Everyone knows that smoking is injurious to health. Smoking can cause serious diseases and lead to many complications. While it is easy to think of quitting smoking, many people fail to do so. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 480,000 people die annually in the United States due to smoking. It is the single biggest reason for preventable deaths. It has been estimated that smokers die 10 years earlier than non-smokers on an average.

Here are some reasons why one should avoid cigarettes:

Reason 1: Smoking causes cancer

Smoking is the biggest reason for causing lung cancer which, in turn, is the leading cause of cancer deaths around the world. In fact, about 80-90 percent lung cancer cases arise due to smoking, according to the CDC. Cigarette smokers are 15 to 30 times more likely to develop lung cancer or die from it than those who do not smoke.

Apart from lung cancer, smokers are at increased risk of developing other cancers, including bladder, mouth, throat, stomach, liver and blood cancers.

Reason why cigarettes are cancerous

Smoking exposes the human body to more than 4,000 harmful chemicals. But the most common ones that affect the human body include the following:

• Nicotine: this is not in itself carcinogenic but is highly addictive. Smokers find it tough to quit smoking because of nicotine. Nicotine acts super-fast and reaches the human brain within 15 seconds of being inhaled. It induces feelings of pleasure due to which the smokers keep coming back and are unable to quit. In fact, nicotine is a strong insecticide. Consuming large amounts of nicotine can result in vomiting, seizures, CNS depression and growth retardation. It can also affect the development of a fetus.

• Tar: Tar is another predominant ingredient of cigarette smoke. It contains numerous carcinogenic chemicals. More than 70 percent of the tar gets accumulated in the lungs of an individual who smokes. This paralyzes the cilia of the lungs and can cause diseases such as emphysema, chronic bronchitis and lung cancer.

• Carbon monoxide (CO): This is another leading ingredient of cigarette smoke. It is a silent killer. It has no smell or taste but increased amounts of carbon monoxide can induce coma state and even kill people. CO leads to muscle and heart malfunction, and causes fatigue, weakness and dizziness. It is especially harmful and toxic for developing fetuses, infants and people who have heart or lung disease.

Reason 2: Smoking causes heart diseases

Smoking is a leading cause of many cardiovascular diseases. The chemicals found in cigarettes harm the cardiovascular system and lead to serious complications in the long run. Smoking may cause coronary heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.

Here are some of the ways in which the heart is affected by smoking:

• Smoking can damage the lining of the arteries by causing a buildup of fatty material in them. This material known as atheroma can lead to angina, a heart attack or a stroke.
• Carbon monoxide reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood because of which the heart needs to pump harder, which can again prove harmful.
• Adrenaline produced by nicotine again makes the heart beat faster, increasing the blood pressure and making the organ work harder.

Embrace a smoke-free life

Many people find it tough to stop smoking on their own. It is, therefore, essential to take the help of professional services for a detox process that helps cleanse the body of harmful toxins accumulated due to smoking.

If you want to quit smoking, contact the Florida detox centers. To know more about detox centers in Florida, have an online chat with the treatment advisors of Florida Detox Helpline. Alternately, you can call the 24/7 detox helpline at 855-920-9869 to get access to the holistic detox programs near you.