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Tobacco smoking

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Tobacco smoking is the practice of drawing tobacco smoke into the mouth. In the case of cigarette smoking, for most smokers it also involves the inhalation of the smoke into the lungs. Tobacco smoke contains nicotine, which can form a strong physical and/or psychological dependance (some refer to the dependance as an addiction, although this is not medically correct). Dependance is strongest when tobacco smoke is inhaled into the lungs and increases with quantity and speed of nicotine absorbtion. Thus, cigarettes usually create a much stronger substance dependance than smoking pipe or cigar smoking, in which the user typically does not inhale into the lungs. Nicotine is one of thousands of chemicals contained in cigarette smoke. The most widespread form of tobacco smoking is smoking of cigarettes, followed by pipe smoking and cigar smoking, the latter two being done (traditionally) almost exclusively by men (although in the past decade many Western women have begun to take up cigar smoking, perhaps as a way of challenging gender stereotypes).

Lighting a cigarette etc. is usually done with a lighter or match. One of the most common favors asked from a stranger is for a light; it is also used to get into contact with someone.

History

Tobacco smoking, using both pipes and cigars, was long common to many Native American cultures of the Americas. It is depicted in the art of the Classic era Maya civilization of some 1500 years ago.

With the arrival of the Europeans in the New World late in the 15th century, tobacco smoking was brought to Europe, and from there gradually spread to the rest of the world.

The cigarette was less common than the cigar or the smoking pipe until the early 20th century, when cheap mechanically made cigarettes became common.

Health effects

It has been scientifically established that "tobacco use is the single most important preventable risk to human health in developed countries and an important cause of premature death worldwide."

The most important are lung cancer and other cancers of the respiratory tract. Cancers of the larynx and tongue are also important causes of mortality and morbidity.
There are around 3000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke. Below are chemicals of known or supected carcinogenicity. The classification reflects the fact that there are no direct data on humans :

The greater the length of time that a person continues to smoke as well as the greater the amount smoked both increase the person's chance of contracting disease. However, if someone stops smoking, then these chances steadily although gradually decrease as the damage to their body is repaired. It is important to note that studies have generally shown that the risks for contracting respiratory disease are far, far lower for pipe and cigar smokers, who generally do not inhale the smoke into the lungs and typically smoke tobacco which is in a more natural state than that usually found in commercially produced cigarettes. Among pipe and cigar smokers, lip and tongue cancers are most common because these are the organs most in contact with the carcinogens.

Smoking also increases the chance of heart disease. Several ingredients of tobacco lead to the narrowing of blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of a blockage, and thus a heart attack or stroke. Other tobacco chemicals lead to high blood pressure. Also, some chemicals may damage the inside of arteries, for example making it possible for cholesterol to adhere to the artery wall, possibly leading to a heart attack.

Diseases linked to smoking tobacco cigarettes:

Nicotine is a powerful stimulant and is one of the main factors leading to the continued tobacco smoking. Although the amount of nicotine inhaled with tobacco smoke is quite small (most of the substance is destroyed by the heat) it is still sufficient to cause physical and/or psychological dependance. The amount of nicotine absorbed by the body from smoking depends on many factors, including the type of tobacco, whether the smoke is inhaled, and whether a filter is used. On average it takes about seven seconds for the substance to reach the brain. Although nicotine does play a role in some of the diseases listed, above (such as stroke, impotence, and heart disease), it does not contribute to the formation of cancer or emphysema.

Many of tobacco's health effects can be avoided through Smoking cessation. It is also possible to help reduce the risks by controling the frequency of smoking and by proper diet and exercise. Some research has indicated that some of the damage caused by smoking tobacco can be moderated with the use of antioxidants.

Moral aspects

Even before the health risks of smoking were scientifically known, it was considered a filthy, harmful and immoral habit by some Christian preachers and social reformers. Tobacco was listed, along with drunkenness, gambling, cards, dancing and theater-going, in J.M. Judy's Questionable Amusements and Worthy Substitutes, which was published in 1904 by the Western Methodist Book Concern of Chicago. Judy wrote that "Tobacco dulls the mind. It does this not only by wasting the body, the physical basis of the mind, but it does it through habits of intellectual idleness, which the user of tobacco naturally forms. Whoever heard of a first-class loafer who did not e-a-t the weed or burn it, or both?" In addition, he claimed, "Tobacco wastes the body" and "blunts the moral nature." A similar anti-tobacco position began as early as 1833 in the Mormon Church and still continues. (See, for example, Word of Wisdom.) The Mormon Church proscribes smokers from engaging in priesthood responsibilities and participating in church ordinances such as Eternal Marriage.

