PROJECT

IN
HEALTH
8
Submitted by:
Christian Joeven T. Oruga
Gr/Sec: Grade 8- Milton

Submitted to:
Ms. Elaine General

Smoking
Definition
Smoking is the inhalation of
smoke of burning tobacco encased in cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Casual sm
oking isthe act of smoking only occasionally, usually in a social situation or to
relieve stress. A smoking habit is a physicaladdiction to tobacco products.
Many health experts now regard habitual smoking as a psychological addictio
n, too, andone with serious health consequences.

Description
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has asserted that cigarettes and smo
keless tobacco should be considerednicotine delivery devices. Nicotine, the a
ctive ingredient in tobacco, is inhaled into the lungs, where most of it stays.
Therest passes into the bloodstream, reaching the brain in about 10 seconds
and dispersing throughout the body in about 20seconds.
Depending on the circumstances and the amount consumed, nicotine can act
as either a stimulant or tranquilizer. Thiscan explain why some people report
that smoking gives them energy and stimulates their mental activity, while o
thersnote that smoking relieves anxiety and relaxes them. The initial "kick" r
esults in part from the drug's stimulation of theadrenal glands and resulting r
elease of epinephrine into the blood. Epinephrine causes several physiologic
al changesittemporarily narrows the arteries, raises the blood pressure, rai
ses the levels of fat in the blood, and increases the heartrate and flow of bloo
d from the heart. Some researchers think epinephrine contributes to smokers
' increased risk of highblood pressure.
Nicotine, by itself, increases the risk of heart disease. However, when a perso
n smokes, he or she is ingesting a lotmore than nicotine. Smoke from a cigar
ette, pipe, or cigar is made up of many additional toxic chemicals, including t
arand carbon monoxide. Tar is a sticky substance that forms into deposits in t
he lungs, causing lung cancer andrespiratory distress. Carbon monoxide limi

ts the amount of oxygen that the red blood cells can convey throughout your
body. Also, it may damage the inner walls of the arteries, which allows fat to
build up in them.
Besides tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide, tobacco smoke contains 4,000 di
fferent chemicals. More than 200 of thesechemicals are known be toxic. Nons
mokers who are exposed to tobacco smoke also take in these toxic chemicals
.They inhale the smoke exhaled by the smoker as well as the more toxic side
stream smokethe smoke from the end ofthe burning cigarette, cigar, or pip
e.
Here's why sidestream smoke is more toxic than exhaled smoke: When a per
son smokes, the smoke he or she inhalesand then breathes out leaves harmf
ul deposits inside the body. But because lungs partially cleanse the smoke, e
xhaledsmoke contains fewer poisonous chemicals. That's why exposure to to
bacco smoke is dangerous even for a nonsmoker.

Causes and symptoms

No one st
arts smoking
to becom
e addicted t
o nicotin
e. It isn't kno
wn how
much nicotin
e may b
e consumed
before th
ebody becom
es addict
ed. However
, once sm
oking becom
es a habi
t, the smoke
r faces a
lifetime of he
alth risks
associated wi
th one of
the stronges
t addictions known to man.
About 70% of smokers in the United States would like to quit; in any given ye
ar, however, only about 3.6% of thecountry's 47 million smokers quit success
fully.
Although specific genes have not yet been identified as of 2003, researchers
think that genetic factors contributesubstantially to developing a smoking ha
bit. Several twin studies have led to estimates of 46-84% heritability forsmok
ing. It is thought that some genetic variations affect the speed of nicotine me
tabolism in the body and the activitylevel of nicotinic receptors in the brain.

