Health Consequences of Tobacco Use | Not only does tobacco cause several diseases in Australia, but it also is responsible for several diseases and can worsen certain conditions among patients. Tobacco causes cardiovascular disease (CVD). Indeed, CVD is the leading cause of death in Australia, accounting for an estimated 38% of all deaths in Australia and a lasting disability for at least 1.1 million persons. Tobacco also causes lung cancer (the leading cause of death among Australian men and second among women), respiratory diseases such as Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other acute respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pharyngitis, influenza, and pneumonia. Tobacco affects the reproductive health, causes other types of cancers (e.g. laryngeal, oesophageal, pancreatic, and stomach cancers), affects fetal development, increases the susceptibility of smokers to certain health risks (influenza, legionnaire’s disease, periodontal disease), causes eye, dental and gastrointestinal diseases, and affects the body’s ability to control blood glucose levels thereby increasing the risks of premature death among persons with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes affects 8% of the Australian population. | Most smokers in Canada will die before their 70thbirthday. Smoking also causes CVD, which is a major cause of death in Canada. CVD includes heart disease, stroke, heart attacks, cardiac arrest, and plaque formation (atherosclerosis). Smoking causes various types of cancer including cancer of the lung, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix. In Canada, most deaths from lung cancer result from smoking. Smoking is also responsible for all new cases of lung cancer. Smoking affects fetal growth and may result in “low birth weight” babies, stillbirth, and miscarriages. Even after birth, smoking mothers can pass noxious chemicals to infants through breast milk. Gastrointestinal effects of smoking include peptic ulcer, which is more likely to be contracted by smokers than non-smokers. Tobacco use has also been attributed to various oral health issues, mainly mouth cancer and dental diseases. Reports have shown a link between tobacco use and osteoporosis which increases the likelihood of a person having bone fractures. | Tobacco use results in poor quality of health thereby increasing the risk of death. In the Philippines, people who use tobacco are thrice more likely to pass away than those who do not use tobacco before reaching the age of 68. Tobacco smoking also increases the risks of several types of cancer, including cancer of the lung, kidney, larynx, head, and neck, breast, pancreas, and stomach. Long-term exposure to harmful chemicals in tobacco is known to cause pulmonary damage resulting in diseases and conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. CVD arises from tobacco use due to reactions within the heart and blood vessels as a result of the toxic contents of tobacco smoke. Smoking also increases the risks of contracting infectious diseases such as TB, reduces CD4 count thereby increasing HIV susceptibility, and accelerates infection rates of common cold, bronchitis, and emphysema. |