Most modern opposition to smoking, however, is based on health concerns rather than moral judgments. Some radical individuals, usually called "anti-smokers" are interested in controlling smoking based as political agenda; many are former "reformed" smokers.

Legal aspects

"Passive smoking" or "secondhand smoke" - also known as "environmental tobacco smoke" (ETS) or "involuntary smoking" - occurs when the ambient smoke from one person's cigarette is inhaled by other people. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1993 issued a report estimating that 3,000 lung-cancer related deaths in the US were caused by passive smoking every year. Lobbyists and researchers aggressively attacked the EPA study as "junk science,". In 2002, a group of 29 experts from 12 countries convened by the Monographs Programme of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization reviewed all significant published evidence related to tobacco smoking and cancer. It concluded its evaluation of the carcinogenic risks associated with involuntary smoking, with second-hand smoke also being classified as carcinogenic to humans. An earlier WHO epidemiology study also found "weak evidence of a dose-response relationship between risk of lung cancer and exposure to spousal and workplace ETS." The fact that the evidence was described as "weak" has been interpreted by the tobacco industry and its supporters as evidence that the ETS-lung cancer link has been "disproven." In reality, the "weakness" of the evidence stems from the fact that the risk of ETS for individuals is very small, making it difficult to detect through epidemiology. In addition to epidemiology, however, several other types of scientific evidence (including animal experiments, chemical constituent analysis of ETS, and human metabolic studies) support the WHO and EPA conclusions. Most experts do admit that moderate and/or occasional exposure to second hand smoke has very little risk to nonsmokers, if any.

Several western countries have put restrictions on cigarette advertising, particularly on advertising that appears to target minors.

In many countries smoking in public buildings is now prohibited. Many office buildings contain specially ventilated smoking areas, some are required by law to provide them.

In the United States and New Zealand, it has long been illegal to sell tobacco products to minors. Most citizens of those (and other) countries believe that adults alone can make an informed decision regarding the risks of tobacco use.

Effects on Smokers

Smokers report a variety of physical and psychological effects from smoking tobacco. Those new to smoking will experience nausea, dizziness, and rapid heart beat. The negative symptoms will eventually vanish over time, with repeated use, as the body builds a tolerance to the nicotine. Nicotine is an unusual chemical because when abosorbed slowly, it can act as a sedative and when absorbed quickly it can act as a stimulant. Pipe and cigar smokers usually experience more of the sedative/relaxation effect while cigarette smokers usually experience more of the stimulant effect. Some writings have stated that smoking can also increase mental concentration. The majority of smokers obtain great physical and psychological enjoyment from smoking, which is why smoking can be a difficult habit to stop, even though most smokers are very aware of the health risks. Taste, smell, and visual enjoyment are also major contributions to the enjoyment of smoking, in addition to comraderie with other smokers.

Experienced smokers, when denied access to nicotine, will often exhibit symptoms such as irritability, dry mouth, and rapid heart beat. Longer abstinence can lead to insomnia and even mild depression. Smokers abstaining from nicotine for approximately ten to twenty days will, eventually, eliminate the chemical dependance; although the psychological dependance may linger for months or even many years.

Smokers wanting to quit (or temporarily abstain from) smoking can use a variety of nicotine-containing tobacco subsitutes to temporarily lessen the physical withdrawal symptoms; the most popular being nicotine gum and lozenges. Nicotine patches are also used for smoking cessation.

See also other forms of tobacco use :

References:

  1. Joint Committee on Smoking and Health. Smoking and health: physician responsibility; a statement of the Joint Committee on Smoking and Health. Chest 1995; 198:201- 208
  2. Boffetta,P., Agudo,A., Ahrens,W., Benhamou,E., Benhamou,S., Darby,S.C., Ferro,G., Fortes,C., Gonzalez,C.A., Jockel,K.H., Krauss,M., Kreienbrock,L., Kreuzer,M., Mendes,A., Merletti,F., Nyberg,F., Pershagen,G., Pohlabeln,H., Riboli,E., Schmid,G., Simonato,L., Tredaniel,J., Whitley,E., Wichmann,H.E., Saracci,R. 1998. Multicenter case-control study of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer in Europe. J. Natl. Cancer Inst. 90:1440-1450.