Smoking risks
Smoking is recognized as the leading preventable cause of death, causing or
contributing to the deaths of approximately430,700 Americans each year. An
yone with a smoking habit has an increased chance of lung, cervical, and oth
er typesof cancer; respiratory diseases such as emphysema, asthma, and c
hronic bronchitis; and cardiovascular disease,such as heart
attack, high blood pressure, stroke, and atherosclerosis (narrowing and h
ardening of the arteries). Therisk of stroke is especially high in women who ta
ke birth control pills.
Smoking can damage fertility, making it harder to conceive, and it can interf
ere with the growth of the fetus duringpregnancy. It accounts for an estimat
ed 14% of premature births and 10% of infant deaths. There is some evidenc
e thatsmoking may cause impotence in some men.
Because smoking affects so many of the body's systems, smokers often have
vitamin deficiencies and suffer oxidativedamage caused by free radicals. Fre
e radicals are molecules that steal electrons from other molecules, turning th
e othermolecules into free radicals and destabilizing the molecules in the bod
y's cells.
Smoking is recognized as one of several factors that might be related to a hi
gher risk of hip fractures in older adults.
Studies reveal that the more a person smokes, the more likely he is to sustai
n illnesses such as cancer, chronicbronchitis, and emphysema. But even smo
kers who indulge in the habit only occasionally are more prone to thesedisea
ses.
Some brands of cigarettes are advertised as "low tar," but no cigarette is trul
y safe. If a smoker switches to a low-tarcigarette, he is likely to inhale longer
and more deeply to get the chemicals his body craves. A smoker has to quit t
hehabit entirely in order to improve his health and decrease the chance of di
sease.
Though some people believe chewing tobacco is safer, it also carries health ri
sks. People who chew tobacco have anincreased risk of heart disease and mo

uth and throat cancer. Pipe and cigar smokers have increased health risks as
well, even though these smokers generally do not inhale as deeply as cigaret
te smokers do. These groups haven't beenstudied as extensively as cigarette
smokers, but there is evidence that they may be at a slightly lower risk ofcar
diovascular problems but a higher risk of cancer and various types of circulat
ory conditions.
Recent research reveals that passive smokers, or those who unavoidably bre
athe in second-hand tobacco smoke, havean increased chance of many healt
h problems such as lung cancer and asthma, and in children, sudden infant
death syndrome.
Smokers' symptoms
Smokers are likely to exhibit a variety of symptoms that reveal the damage c
aused by smoking. A nagging morningcough may be one sign of a tobacco h
abit. Other symptoms include shortness of
breath, wheezing, and frequentoccurrences of respiratory illness, such as br
onchitis. Smoking also increases fatigue and decreases the smoker'ssense o
f smell and taste. Smokers are more likely to develop poor circulation, with c
old hands and feet and prematurewrinkles.
Sometimes the illnesses that result from smoking come on silently with little
warning. For instance, coronary artery
disease may exhibit few or no symptoms. At other times, there will be warni
ng signs, such as bloody discharge from awoman's vagina, a sign of cancer o
f the cervix. Another warning sign is a hacking cough, worse than the usual s
moker'scough, that brings up phlegm or blooda sign of lung cancer.
Withdrawal symptoms
A smoker who tries to quit may expect one or more of these withdrawal sym
ptoms: nausea, constipation or diarrhea,drowsiness, loss of concentration, i
nsomnia, headache, nausea, and irritability.

Diagnosis
It's not easy to quit smoking. That's why it may be wise for a smoker to turn t
o his physician for help. For the greatestsuccess in quitting and to help with t
he withdrawal symptoms, the smoker should talk over a treatment plan with
hisdoctor or alternative practitioner. He should have a general physical
examination to gauge his general health anduncover any deficiencies. He s
hould also have a thorough evaluation for some of the serious diseases that s
moking cancause.

Treatment
Research shows that most smokers who want to quit benefit from the suppor
t of other people. It helps to quit with afriend or to join a group such as those

organized by the American Cancer Society. These groups provide support and
teach behavior modification methods that can help the smoker quit. The smo
ker's physician can often refer him to suchgroups.
Other alternatives to help with the withdrawal symptoms of kicking the habit
include nicotine replacement therapy in theform of gum, patches, nasal spra
ys, and oral inhalers. These are available by prescription or over the counter.
Aphysician can provide advice on how to use them. They slowly release a sm
all amount of nicotine into the bloodstream,satisfying the smoker's physical c
raving. Over time, the amount of gum the smoker chews is decreased and th
e amountof time between applying the patches is increased. This helps wean
the smoker from nicotine slowly, eventually beatinghis addiction to the drug.
But there's one important caution: If the smoker lights up while taking a nicot
ine replacement, anicotine overdose may cause serious health problems.
The prescription drug Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride) has shown some succ
ess in helping smokers quit. This drugcontains no nicotine, and was originally
developed as an antidepressant. It isn't known exactly how bupropion works
tosuppress the desire for nicotine. A five-year study of bupropion reported in
2003 that the drug has a very good record forsafety and effectiveness in trea
ting tobacco dependence. Its most common side effect is insomnia, which ca
n alsoresult from nicotine withdrawal.

