Why smoking is so harmful?
In our daily life, we can see many people are smoking. Smoking also call as Cigar smoking, Cigarette smoking, Pipe smoking, Tobacco smoking. Why they are so like to smoking? That is now being explored much more in depth by many of the world's doctors and scientists. As we know, smoking is harmful to our body and it will cause us to get lung cancer amongst other serious diseases and that passive smoking is also harmful for those that do not smoke. Actually why smoking will harm to human? This is because inside the smoke contain chemical substance that call as tobacco.
Tobacco is the word that comes from the Native American word "tabago," for a Y-shaped pipe used in sniffing tobacco powder. Cigarettes and other forms of tobacco consist of dried tobacco leaves, and other ingredients added for flavour. Tobacco was introduced to the Old World in the late 1500s where it followed common trade routes. The substance was met with frequent criticism, but became popular nonetheless. Germany’s scientist use tobacco to make the smoke and after Second World War it become more popular in many places and until now we can see many brand of smoke.
Tobacco contains nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide. Nicotine is a liquid alkaloid. An alkaloid is an organic compound made out of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sometimes oxygen. These chemicals have potent effects on the human body. For example, many people enjoy the stimulating effects of another alkaloid, caffeine.
Nicotine:
When you smoke, nicotine is absorbed through the skin and mucosal lining of the mouth and nose or by inhalation in the lungs. Once in the body, it activates the same reward system as do other drugs such as cocaine or amphetamine, although to a lesser degree. In the brain, nicotine increases the level of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is a chemical in the brain responsible for feelings of pleasure. The acute effects of nicotine subside within minutes, so people continue dosing themselves frequently throughout the day to maintain the pleasurable effects of nicotine and to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
Tar is a yellowish brown sticky mass of condensed particulate matter. It contains carcinogenic hydrocarbons which have tumor promoting activity and damages the lungs.
