the addiction to smoking.
4. The Omsk "Institute of Medical, Social and Legal Initiatives" under the leadership of Igor Baturin believes that the promotion of cigarettes, deployed in the most crowded places, subsequently negatively affects the health of children and adolescents. If the Omsk Antimonopoly Committee proves Baturin right, the customer of tobacco advertising, Philip Morris, will be fined 200 minimum wages.
5. Last summer, Nicorette products became the first anti-tobacco drugs approved for OTC use in Japan. Nicorette chewing gum has been approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. According to a report by the Minister of Health of Japan in 1999, 52.7% of men and a percentage of women smoke, the percentages are increasing, and lung cancer has long overtaken gastric cancer in mortality in the rankings. Nicorette is the number one smoking cessation drug in the world, available in 60 countries. Pharmacia has developed and marketed a range of nicotine replacement therapy products - chewing gum, patch, inhaler, aerosol and tablet. In 2000, Nicorette's sales exceeded one million.
6. China has 20% of the world's population and 25% of all smokers. More cigarettes are produced here than in any other country. According to scientists, by 2025 more than two million Chinese will die from diseases caused by cigarettes.
7. In Zimbabwe, one third of all farmers and 12% of all workers are employed in the tobacco industry.
8. In 1988 Philip Morris paid $350,000 to have their cigarettes featured in the new James Bond series License to Kill.
9. In 1979, Philip Morris paid $42,500 to have Marlboros appear in Superman II, and fellow cigarette manufacturer Ligget paid $30,000 to have their cigarettes appear in Supergirl. By the way, these films have a huge children's audience ...
10. It is established that children smoke the most advertised cigarette brands.
11. 49.7% of Australian Aborigines smoke.
12. Ottawa is a non-smoking city. By decision of the authorities, from September 1, 2001, smoking was prohibited in all public places, indoor hospitals government agencies, in restaurants, as well as bars and private clubs. The designation of special smoking areas is also excluded. Law enforcement officers will monitor the implementation of the ban. Fine violators began on 4 September. The first violation costs approximately CAD 250, subsequent violations cost up to CAD 5,000.
13. Support new law public organizations, doctors and trade unions. All of them not only care about the health of their fellow citizens, but also fight against social extravagance: the spread of smoking leads to an increase in diseases, which results in high hospital costs, as well as possible lawsuits against firms that did not warn their employees about the dangers of smoking in the workplace.
14. In Europe and the US, the persecution of smokers is also steadily increasing. The United States is preparing a tough new bill to ban smoking in almost all public places. The current law, passed in 1995, prohibits smoking in restaurants with more than 35 seats, in office buildings and even in private offices with more than three employees. If the new law is adopted, smoking will be allowed only in specialized bars and nightclubs. There are states where laws against smoking are especially severe. In California, for example, smoking is prohibited in all public places without exception.
15. Vitamin C is dangerous for smokers. This was found out by Australian scientists. The thing is that while smoking, among other filth, the heavy metal cadmium penetrates the body, in combination with which harmless vitamin C can provoke the appearance of cancer cells. Cadmium is practically not excreted from the body, therefore, as scientists warn, it is not recommended to abuse vitamin C (that is, consume more than 0.25 g per day) even if you quit smoking several years ago.
16. Aeroflot will tighten restrictions on smoking in aircraft. This is noted in his interviews by the company's CEO Valery Okulov. According to him, a survey of passengers shows that those who choose Aeroflot aircraft would prefer non-smoking flights.
17. In Singapore, smoking is strictly prohibited in public transport, taxis, elevators, (cinema) theaters, public places, air-conditioned restaurants and shopping malls.
18. In Los Angeles, on Santa Monica Boulevard, there is a scoreboard counting the number of deaths from cigarette addiction. The countdown starts on January 1st and ends on December 31st of each year. The figure that manages to "run" is impressive ...
19. In his dying interview, a Hollywood star, a talented Jew from Vladivostok, Yul Brynner, conjured "never smoke"! The cigarette has helped many artists die: Louis Armstrong and Leonard Bernstein, Humphrey Bogart and Richard Boone, Walt Disney and Vincent Price, Steve McQueen and John Huston, Clark Gable and John Wayne, Gary Cooper and Betty Grable, Buster Keaton and Nat "King" Cole, Bing Crosby and Robert Taylor...
20. According to Interfax, an American tried to quit smoking for many years, and, in despair, cut off his hand right hand with which he brought a cigarette to his mouth. The act is meaningless - after all, a cigarette can be held in the left, and the passion for smoking is certainly not in the hand, but in the head. Fortunately, the doctors managed to sew the hand back to the sufferer.

