Буклет на тему «The Harm of Smoking»

Tobacco smoke contains nicotine, resins and carbon monoxide; thousands of chemicals are released during combustion. Smoking damages almost every organ and causes heart disease, stroke, cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

• Smokers have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, immune problems and reproductive health disorders. In women, smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of complications for the fetus.

Passive smoking is also dangerous for non-smokers: there is no safe level of exposure. It causes heart disease, lung cancer and other severe consequences.

• Passive smoking leads to more than 1.6 million premature deaths worldwide every year.

• In children, smoke is associated with more frequent respiratory tract infections, asthma attacks and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

One cigarette triggers a chain of quick effects: nicotine enters the blood in seconds, and carbon monoxide reduces oxygen transfer. At the same time, a person may not notice the immediate severity, although damage to the vessels and lungs is already beginning.

Tobacco mortality is measured in millions: according to WHO, tobacco kills more than 8 million people a year.

• About 7 million deaths are associated with smoking itself, and more than 1.6 million are related to passive smoke.

• Tobacco remains one of the main preventable causes of cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory diseases.

• For adults, smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke several times compared to non-smokers.

Tobacco affects the lungs, heart, blood vessels, brain and immune system. Smokers are more likely to develop chronic bronchitis, emphysema and malignant tumors.

• Smoking is associated with more than 20 types of cancer, including lung, larynx, oral and bladder cancer.

• In many countries, tobacco is considered the leading cause of premature death among the preventable risk factors.

• Even a brief inhalation of someone else's smoke increases the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.