Long Term Hazards of Smoking

There has been so much discussion about the long term effects of smoking, such as increased chance of lung cancer and heart disease. There are so many others that while they may be just as much of a concern, they never seem to get as much documentation. If you have ever thought that maybe you would like to quit smoking, take the time to read through the rest of this article to get a better picture of what you may face if you don't quit.

Lung cancer isn't the only cancer that can be caused by smoking. Research also supports the fact that other cancers can be attributed to smoking as well. Some of the more common ones that you might suspect are cancer of the mouth, larynx, tongue and skin. Obviously these cancers are due to the direct smoke contact when inhaling a cigarette. A smoker with these types of cancer can expect to end up needing a stoma, which provides an opening into the throat directly. It often needs to be suctioned out in order to stay open. And, a voice box could be a possibility as well.

Other cancers that can be caused from smoking include kidney, bladder, cervix and breast. Recent evidence from research show that smokers are more prone to these cancers as well. In the case of kidney and bladder cancer it is really quite understandable actually. As the smoke enters the body, it goes into the lungs (which accounts for the high rates of lung cancer). The lungs filter the smoke into the bloodstream, which then is put into the kidneys. The kidneys produce urine, and the urine containing the remaining toxins that have been filtered out collects in the bladder. While in the bladder, the cells lining the bladder will be damaged.

COPD is also a very common concern. This stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - and it ranges from a very mild case of bronchitis (often how it starts), to more severe cases. Emphysema is almost a certainty in long term smokers, and if you have never had to watch someone suffer with this disease then you are very fortunate. The air sacs in the lungs collapse and there is nowhere for the oxygen to exchange. This ends up in the person basically smothering - over a long time period.

There are so many other possible long term effects of smoking - including permanent nasal congestion, coughing, vision problems, gum disease - even amputation of limbs due to the inability of the body to provide oxygen to certain parts of the body. The truth of the matter is that there are so many negative physical effects to smoking that if you are even just thinking about quitting - you need to make a commitment and stop now before it is too late.

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