The Problem with Smoking

Overview

Smoking's Appeal: Instant relief from stress and anxiety, social benefits, appetite suppression.
Health Risks: Leads to severe health issues due to harmful chemicals.
Complex Addiction: Both physical and psychological components make it difficult to quit.

Initial Effects: Nicotine makes you feel good almost instantly.
- Reduces stress and anxiety.
- Helps focus and serves as a social activity.
- Suppresses appetite and relieves boredom.
Psychological Benefits:
- Excuse to take breaks.
- Creates social bonds among smokers.
- Provides momentary satisfaction.

Composition: Cigarette is made of dried tobacco leaves mixed with chemicals.
Inhalation:
- Contains gases (95%) and particles (5%) including tar.
- Tar particles interact and get stuck in throat, tongue, and trachea.
- Cilia in lungs trap dust and bacteria but get paralyzed by tar, allowing deeper lung penetration.
Effect on Lungs: Tar reaches alveoli where oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer occurs.
Nicotine Impact:
- Quick absorption into the bloodstream, affecting the brain instantly.
- Triggers multiple neurotransmitters and hormones.
- Effects: fast heartbeat, alertness, relaxation, pain and stress reduction.
Brain Reaction: Pushes back to normal state creating imbalance, leading to addiction.

Why Nicotine is Addictive:
- Brain compensates for nicotine's effects, leading to dependence.
- Physical addiction lasts around 3 days but psychological addiction persists.

Chemical Impact:
- Contains harmful chemicals like cadmium, lead, arsenic, and cyanide.
- Carbon monoxide reduces oxygen capacity in blood.
Lung Damage:
- Cilia cells die, alveoli are damaged, leading to chronic breathing issues.
- Goblet cells produce extra mucus clogging lungs.
- Macrophages fail to clean effectively, creating scar tissue.
Heart and Blood Vessels:
- Increased heart rate and constricted blood vessels.
- Blood vessels narrow due to scars, causing stress on the heart.
- Chemicals break down skin collagen, leading to premature aging.
Immune System:
- Reacts to tiny wounds, causing further damage to healthy cells.
Overall Consequences: Chronic diseases, COPD, higher risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, and reduced life expectancy.

Why Quitting is Hard:
- Strong physical and psychological addiction.
- Most people start as teenagers.
Positive Trends and Data:
- Number of smokers decreasing.
- Strategies for quitting are available and effective.
- Quitting before 35 can normalize life expectancy; even later can still add years.

Personal Anecdotes: Examples like using sketchy WiFis or downloading unknown files.
Solutions for Better Habits:
- NordVPN for secure online activities.
- Habit Journal for building and maintaining positive habits.