Nicotine addiction is a problem that has been tormenting humanity for decades. AT recent times it is especially acute, since the dissemination of information, including advertising, occurs at lightning speed, and successful ones lead to hidden advertising of cigarettes in books, magazines and cinematographic works.

What is smoking

At first glance, such a question may seem extremely banal, because any average student can say that this term implies the regular use of tobacco industry products. However, if you think about it, this one has some features that make it unique and even more serious than any others.

We list some of the characteristics of this bad habit, so common in modern humanity.

The myth of physical pleasure

First of all, it should be noted that smoking does not bring any pleasure to a person. Not a single smoker on planet Earth will say that he really likes the taste or smell of cigarettes.

Even the fact that smoking provokes a sharp vasoconstriction and instantly stimulates the brain cannot be called pleasure, because it is a shock to the body.

A few words about psychological pleasure

The vast majority of smokers justify their weakness by obtaining satisfaction of a different kind. The wording in this case may vary, but in the end everything comes down to a single aspect. Some people say that they smoke to kill time, others - to suppress stress, others - to increase self-confidence. If you think about it, all these explanations can be reduced to the statement about getting some psychological pleasure.

Since all smokers are well aware of how destructive cigarettes can be, each time the so-called stress reduction procedure actually provokes a new shake-up for the body. Even if at a particular moment in time a person does not think about the dangers of the actions taken, there is already information in his memory, which the subconscious mind actively accesses. Thus, without even realizing it, when smoking, a person programs himself for stress.

What does medicine say

From a medical point of view, the perniciousness of such a seemingly harmless habit has long been proven: blockage of blood vessels, stimulation cancers, weakening of the central nervous system, angina attacks, provocation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - these are only the most obvious and often detected consequences.

Spoiled teeth, a suffering circulatory system, smoker's lungs, photos of which can be seen on most packages of tobacco products sold in the Russian Federation and Ukraine, Great Britain and other countries, only increase this psychological stress.

In addition, do not forget about completely seemingly banal things: bad smell, which then disturbs smokers in society, social condemnation, which sooner or later has to be faced. Even elementary traces of resins on the fingers lead the body to emotional arousal. Thus, there is simply no question of any psychological pleasure.

Clear awareness of harmfulness

This topic has already been touched upon, but now it is worth paying special attention to it and considering it from a slightly different point of view. Every smoker is well aware that the actions he performs harm the body, but still does not give up the bad habit. Cancer and smoking are interrelated, according to the vast majority of physicians, this relationship is constantly illustrated, but even realizing the danger, people still do not quit smoking. Moreover, the vast majority of those who find out about the presence of lung cancer immediately reach for a cigarette as soon as they leave the office.

Thus, we can say that even an excellent understanding of the perniciousness of addiction does not help at all in the fight against it. Perhaps the reason lies in the gradual damage. The problem is that the effect of smoking on the body is almost impossible to trace - its condition is gradually deteriorating. If narcotic or cause when you stop taking pain, but in general it has a significant effect on appearance of a person, then smoking seems completely harmless against their background.

Origins of smoking

If we turn to the history of the emergence of this "ailment" of mankind, we can find out that we owe the appearance of cigarettes to the Indians. It was they who were the first to wrap tobacco leaves in straw or other easily burning materials. It should be noted that initially smoking was not at all a way to get pleasure, as is commonly believed in modern world. Primarily smoking people pursued the goal of reaching a certain state. Tobacco smoking, like the use of coca tree products, was directly related to the ritual. The Americans, on the other hand, gave this action a completely different meaning, which has survived to this day.

