Smoke

General or Other | General Practice | Smoke (Disease)


Description

Smoking is the action of vacuum and draw of smoke from cigarette or pipe tobacco. Tobacco combustion releases several active substances, especially nicotine, reaching thus be absorbed by the body through internal organs.

Because smoking is addictive, trying to stop smoking is difficult. Smoking withdrawal is one of the most common forms of abuse of substances used for recreational purposes. Tobacco smoking is by far the most common way to smoke, being used by over one billion people, in most human societies. Smoking cannabis and opium are rare. Most substances are smoked lead to addiction. Some substances are considered as powerful narcotics such as heroin and cocaine, their use is usually restricted to marginalized social groups.

Some people consider smoking as a recreational activity, an unsuspecting consumer as recreational substances. The custom is also performed as part of religious rituals or nonreligious, to lead to spiritual ascension.

Smoking is the most important risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cough and expectoration, dyspnea (breathing difficulty), wheezing (noisy breathing) and chest pain are the main respiratory symptoms. The risk of death for smokers over 25 cigarettes per day is 20 times higher than non-smokers. Since diagnosis, duration of survival for another 5-10 years was estimated at 50%. For people with severe COPD (FEV values less than 1 liter) chance of survival of 1-3 years. ...