7 Deadly Diseases Linked to Cigarette Smoking

Let’s face it. There’s never any good that comes out of smoking. Not only are you inhaling the worst chemicals into your lungs, but you’re also effectively killing yourself. The only thing that smoking makes you look like is a bad influence.

In India itself, smoking causes 836.1 thousand deaths, or 79.8% of tobacco-related deaths. Second-hand smoke in India itself is responsible for 220.6 thousand deaths, or 21.0% of tobacco-related deaths. So, without much further ado, here are 7 diseases that cigarettes cause.

1. Lung cancer

Of all the diseases caused by smoking, cancer is the worst. In India, lung cancer is the most common cancer, accounting for 5.9% of all cancers and 8.1% of all cancer-related deaths. Cigarette smoking is the chief cause of lung cancer, responsible for 90% of lung cancer cases.

While the survival rate for lung cancer might have improved recently, the 5-year survival rate for lung cancer in India is 17.8%. This is an improvement from the median overall survival of 11 months in the past decade. Lung cancer is highly harmful and decreases your quality of life dramatically. When it comes to lung cancer and smoking, there’s no going back. Not only lung cancer but cigarettes cause oral cancer. When it comes to oral cancer, smoking is the chief culprit.

2. Heart Disease

Of all the cigarette-related diseases, heart diseases are quite prevalent. Smoking irreversibly affects your heart. In 2016, there were 54.5 million people in India with CVD, more than double the number in 1990. Smoking also boosts the amount of fibrinogen in the blood, which can result in blood clots.

Blood clots can cause irreversible harm to you. Heart disease kills several million people per year. Smoking dramatically increases your chances of contracting heart disease. Do yourself a favour - stay away from cigarettes, and your heart will thank you. When it comes to smoking and heart disease, there are no winners.

3. Stroke

Smoking adversely affects arteries and can be the cause of a stroke. Your brain cells get deprived of oxygen and start dying. In 2016, the Global Burden of Disease project estimated that in India, 1,175,778 stroke patients are there.

Your face starts drooping, and you experience muscle weakness and issues in talking. Smoking and stroke risks are high, so quit today.

4. Asthma

Ask anybody with asthma, and they’ll tell you how difficult breathing is. Cigarette smoke hurts air passages and can trigger an asthma attack. Asthma is a serious health condition that affects many Indians. The recent Global Burden of Disease (GBD, 1990–2019) estimated the total burden of asthma in India as 34.3 million, accounting for 13.09% of the global burden.

The first signs of an asthma attack are difficulties in breathing. You start to feel breathless and unable to take a breath.

5. COPD

Smoking results in difficulty breathing, coughing, and increased mucus production. Because of smoking, or rather the chemicals in cigarette smoke, the lung’s defence against infections gets weakened. Also, it narrows the air passages and destroys air sacs.

In 2016, the number of people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in India was estimated to be 55.3 million. When it comes to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, smoking causes the most harm.

6. Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral Arterial Disease is one of the diseases that are caused by smoking. Smoking results in oxidative stress and inflammation and can negatively affect endothelial and platelet function. You start experiencing muscle pain or weakness.

Tingling in the feet or toes. Skin that becomes dark and blue. Coldness in the lower leg or foot. No pulse and a weak pulse in the legs or feet. Stay away from Peripheral Artery Disease. Quit smoking.

7. Type 2 Diabetes

Smoking increases the incidence of Type 2 diabetes. Smokers are 20-40% more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than non-smokers, with the risk increasing with the number of cigarettes smoked. Smoking harms your cells, causes inflammation and spoils the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. Toxins in smoke have a harmful impact on cells, affect blood vessel function and raise your blood sugar drastically.

In conclusion, the sooner you quit smoking, the better for you. Why place yourself in the crosshairs of various diseases? Stay away from asthma, Peripheral Artery Disease, stroke, COPD, heart disease, lung cancer and more. Stop smoking today, and that will do a world of good for you. Quit cigarettes now, and your body will thank you for it today, tomorrow and for posterity.