The consequences were not initially understood, so the first mechanical devices that appeared in the 1880s put production on the assembly line, after which the fashion for these products spread throughout the world. In this case, we should talk about fashion, the prestige of this habit, which was cultivated in society. The situation reached the point that smoking was recommended for medical purposes. Most often, this kind of advice was given by neuropathologists and psychoanalysts.

Tobacco prevention before the beginning of the twentieth century seemed to mankind a completely useless, unnecessary waste of time. In addition, the negative impact of the use of these products on the body has not yet been accurately proven.

Fashion for cigarettes

If initially the use of nicotine products was the prerogative of the male half of the world's population, then, starting from the 1920s, this habit began to spread among women. It was from this period that smoking began to spread at an astonishing rate across the globe. It is noteworthy that it was cigarettes that became widespread, and not cigars or those that previously occupied leading positions. The pipe was considered a sign of aristocracy, but so easily gave up its position to tobacco wrapped in thin paper.

Prevention of alcohol and smoking in the 20s was completely useless. Moreover, such events could be considered a kind of heresy. Mankind was too fascinated by this phenomenon, which seemed to be a refined luxury, to listen to the voice of reason, which, however, was mostly silent in this regard.

Smoking cessation methods

Today, in contrast to the time described earlier, the problem caused by smoking has become much more obvious, and therefore, people have begun to actively think about ways to deal with it. Cancer and smoking in the mind of a modern person are quite related things, which most often leads cigarette lovers to the decision to give up this bad habit.

Almost everyone starts with a full and abrupt rejection from smoking, which most often, but not always, ends in failure. The thing is that with this approach, a person programs himself that it will be difficult to change his lifestyle, and such actions will certainly require incredible volitional costs.

In this regard, organizations such as the Ministry of Health began to carry out various preventive measures. The smoker's lungs, whose photos have become featured in every anti-tobacco brochure, can serve as a prime example of the ongoing campaign. Recently, a huge number of special social advertisements have appeared, designed to demonstrate the perniciousness of this habit.

It should be given credit that in the past few decades, smoking prevention activities have also been actively carried out: all kinds of actions, conferences, flash mobs and much more. The position of the need to abandon a bad habit began to be actively conveyed to the public.

Special literature

This phenomenon is most common in America, where it is generally customary to write so-called guides to certain life situations. Of course, the call to fight bad habit stimulated a wave of research publications and special programs designed to help smokers solve their problem.

The most famous author of this kind of literature in the world was undoubtedly Allen Carr, the author of " easy way quit smoking." The prevention of tobacco smoking was not particularly covered in the book, however, the information stated in the title was presented. Naturally, the work instantly became popular, flying off the bookshelves in a matter of hours.

If you examine this kind of literature, you can come to the conclusion that all of it is built according to a certain scheme: it rather describes methods of dealing with an already existing problem. Nevertheless, there are authors who seek to prevent it, however this information rather contained in the literature devoted to a healthy lifestyle, and not directly to the fight against nicotine addiction of the world's population.

Education of the younger generation

Events on actively began to be held in schools and universities around the world. Basically, such methods of struggle exist in two varieties: part curriculum and individual conferences and seminars. In the first case, special disciplines are introduced that demonstrate the benefits of a healthy lifestyle from childhood. Children are given a structured understanding of the harm caused by smoking to the human body.

In the second case, individual events are most often held, to which specialists in the field of medicine, psychology and sociology are invited, which clearly demonstrate to the growing part of the world's population the perniciousness of this habit, thereby forming a worldview in which smoking will be exclusively negative.

Of course, speaking of preventive measures, one should not forget about communication with parents, because they are the greatest authority for the child in the process of forming his personality. Tobacco prevention, a conversation on this topic should be carried out primarily in a homely, confidential environment in which the child will feel as comfortable as possible. In addition, most researchers argue that best measure precaution is the rejection of the bad habits of the parents themselves.

Recourse

Help in the fight, and sometimes prevent it, help experts in this field. Of course, everyone will have their own program for the prevention of smoking, and sometimes individually tailored to the client. Most often, this requires special analyzes, passing tests, waiting for the results of certain studies, but in the end, a smoker who wants to "quit" gets his own system of methods to combat nicotine addiction.

