Smoking kills. Scientists have calculated that in 2012 there were 1 billion smokers in the world. In 2016 the number of tobacco addicts increased to 1.5 billion people. In 2016 they smoked more than 6.18 trillion cigarettes. Each year smoking kills about 5 million people. In the twentieth century smoking killed about 100 million people worldwide. The increased number of smokers is associated with an increase in the planet population. Over the past 50 years the world's population has grown to 7 billion people, so more and more people have become nicotine addicted. In China and Russia the number of smokers per capita has even increased over recent years. The majority of smokers live in developing countries, - that was reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), with the reference to experts from Washington Institute for Medical Research. As for today three out of every 10 men (31%) and one in 20 women (6%) are smokers. Most smokers live in East Timor, where 61% of population is smokers. Least of all tobacco addicts live in the Caribbean Islands where only 5% of population is smokes. Researchers characterized Canada, Iceland, Norway and Mexico as the most successful fighters against smoking, whose authorities managed to convince the population either not to start smoking or to quit this bad habit. With regard to the health effect of smoking, researchers say that countries with the highest prevalence of smoking and consumption of a big amount of cigarettes should expect the worst consequences. First of all, we are talking about Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, China, Kuwait, the Philippines, Russia, Switzerland and Uruguay.
Scientists from Scotland have proven that smoking is the cause of accelerated brain aging. During the study they examined 500 volunteers, elderly men and women. Scientists have come to the conclusion that the smokers have delayed mental processing, worse mental alertness and memory. These observations have been confirmed by the brain tomography. The study has shown that smokers have much thinner cerebral cortex layer, which is responsible for these functions. At the same time those who quitted smoking, had the cerebral cortex thickness regained.
The main reason for the high prevalence of smoking is at least for a certain time period – the hidden destructive effect of smoking creating the illusive impression of its visual harmless
Smoking affects human mental power. Researchers from King’s College London have published an article stated that in addition to already known detrimental effects of nicotine and tar contained in tobacco smoke on the body, they significantly damage the smoker’s mental power. In seven seconds of tobacco smoke inhaled nicotine reaches the brain cells, causing the specific effect on them. Under its influence, as well as under the influence of carbon monoxide and other substances the heart rate and the level of free fatty acids in plasma increased. Smoking can increase blood coagulation parameters, the level of hematocrit, viscosity, fibrinogen and hemoglobin. Nicotine affects different structures of the central nervous system. While smoking, the peripheral cerebral blood flow is significantly reduced. The risk of the blood clot in the brain major blood vessels increases.
95% of smokers immediately quit smoking after being diagnosed with myocardial infarction. No lectures, no persuasion needed, patients decided to quit smoking themselves.
The European Cancer Guidelines declare:
Do not smoke! Smoking is a major cause of early death. lf you smoke, stop it! Quit smoking before the onset of cancer or other serious disease (tuberculosis, lung cancer, impotence, infertility, asthma, chronic bronchitis) as it will prevent an increased risk of tobacco-related diseases. Do not smoke if non-smokers are close to you. Your smoking can have an adverse effect on the health of other people.