Facts About Smoking
Some Mind Blowing Facts About Smoking
I thought I knew all of the facts about smoking that I needed to, and getting by with merely knowing that it is bad for you can go a long way. But when we are forced to consider the impact and devastating affects that smokers have on all of those around them, it becomes quite clear that we have only begun to scratch the surface of the problem. The American Medical Association estimates that up to 80% of our health insurance premium increases over the past twenty years are caused by the rising number of complex illnesses, hospitalizations, complications, and deaths associated with smoking. As doctors, hospitals, and scientists work diligently to produce miracles for those patients who have been slowly poisoned and deteriorated by the chemical onslaught of the tobacco industry, health insurance companies have been steadily imposing higher costs to cover the astronomical figures handed down.
The facts about smoking and second hand smoke involving small children and their caregivers are even more disconcerting, as we delve into the statistics surrounding these unfortunate babes. Aside from the most severe conditions, such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, for which second hand smoke is attributed to 430 cases per year in the US, there are countless symptoms that these little ones undergo when exposed to the emission of class A carcinogens. A much higher rate of middle and inner ear infections occur with these children, which are not only painful and difficult to treat, but can cause more severe health problems and even loss of hearing.
Young children who are consistently exposed to second hand smoke are also more highly susceptible to lung and respiratory infections. Not only do the facts about smoking teach us this, but also that these types of issues are much more likely to become chronic or recurring. This type of consistent illness is responsible for poor concentration, lethargy, lack of school attendance, and an overall weakening of the immune system which depletes the child’s defenses against more serious illnesses such as pneumonia.
Some of the most staggering facts about smoking are compiled in a statistical fashion, giving us a good view of the devastation that smoking causes worldwide. One of every three males in the world are smokers, and one in ten people in the world will die each year from smoking and second hand smoking related illnesses. Also, 15 million cigarettes are sold per minute, which means that at least that many are being consumed per minute as well. The density of carcinogens trapped within a bar or restaurant which allows smoking can be up to 5 times that within a smoker’s home, and up to 7 times as heavy as the atmosphere within a workplace where smoking is permitted.