Radical measures

In cases where the prevention of smoking does not help, many come to the use of radical measures: suggestion, hypnosis, coding. This kind of means of combating addiction can most often be called effective, but they are extremely aggressive towards the body, and the slightest failure can lead to unexpected and sometimes serious consequences.

The simplest methods of struggle

Few people think that in order to abandon a problem of this kind, it is absolutely not necessary to seek outside help. Since quitting smoking causes no physical discomfort other than the dry mouth, coughing, and trembling hands caused by the belief that quitting is necessarily difficult, all that is required is an inner decision. Once a clear position has been formed on the need for refusal, it can be decided whether additional measures. If smoking prevention is being carried out, a reminder can greatly simplify the task. Information in this case should be collected as capaciously as possible, but at the same time compactly. This should become a reminder of the main goal and task of the planned actions, become a constant motivation.

By the way, this technique is often used in hospitals and sanatoriums, and not only in relation to smoking - they fight alcohol and drug addiction in approximately the same way. Oddly enough, it really works: smoking prevention, in which the reminder is still involved, is more effective than without it.

The consequences of smoking cause a negative impact on the human body and lead to various diseases. It is known that cigarettes contain toxic substances in their composition, which further lead to disturbances in the work of important organs.

Harm to the body

The main negative effect on the human body is nicotine. Even if a person does not suffer from such an addiction as smoking, inhaling tobacco smoke from someone else's cigarette can also affect his health.

Nicotine is a toxin that has a nerve-paralytic effect when it enters the lungs. The substance is deposited in the alveoli, after which it enters the bloodstream. Next, nicotine begins to affect the brain.

In addition, the toxin tends to penetrate into the esophagus, and then into the stomach. The poison that is in these organs irritates the walls of the mucous membranes.

In some cases, a person may experience so-called toxicosis, which is provoked by a high content of nicotine in the body. Simply put, such a violation is called poisoning. It can be acute in case of use a large number nicotine. If a person cannot do without 10-15 cigarettes a day, then toxicosis becomes chronic.

In the acute form of poisoning, frequent spasms in the stomach are observed, a person feels a sore throat. There is nausea, in some cases accompanied by vomiting. Such disorders begin to affect the digestive tract. The patient suffers from diarrhea, periodic abdominal cramps.

Also, smokers experience changes in the nervous system. They are characterized the following symptoms:

• the occurrence of dizziness, tinnitus;
• the skin turns pale, the pupils become constricted;
• excited state;
• frequent headache;
• convulsions appear;
• gives a shiver.

Gradually, the patient's condition begins to deteriorate, the person falls into a stupor, the body is covered with sweat. If timely medical care is not provided, a fatal outcome occurs.

Quite often, such symptoms are experienced by a person who has just started smoking.

When a person is fond of smoking for a long time, the manifestation negative symptoms decreases. The taste and smell of nicotine is not felt so sharply, the body normally takes harmful substances. The number of cigarettes smoked starts to increase. These are the signs chronic form smoking.

The occurrence of diseases and pathologies

First of all, the changes concern endocrine system. The poison that gets inside begins to provoke disturbances in the production of hormones. There is a defeat of the adrenal glands, the active production of adrenaline begins. This leads to an increase in the concentration of sugar in the blood.

Tobacco affects thyroid gland, there is an increase in the volume of this organ.

As a result of constant smoking, the normal balance of the glands is disturbed, a goiter occurs.

Smoking is quite dangerous for the vascular system. The likelihood of a heart attack increases, the level of cholesterol in the blood rises, a person develops atherosclerosis. Smoking can cause heart attack. There is pain in the region of the heart, suffocation appears, body temperature rises.

Especially often smokers suffer from diseases associated with the respiratory system. In 82% of cases, patients have chronic bronchitis.

Most dangerous consequence smoking is the development of cancer. The risk group includes people who smoke more than 1 pack of cigarettes per day. According to statistics, 20% of these tobacco users die from smoking.

Smokers have weight loss, persistent cough, hemoptysis.

