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| Smart kid. |
(Continued)
-Like I said in Part 1, many people are particularly sensitive to smoke. I had a friend who said she had an allergy to cigarette smoke because she would get physically sick when she was around it for very long. Some of our friends would call 'BS' on her, saying that cigarette smoke isn't something you can be allergic to. The stains on my shoes tell a different story. :) Even if 'allergies' aren't possible, though, the secondhand smoke can cause your friend's asthma or your mom's COPD to get worse. Even if someone doesn't have a pre-existing condition, secondhand smoke can still be harmful over time. Remember, when someone smokes, everyone around them smokes too.
-Cancer and heart-related diseases aren't the only health problems smoking can cause or worsen. We've all heard that smoking damages blood vessels and can cause them eventually degenerate, but that doesn't just apply to the heart. Smoking isn't 'choosy' about the parts of the body it can damage, which means-
-Smoking can make the effects of diabetes worse by reducing the blood flow to already-deficient areas, often resulting in blindness and/or amputation.
-Smoking can cause erectile dysfunction by damaging the blood vessels that lead to the penis. Seeing as men are rather, um, protective of these parts, knowing this can be veryhelpful in convincing your man to quit!
-Smoking can affect your looks by restricting the blood vessels to the skin. Think about it; have you ever noticed how some women who smoke look older than they are? The blood flow and vitamin-A deficiencies caused by blood vessel damage can cause wrinkles and a paler skin tone.
-Not only does the nicotine in cigarettes stain your teeth and gums, it can actually increase your chance of periodontal disease. Periodontal disease causes swollen gums and can result in the loss of teeth.
For more information, visit http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/smokehealth.htm.
Before I go on much longer, I'll remind you that it is not my intention to berate anyone; I just want to do what I can to increase awareness about the ill effects of smoking beyond what we hear in health class and read at the bottom of cigarette ads in magazines. I know the sheer cost involved will be an eye-opener to many of us! If your kids need any other reasons not to smoke other than 'I said so', show them this post. I guarantee you, they'll learn something whether they want to or not!
*My calculations are based on these sites-
Yes, I know the American Cancer Society isn't exactly unbiased. Still, there are plenty of other calculators that will give you the same basic numbers:
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