Smoking and tobacco products have numerous ill effects on health and various effects on diseases. Lung cancer, COPD, and cardiovascular diseases are the most well-known effects of smoking and tobacco products, which cause more than 8 million people to lose their lives every year. However, Yeditepe University Hospitals Chest Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi, who emphasized that there are less known effects beyond this, also listed that there are many negative consequences such as many cancers other than lung cancer, infertility, premature birth or miscarriage, and even environmental disasters.

In consumers of cigarettes and other tobacco products, the risk of lung cancer, which ranks first among cancer-related loss of life, increases 50 times. One out of every 4 smokers develops COPD, which ranks third among all causes of loss of life, and 25-30 percent of cardiovascular diseases, which rank first among all causes of death, occur due to smoking. Yeditepe University Hospitals Chest Diseases specialist Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi, who pointed out the importance of the lesser-known effects of smoking and tobacco products in addition to these effects known to the public, made important statements on 31 May World No Tobacco Day.

Smoking During Pregnancy can Lead to Irreversible Consequences!

Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi stated that smoking during pregnancy causes great harm to the babies in the womb and pointed out that it increases the risk of a sudden loss of life in babies after birth, mental and physical development disorders in the baby, asthma, COPD and blood cancer, brain tumors in the future. Underlining that the risks of miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, and low birth weight can also be very high in pregnant women who smoke, Prof. Dr. Salepçi stated, "Scientific studies show that even if the pregnant woman does not smoke, even if the father smokes, it increases the risk of low birth weight and a brain tumor in the future."

Can Cause Infertility in Young People!

Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi stated that smoking rates in young people under the age of fifteen are increasing every year and continued her words as follows "Smoking by young people negatively affects their mental and physical development and increases the risk of respiratory tract infection. It can cause acute attacks in young people with asthma. In addition, smoking in young people can lead to infertility. As it negatively affects ovulation in women, it can lead to impotence and decrease in sperm count in men."

Increases the Risk of Various Cancers!

Apart from lung cancer, many cancers are associated with smoking and tobacco product use. These include laryngeal cancer, pharyngeal and oral cancers, esophagus-gastrointestinal cancers, bladder (urinary bladder) cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast, and uterine cancer in women. Prof. Dr. Salepçi stated that "In addition to the very high risk of laryngeal cancer in smokers, deterioration of the vocal cords and nodule development are also common and can lead to hoarseness."

Pulmonary Fibrosis and Respiratory Tract Infections are Also Common

Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi also pointed out that there is a connection between smoking and various diseases and added that smoking and the use of tobacco products are among the most important causes of lung fibrosis, popularly known as lung hardening, and stated that respiratory tract infections occur very frequently in smokers and take a long time to heal.

Also Affects Oral and Dental Health

"Oral and dental health problems that smokers may encounter are also quite high," stated Prof. Dr. Salepçi and listed the negative effects on oral and dental health as follows: "Gingival recession, dental caries, plaque formation on teeth, failure of implants are very common. A dry mouth caused by decreased saliva secretion and nicotine settling in the oral cavity can cause a bad odor in the mouth and breath. Smoking can also suppress the senses of taste and smell. After quitting smoking, the sense of taste and smell are the first to be restored."

Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi mentioned that smokers also increase the risk of operation if they undergo any operation and stated, "Complications can occur at a higher rate than expected in smokers, especially after head, neck, chest and upper abdominal operations. Also, their wounds may heal in a longer time. In addition, it increases the side effects of cancer treatment in oncology patients and can also reduce the effectiveness of drugs."

Causes of Economic and Environmental Damage

Prof. Dr. Banu Musaffa Salepçi pointed out that cigarettes and all tobacco products have many economic and environmental damages in addition to their health effects and informed that 3.5 million hectares of land in the world are destroyed for tobacco cultivation every year. Prof. Dr. Salepçi added that as tobacco grows, 200 thousand hectares of land are deforested every year and causing soil degradation, and said, "Tobacco production also consumes water, fossil fuel and metal resources in the world. Since 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are not disposed of properly every year worldwide, it causes the accumulation of approximately 1.69 billion pounds of toxic waste and the mixing of thousands of chemicals into the air, water and soil."

After Quitting Even a Single Puff Might Make You Start Smoking Again!

Yeditepe University Hospital Pulmonary Diseases Specialist Prof. Dr. Banu M. Salepçi emphasized that one should never take even one puff after quitting smoking, and explained the reason for this as follows: "Nicotine receptors formed in the brain of smokers continue to exist for life. For this reason, when a person who has quit smoking smokes 1 cigarette even after 10 years, nicotine receptors can wake up quickly and multiply even faster than before, causing an urge even worse than before and this causes more cigarettes to be consumed than before. For this reason, it is necessary to set a day to quit smoking and stick to that day and never take even a puff after quitting."

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