Tobacco in any form poses a serious threat to human health. Cigarette smoke also harms people who are close to the smoker. Few habits have as many and as harmful health effects as tobacco use.

Tobacco as a drug

Tobacco is a psychoactive drug that causes addiction. The smoke from burning tobacco when smoking has a complex composition. It contains about 300 chemicals that can damage living tissues, in particular tar and related compounds, nicotine and toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen oxides, etc.

resins are and serve as carriers of carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) contained in tobacco smoke. Resins contribute to the development of chronic bronchitis and "smoker's cough".

Nicotine - one of the most toxic substances, causing the strongest addiction. It is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream from the lungs when inhaled and from the oral and stomach mucosa when smokeless tobacco is used. Within 7 seconds, it spreads throughout the body, penetrating into all organs, including the brain, and during pregnancy - into all organs of the fetus. Nicotine is a powerful stimulant that affects the brain and spinal cord, the nervous system as a whole, the heart and many other organs. Nicotine directly stimulates neuronal receptors that are sensitive to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, a substance that plays an important role in the transmission of nerve impulses in synapses (the area where nerve cells come into contact with each other). In people who develop addiction, stopping nicotine use can lead to a withdrawal syndrome characterized by restlessness, anxiety, irritability, depression, headache, stomach pain, insomnia, and dizziness.

Carbon monoxide (CO) - a poisonous component of automobile exhaust, as well as the main ingredient in cigarette smoke. Having a high affinity for hemoglobin, CO blocks it. As a result, hemoglobin loses its ability to carry oxygen, reducing the ability of blood to supply oxygen to the brain, heart, muscles and other organs of the body. Of course, the degree of reduction depends on the number of cigarettes smoked per day and how they were smoked (for how many puffs, how deep and how long the puffs were). The lack of oxygen supply becomes especially noticeable during periods associated with an increased need for oxygen, for example during intense physical exertion.

Hydrogen cyanide - another poisonous gas present in tobacco smoke is that component

smoke, which is most responsible for the deterioration of the function of the ciliated epithelium of the lungs, which leads to the accumulation of mucus, tar and bacterial infection.

Nitric oxide - more one component of cigarette smoke is a toxic substance also present in tar. Nitric oxide reduces the effectiveness of macrophages (a type of white blood cell) that guard the inner surfaces of the lungs and destroy bacteria and other pathogens. Thus, this gas contributes to the development of chronic respiratory infections in smokers.

Harmful effects of tobacco smoking

Numerous documented harmful effects tobacco smoking. Its impact on human health is determined by the individual characteristics of each smoker. The consequences of smoking are harmful, but appear after many years, so the connection with this bad habit is not obvious. Many say: “... I smoke, I smoke a lot, for a long time, so far I don’t see any pathological changes in the body ...”, but statistics and clinical observations testify to something else. Here are the data of WHO experts:

• mortality among smoking cigarettes approximately 30-80% more than among non-smokers; o mortality increases with the number of cigarettes smoked;
• mortality among smokers is proportionately higher among persons aged 45-55 years than among younger or older people;
• mortality is higher among people who start smoking at a young age;
• mortality is higher among cigarette smokers who inhale smoke;
• mortality among those who quit smoking is lower than among those who continue to smoke; o Pipe or cigar smokers in general die no more than
• non-smokers, since they smoke moderately, do not inhale; o Mortality among those who smoke often or drag on is 20-40% higher than among non-smokers.

In addition to reducing life years, smokers also have bad health. Heavy smokers damage the cardiovascular system. This is expressed primarily in sclerotic changes in blood vessels, resulting in coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, the risk of stroke or impaired cerebral circulation; they are also characterized by frequent respiratory diseases, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer. Therefore, breathing in a smoker is difficult, the lungs supply oxygen to the blood worse.

