Smoking

Smoking

Introduction

Individuals start to smoke for many different reasons. Smokers do not consider the effects of their health first. People make a conscious decision to start smoking. But once smokers start smoking and become addicted to the nicotine the addiction overrides the wish to quit. Smoking has always been a serious and controversial topic. Cigarettes are an additive health hazard. Smoking cigarettes is additive and a health hazard. Smokers cannot be convinced that it is a health hazard that could not only reduce the number of years in ones life but can affect ones quality of life. It is therefore important to focus on the effects of smoking because of research and explain that smoking is the cause of several health problems.

Discussion

The nicotine in cigarettes is a stimulant drug. The affect of nicotine triggers the release of dopamine-a chemical found in the brain that links with feelings of pleasure. No other substance known to man is used with such remarkable frequency. Even caffeine ranks a poor second. (Brecher, 1992)

Studies have shown nicotine is addicting. The first modern scientific evidence for this conclusion appeared in the English medical journal Lancet in 1942. Dr. Lennox Johnston reported that he had given small injections of nicotine solution to 35 volunteers, including him. "Smokers almost invariably thought the sensation pleasant," Dr. Johnston declared, "and, given an adequate dose, were disinclined to smoke for a time thereafter. After a course of 80 injections of nicotine, an injection was preferred to a cigarette." If the nicotine injections were abruptly discontinued, craving arose. Dr. Johnston found that in satisfying this craving, one milligram of injected nicotine was roughly the equivalent of smoking one cigarette. He concluded that "smoking tobacco is essentially a means of administering nicotine; just as smoking opium is a means of administering morphine." (Brecher, 1992)

Yet another report claims: Nine male subjects all of them expected to smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day were given low-nicotine cigarettes on some days, moderate-nicotine cigarettes on other days, and high-nicotine cigarettes other days. The more nicotine in the cigarettes, the longer the time elapsed. The more nicotine in the cigarettes, the longer it took to smoke one cigarette. The more nicotine in the cigarettes, the fewer cigarettes was smoked a day. All three of these points to the same conclusion: the smoker smokes to get nicotine, and regulates his smoking to assure the needed nicotine dosage. Nicotine is present in the brain within a minute. After completing the cigarette most of this nicotine has left the brain for other organs (for example, liver, kidneys, and stomach). Addicted smokers, with a set pattern, inhales a cigarette every 30 minutes maintenances high-levels of nicotine in his brain.(Brecher, 1992)

Smokers are all around us every day. Cigarette in their hand they puff to inhale the nicotine into their lungs then breathe out into the air I breathe. For nonsmokers, inhaling someone elses cigarette smoke can be annoying. It is therefore important to focus on the effects of smoking that ...