WHAT IS ALCOHOL?

Alcohol is a drug.
It is classed as a depressant, meaning that it slows down vital functions
resulting in slurred speech, unsteady movement, disturbed perceptions and
an inability to react quickly.
As for how it affects the mind, it is best understood as a drug that reduces a
persons ability to think rationally and distorts his or her judgment.
Although classified as a depressant, the amount of alcohol consumed
determines the type of effect. Most people drink for thestimulant effect, such
as a beer or glass of wine taken to loosen up. But if a person consumes
more than the body can handle, they then experience alcohols depressant
effect. They start to feel stupid or lose coordination and control.
Alcohol overdose causes even more severe depressant effects (inability to
feel pain, toxicity where the body vomits the poison, and finally
unconsciousness or, worse, coma or death from severe toxic overdose).
These reactions depend on how much is consumed and how quickly.
There are different kinds of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol (ethanol), the only alcohol
used in beverages, is produced by the fermentation of grains and fruits.
Fermenting is a chemical process whereby yeast acts upon certain
ingredients in the food, creating alcohol.

ALCOHOL CONTENT
Fermented drinks, such as beer and wine, contain from 2% alcohol to 20%
alcohol. Distilled drinks, or liquor, contain from 40% to 50% or more alcohol.
The usual alcohol content for each is:
Beer 26% alcohol
Cider 48% alcohol
Wine 820% alcohol
Tequila 40% alcohol
Rum 40% or more alcohol
Brandy 40% or more alcohol
Gin 4047% alcohol
Whiskey 4050% alcohol
Vodka 4050% alcohol
Liqueurs 1560% alcohol

UNDERSTANDING HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS

THE BODY
Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream via small blood vessels in the walls
of the stomach and small intestine. Within minutes of drinking alcohol, it
travels from the stomach to the brain, where it quickly produces its effects,
slowing the action of nerve cells.
Approximately 20% of alcohol is absorbed through the stomach. Most of the
remaining 80% is absorbed through the small intestine.
Alcohol is also carried by the bloodstream to the liver, which eliminates the
alcohol from the blood through a process called metabolizing, where it is
converted to a nontoxic substance. The liver can only metabolize a certain
amount at a time, leaving the excess circulating throughout the body. Thus
the intensity of the effect on the body is directly related to the amount
consumed.

When the amount of alcohol in the blood exceeds a certain level, the
respiratory (breathing) system slows down markedly, and can cause a coma
or death, because oxygen no longer reaches the brain.

WHAT IS ALCOHOLISM OR ALCOHOL

DEPENDENCE?
Alcohol dependence (alcoholism) consists of four symptoms:

Craving: a strong need, or compulsion, to drink.

Loss of control: the inability to limit ones drinking on any given

occasion.

Physical dependence: withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea,

sweating, shakiness and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped
after a period of heavy drinking.

Serious dependence can lead to life-threatening withdrawal symptoms

including convulsions, starting eight to twelve hours after the last drink. The
delirium tremens (D.T.s) begins three to four days later where the person
becomes extremely agitated, shakes, hallucinates and loses touch with
reality.

Tolerance: the need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to

get high.

An increasingly heavy drinker often says he could stop whenever he chooses

he just never chooses to do so. Alcoholism is not a destination, but
a progression, a long road of deterioration in which life continuously worsens.

I spent the next 8 years in and out of detox and hospitals, trying to figure
out what happened to me, how was it possible I couldnt quit. It was the
worst and longest nightmare. Jan