Smoking worsens the physical condition of the body, reduces vitality. Smoking has a negative effect on the function of digestion: nicotine reduces the feeling of hunger by inhibiting the "hungry" contractions of the stomach, i.e. nicotine reduces appetite. Therefore, many people do not want to quit smoking for fear of gaining weight, and with good reason: when stopping smoking, many people tend to replace cigarettes with food. Studies show that a third of those who quit smoking gain weight, a third remain in the same shape, and a third lose weight. Greater food intake is due to the need to stimulate the oral cavity, which was previously carried out by cigarettes, to satisfy the increased appetite due to the removal of the overwhelming effect of nicotine. However, this cannot serve as a basis for continuing smoking.

Smoking also affects the body's use of vitamins. The level of vitamins B 6 , B, 12 and C in the blood decreases, because more of them are spent on the process of detoxifying substances contained in tobacco smoke.

According to experts, the smoke flowing from a lit cigarette (unfiltered, by-product) contains 50 times more carcinogens, twice as much tar and nicotine, 5 times more carbon monoxide and 50 times more ammonia than smoke inhaled through a cigarette. Although non-smokers do not normally inhale sidestream smoke at the concentrations that smokers inhale mainstream smoke, the inhaled concentration is still equivalent to one cigarette smoked per day. For people working in heavily smoky areas (such as a bar or office), exposure to secondhand smoke can be as high as the equivalent of 14 cigarettes a day.

There is strong evidence of an increase in lung cancer among non-smokers.

who live with smokers. Independent studies in the United States, Japan, Greece and Germany have shown that non-smoking spouses of smokers develop lung cancer 2-3 times more often than non-smoking spouses.

Passively inhaled tobacco smoke by non-smokers is known to be a strong lung irritant. It causes at least discomfort and coughing. Studies have shown that children who grow up in smoking homes show signs of disorders that are associated with heart disease in adulthood. For example, they show increased stiffness of the arteries, thickening of the walls of the chambers of the heart, and an adverse change in the blood.

In people with asthma (attacks of shortness of breath caused by narrowing of the bronchioles), passive smoking can trigger a severe attack. This is especially true for children. The incidence of asthma in children living in homes where someone smokes is higher than in children from homes where there are no smokers. Babies living in homes with smokers get sick respiratory diseases twice as often as other infants.

Psychophysiology of smoking

The first attempt at smoking is quite painful. The smoker experiences weakness, nausea, dizziness, sometimes fainting, vomiting are observed. At this stage, the body, as it were, is protected from pernicious effect nicotine.

With repeated use of a cigarette, the toxic effect is expressed in a weakened form. The smoker feels a pleasant excitement, inner warmth, a mild “high”, smoking becomes pleasant for him, and most importantly, the imaginary self-affirmation of his “I” grows. It is in this phase that signs of addiction to smoking appear.

The third phase is characterized by perception and analysis. The smoker begins to comprehend that smoking brings not only pleasure (imaginary, ostentatious), but also harm. Sometimes it does not cause pleasant sensations, but turns into a duty. Watch how a smoker's work day goes. He jumps up after a certain time, for example, once or twice an hour, runs to the smoking room to take a puff, talk and returns to workplace. This is already a pharmacological dependence, which we talked about in section 8.3.

Smoking cessation and consequences

Quitting smoking is a very difficult task for most smokers. Smoking cessation

Cigarettes mean freedom from addiction, which has both physiological and psychological components. Nicotine addiction, while incredibly strong, is not the only reason people continue to smoke. Successful programs to help people who want to quit smoking must take into account all the reasons why people smoke. Due to physiological dependency, attempts to stop smoking will cause a withdrawal syndrome, which manifests itself in nervousness, severe headaches, inability to concentrate, and the like.

A very optimistic view of the problem of smoking cessation by Bayer and Scheinberg. According to them, smoking cessation methods range from instantaneous and complete quitting once and for all, which is achieved without anyone's help and without the use of any means, to long, carefully designed and expensive programs. The degree of effectiveness of any method depends on the degree of addiction of the smoker and the strength of his interest in quitting smoking. But the difficulties experienced by many people who quit smoking have attracted many charlatans to the smoking cessation business; in addition, some remedies help some smokers, but are useless for others.

