Smoking Kills

Tobacco is the leading global cause of preventable illness and death. Of all cancer diagnoses in 2016, 1 in 8 could be linked back to smoking.

Tobacco is the major cause of cancer accounting for 90% of lung cancer diagnosis worldwide. Smoking is the most harmful form of tobacco use and causes the heaviest burden of tobacco-related illness.

One in every two smokers will die of a tobacco-related disease. These diseases include a wide range of cancers, as well as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Smokers are more likely to get cancer than non-smokers. This is particularly true of lung cancer one of Ireland’s most common cancers, as well as throat cancer and mouth cancer.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that more than 8 million people die from tobacco use every year, and up to 1 person dies every 4 seconds globally due to tobacco. This includes both active smokers and those exposed to second-hand smoke

Tobacco and lung cancer

Tobacco use is the leading cause of cancer yet, it is avoidable. There is no safe way to use tobacco, but smoking is the most dangerous. This is because the greatest cancer risk comes from the combustion of tobacco or tobacco smoke. Most toxic substances including carcinogens (cancer causing chemicals) are created during the burning process.

Tobacco causes different types of cancer, especially if smoked. Tobacco smoke also causes cancer in non-smokers who inhale tobacco smoke from smokers. This is known as second hand or passive smoke. 

The risk increases with:

• The more years you smoke
• The more cigarettes you smoke each day
• The younger you are when you start smoking.

Each cigarette you smoke takes five and a half minutes off your life, and overall takes 10 to 15 quality years off your life. The best way to reduce your risk is the quit now. 

Nicotine addiction

Smoking is very addictive because tobacco contains nicotine, which is a powerful drug. Cigarettes are deliberately designed to give you a fast nicotine hit. It takes less than 20 seconds for the drug to reach your brain from inhaled cigarette smoke.

Nicotine causes addiction in much the same way as heroin or cocaine. It is just as addictive as these ‘harder’ drugs.

The addictive nature of nicotine is why most smokers say they want to quit but find it so difficult. If you start smoking, you may find it very hard to stop later on and over 83% of smokers say they wish they had never taken up smoking.

How does smoking cause cancer?

The main way that smoking causes cancer is by damaging our DNA. When these cells are damaged, including key genes that protect us against cancer, they can be difficult to repair, therefor leaving our bodies more open to illness and the development of cancer.

Many of the chemicals found in cigarettes have been shown to cause DNA damage, including benzene, polonium-210, benzo(a)pyrene and nitrosamines.

This is already bad news, but it’s made worse by other chemicals in cigarettes. For example, chromium makes poisons like benzo(a)pyrene stick more strongly to DNA, increasing the chances of serious damage.

And chemicals like arsenic and nickel interfere with pathways for repairing damaged DNA. This makes it even more likely that damaged cells will eventually turn cancerous.

Chemicals in cigarette smoke enter our blood stream and then can affect the entire body. This is why smoking can contribute to so many different diseases, including:

• At least 14 types of cancer
• Heart disease
• Various lung diseases

How long does it take for smoking to cause cancer?

It usually takes many years, or decades, for the DNA damage from smoking to cause cancer. Our bodies are designed to deal with a bit of damage, but it’s hard for the body to cope with the number of harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke.

Each cigarette can damage DNA in cells, but it is the build-up of damage in the same cell that can lead to cancer. However, research shows that for every 15 cigarettes smoked, there is a DNA change which could cause a cell to become cancerous. This is why it’s better to give up smoking sooner rather than later.

How does smoking weaken the body’s defences?

Smokers are also less able to handle toxic chemicals than those with healthy lungs and blood due to their cell’s weakened state.

We all have special ‘cleaner’ proteins called ‘detoxification enzymes’ that mop up harmful chemicals and convert them into harmless ones. But the chemicals in smoke, such as cadmium, can overwhelm these cleaners.

Other chemicals like formaldehyde and acrolein kill cilia, the small hairs that clean toxins from your airways.

Cigarette smoke also impacts the immune system – increasing the number of cells which can encourage tumour growth in the lungs and suppressing the ones that kill cancer cells.

For more information on how smoking impacts your risk of lung cancer click here

For helpful tips on how to quit smoking and reduce your cancer risk, click here