Most people know that smoking increases risk for lung cancer and for developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a serious, long-term condition affecting the lungs that also includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema and is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. But there are several more reasons you should ditch cigarettes, vaping, and other products containing tobacco and nicotine.
Bayhealth Nurse Navigator Trina Turner, MSN, RN-BC, LNC, ONN-CG, CNEn, says it’s especially important for people to recognize that vaping can have detrimental effects on your health.
“We’ve known the dangers of smoking for quite some time, and even though there aren’t any long-term studies available because it’s relatively new, vaping has been shown to cause a condition called ‘popcorn lung.’ This isn’t surprising, however, since it coats the lungs with chemicals,” she said. “So, when you switch from smoking to vaping, you’re essentially trading one danger for another. Vaping also isn’t approved by the FDA as a means of quitting smoking.”
There are several ways tobacco and nicotine products can have detrimental effects on health and well-being, according to organizations such as the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In addition to lung cancer, cigarettes and other tobacco products raise risk for cancers of the mouth, cervix, liver, bladder, pancreas, and stomach, just to name a few.
Tobacco and nicotine products affect virtually every part of your body. Therefore, you’re also at an increased risk for many other health conditions, including, but not limited to, gum disease, type 2 diabetes, cataracts and macular degeneration, heart disease and stroke, and lower bone density.
Smoking has been shown to shorten lifespan — by about 12 years for male smokers and by about 11 years for female smokers.
Ultimately, quitting all tobacco and nicotine products is the best way to care for your health. Talk to your doctor to find out ways to help you quit today.
This article was provided by Bayhealth