Rules for quitting smoking proposed by K. Bayer and L. Sheinberg

• Set a date that has something for you special meaning if this date is close. It can be your birthday, the birthday of a girlfriend (friend). New Years or some kind of anniversary. If you smoke because of the stress of studying, quit this habit during the holidays. Do not set a date in the distant future, you may lose your spiritual fuse.
• Agree with smoking friend(girlfriend) or spouse (husband) quit smoking together so that you can support each other.
• Tell everyone you know that you are quitting smoking. They will try to support you.
• Find a group of people (who support you in your quest to quit smoking) that you can call any time you feel like smoking.
• Try to replace smoking with other activities - exercise, a new hobby, chewing gum or low-calorie snacks. Avoid eating high-calorie foods: you can gain weight.
• It is best to quit smoking immediately and completely. Gradually quitting the habit of smoking produces worse results. However, those who are addicted to nicotine can quit smoking gradually (or use nicotine gum) in order to avoid wasting syndrome. If you are going to stop smoking gradually, develop a plan in advance and follow it firmly.
• Do not smoke a cigarette until 5 minutes have passed since you felt the need to smoke. During these 5 minutes, try to change your emotional state or do something else. Call someone in your "support group".
• Make smoking as uncomfortable as possible. Always buy only one pack of cigarettes and only after the previous one has finished. Never carry cigarettes with you, either at home or at work. Do not carry matches or lighters with you.
• Make a list of things you could buy with the money you saved from smoking. Convert the cost of each to non-smoking days.
• Always ask yourself if you really need this cigarette or if it's just a reflex reaction.
• Remove all ashtrays from your home, car, and workplace.
• Find something to do with your hands.
• Be sure to go to the dentist to clean your teeth from tobacco yellowness.
• Spend free time in new activities, avoid activities that have been associated with smoking (sitting at a bar, in front of the TV, etc.). Become more active physically.
• If you find it difficult to quit smoking yourself, contact a specialist.

One way to stop smoking is to use nicotine gum instead of cigarettes. But in order for this method to be successful, former smoker should completely refrain from smoking, since even one cigarette carries the risk of resuming the habit. Not everyone is recommended to use nicotine gum. It is contraindicated in heart patients, nursing mothers, pregnant women and women who are planning to become pregnant. For some people, nicotine gum causes nausea, hiccups, or a sore throat.

There are more severe methods, for example, aversion therapy - the development of an aversion to smoking. This type behavioral therapy combines learning with negative reinforcement to make smoking disgust the smoker. One form of aversion therapy requires you to puff every 6 seconds until smoking becomes very unpleasant. Another form uses a combination of each puff with a mild electric shock.

In addition, hypnosis and group programs are used, built on the type of the Twelve Step program for alcoholics.

How to quit smoking and not gain excess weight?

When you stop smoking, the following happens to you: o your body's metabolism is optimized and food is absorbed more efficiently; o taste buds on the tongue begin to taste food better, tempting you to eat more; O Over the years, you've grown accustomed to having a cigarette in your mouth, and now you're trying to recoup that pleasure by snacking between meals.

Here are some tips to help you stay healthy and maintain weight after quitting:

• eat three times a day regularly;
• do not snack (these sandwiches are eaten mainly out of habit);
• do not eat more than one serving: if you are hungry, wait 20 minutes before taking a supplement - perhaps during this time the feeling of hunger will pass;
• do not consume at all or reduce the proportion of such in your diet high-calorie foods like margarine, butter, fatty meats and fatty cheeses, mayonnaise, jams, jellies, soft drinks;
• exercise regularly – regular exercise burns calories, reduces stress and distracts you from smoking.

Thus, tobacco drug. Tobacco smoking causes psychological and physical dependence and leads to the destruction of health. The most common diseases among heavy smokers are coronary heart disease, strokes, bronchitis, emphysema, and lung cancer. Tobacco smoking is especially dangerous for women and young people.

Giving up smoking, alcohol, and drugs means maintaining health, and for this, students need to: understand how great the danger of abuse of harmful addictions is for health and life and how difficult long-term Negative consequences these addictions that affect the health of future offspring; o to form a sense of responsibility for their own health and the health of their offspring; o acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in order to avoid the use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco; o realize that the prevention of cravings for the use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco is the "work" of the student himself.