Influence of Tobacco Smoking

This assignment will discuss the influence of tobacco smoking on the physical health; on the social life of people and any benefits that are associated with smoking. Tobacco smoking has been called the biggest single cause of preventable ill health and premature death in the United Kingdom (UK) (Department of Health in Naidoo and Wills, 2001). The UK is in the grip of a smoking epidemic: an estimated 106,000 people in the UK are dying needlessly each year because of smoking (Donalson, 2004). The negative effect smoking has on a body is almost common knowledge in England. But people continue to start and keep smoking. There must be some benefits. Smoking relieves stress (Lantry, 2009). This is because cigarettes create the conditions that help the body deal with anxiety, stress and depression. Smoking relaxes breathing (Lantry, 2009). Smoking is a kind of breathing that slows the heart rate and relieves tension in the muscles, especially the neck and upper back, which tense up in stressful situations (Lantry, 2009). Some people smoke to control their weight. Smokers, on the average, weigh seven pounds less than non-smokers; smoking reduces a person’s appetite and also smoking lessens his/her sense of taste and smell (Lantry, 2009). Sometimes smoking is a way to avoid feeling unpleasant emotions such as sadness and grief; it can hide apprehension, fears and pain (Fourman, 2010). This is accomplished partly through the chemical effect of nicotine on the brain (Domino, 2008). Smoking can help people to be a part of a group and can play an important role in friendship, while offering a cigarette or asking for a light can be ice-breakers to start a conversation (Lantry, 2009). However, smoking is the greatest cause of illness, because cigarettes contain more than 4000 chemicals, including over 50 known carcinogens and other poisons (Patient UK, 2008). Major diseases caused by smoking are:

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