There are many reasons that lead people to finally make the decision to stop smoking. Besides the monetary cost (the new Federal tax that went into effect on April 1, 2009, amounts to $1.01!), or the social stigma of smoking, the best reason to convince you to stop smoking should be for your health and the health of those around you. If you would like to live a long, healthy life, that is.
It has long been known that smoking causes 30% of all deaths due to cancer, with lung cancer topping the list. Smoking is the cause of about 87% of all lung cancer deaths. It’s an equal opportunity cancer that kills both men and women, and is difficult to treat. Cancers of the larynx, mouth, throat, bladder and the esophagus have been directly related to smoking since the 1980s. Here in the 21st century, doctors are finding that the list of cancers that smoking causes has increased to include acute myeloid leukemia, cervix, kidney, pancreatic and stomach cancers.
There are other deadly but non-cancerous diseases that are caused by smoking. They include abdominal aortic aneurysm, pneumonia (which is especially deadly for elderly patients) chronic lung disease, chronic heart and cardiovascular diseases. Smoking is also associated with problems such as cataracts, macular degeneration (which can eventually lead to blindness, if the smoking doesn’t kill you first!), osteoporosis (which could lead to hip fracture) and periodontitis (gum disease). These diseases won’t kill you, but they can make your life miserable.
If you’re a woman, you’ll want to know that smoking can damage your reproductive health, reducing your chances of becoming pregnant. If you do become pregnant, you’ll have a higher risk of miscarriage, an early delivery, a low-weight baby, a stillbirth or infant death. Smoking is also linked to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
This list is way too long to print on each pack of cigarettes! There is no downside to stopping smoking. But people have to be ready to stop before they can actually reach their goal. So, to prevent spending your later years lugging an oxygen tank behind you with tubes up your nose, consider stopping smoking now, before it’s too late. If you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for your family, who won’t suffer through all of your secondhand smoke.
Alex Marhsall is a pool afficionado and self-confessed pool and billiards addict. Growing up in an Arizona pool table shop taught him everything there is to know about billiard tables, pool tables, accessories, brands, and shooting to score. Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/what-are-the-diseases-that-smoking-can-cause-1075376.html