Publish 6 April 2021
While doctors struggle to get air into the lungs of COVID-19 patients, smokers intentionally reduce their capacity. But lungs are not the only harm.
Gasping For Air
Doctors and nurses struggle to get air into the lungs of COVID-19 patients. This is the case while some people intentionally reduce their lung capacity through smoking habits.
You might single out lungs as the primary area of harm. But smoking affects several systems throughout your body. And you don’t get a reprieve for vaping or smoking cigars.
An estimated 2.55 million U.S. middle and high school students reported using e-cigarettes during the early part of 2022. —Reuters
Breathing smoke into your lungs is unnatural. Beginners hold vapors in their mouths until they can keep them in their lungs without coughing. This is tantamount to breathing in smoke from a burning building or exhaust from an automobile. Peer pressure and status are primary reasons for enduring this uncomfortable feeling.
Assault on Your Body
As your lungs become accustomed to tolerating poison, an ingredient within cigarettes gets you hooked. Like most drugs, the addictive element that harms your body keeps you coming back. Within cigarettes and cigars, it’s nicotine. And that is just one of many carcinogens within tobacco. [1]
- Nicotine
- Benzene
- Formaldehyde
- Lead
- Arsenic
- Ammonia
- Radioactive elements
- Hydrogen cyanide
- Tobacco-specific nitrosamines
- Carbon monoxide
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Pipes and cigars have a richer aroma and project a level of sophistication in cigar lounges. Garment manufacturers even make a jacket for them. You may not recognize that cigar smoke contains higher concentrations of toxic and carcinogenic compounds than cigarettes. [2]
The aerosols of e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) can contain addictive nicotine, flavorings, and a variety of other chemicals. [1] Through vapor inhalation, ENDS do not include as many toxic cancer-causing ingredients. But they lack regulation or standards. The lower amortized cost of addiction does not make vaping healthy. [1,3]
Multi-System Nicotine Damage
Your pulmonology is not the only thing affected. Smoking can increase the risk of lung cancer, heart attack, stroke, PAD, inflammatory bowel disease, preterm pregnancy, stillbirth, COPD, and death. [4,5] This means mortality results from failures in your respiratory system, cardiovascular system, digestive system, and reproductive system. By discoloring skin and nails, smoking affects your integumentary system.
The central nervous system plays a role in addiction. [6] Smoking can also deepen your voice and dull your taste and smell. [7] This affects the otolaryngology system. What bodily system escapes the fumes of cigarette smoking?
You become oblivious to the acrid smell of smoke within your car, home, and clothes. But it is pungent to non-smokers.
The clothing of a waiter at an Italian restaurant reeked of cigarettes. I could not hold my breath long enough to hear the blackboard specials. The manager sent him home and assigned another server to our table. Perhaps he returned another day, but imagine losing your job because of your odor. This is a reason for smoking restrictions in hotel rooms and rental cars.
Increasing COVID Dangers
COVID-19 patients with compromised respiratory systems do not fare well in hospitals. The virus attacks lungs that have been half-cooked by smoking. Smokers appear to be more susceptible to COVID-19 than non-smokers.
Keeping your hands away from your face is one way to reduce coronavirus infection. To puff cigarettes, fingers have frequent contact with lips. Poor lung capacity is a reason why wearing masks to prevent COVID-19 is so uncomfortable.
One study found that e-cigarettes suppress immune cells in your nose. They also destroy the cilia in your lungs. [8] Those who vape are 5–7 times more likely to contract COVID-19 than those who do not use e-cigarettes. [9]
These are all compelling reasons to quit smoking. Some go cold turkey, which means they abruptly stop buying cigarettes and going to places where others smoke. Other people try to wean themselves off with nicotine gum. According to the American Cancer Society, there is proof that smokeless tobacco products help smokers quit. [1]
Once the coronavirus clears the air, don’t replace it with another death-dealing vapor. Your doctor can help you enroll in smoking cessation classes so you can breathe better and longer. As a side benefit, you might even get your taste buds back.
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