| How many smokers do you hear make the claim | | | | for throat cancer. |
| that they are completely healthy? That they | | | | |
| have never had a day in hospital? That they | | | | The lungs themselves are a highly complex and |
| know loads of people who have lived to a ripe | | | | efficient network of intricate airways that |
| old age despite smoking? Well, that's ok. Why | | | | keep your body functioning. The cilia in your |
| stop smoking if that is the case? After all, | | | | bronchi are paralysed while smoking but, due |
| life is for living and doing what you want, | | | | to their efficiency, overnight they will |
| right? | | | | begin to recover. By the morning, they are |
| | | | desperately attempting to clear the lungs of |
| Of course, everybody has the right to live | | | | the thick yellow/green mucus that has built |
| their lives just as they want. They have the | | | | up. The lungs want rid of this because it is |
| right to gauge their own health and what they | | | | exactly this type of environment that |
| will and won't take into their bodies. That | | | | encourages the growth of viruses, respiratory |
| must be why they think it's fine to take in | | | | diseases and cancer. This is the precise |
| carbon monoxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide | | | | reason a smoker will cough first thing in the |
| and formaldehyde in regular doses throughout | | | | morning and what puts them off from trying to |
| the day. The fact that they are still | | | | stop smoking. However, it is a good sign that |
| breathing means it's still fine to reduce the | | | | the body is working on repairing the damage |
| amount of oxygen their body receives. | | | | already done. |
| | | | |
| They are more than happy to allow their | | | | It is everybody's right not to stop smoking |
| resting hearts to beat an additional 36,000 | | | | and allow this state of affairs to continue |
| times per day, putting a strain on the heart | | | | but is it their right to put everyone else at |
| and blood vessels, but hey, they're still | | | | risk by becoming a strain on the NHS through |
| working! They are more than happy to pour a | | | | preventable illnesses related to smoking? |
| full eight ounces of tar into their lungs, | | | | |
| coating their mouths, throats and airways | | | | The longer you continue to smoke, or passive |
| every year with the substance that prevents | | | | smoke, the bigger the strain on your lungs. |
| the lung lining and immune system from doing | | | | Eventually, your lung will lose some of their |
| their jobs. All this and more is the right of | | | | elasticity but because this happens over a |
| the smoker. | | | | period of time it is less noticeable and |
| | | | often put down to the aging process. As is |
| But is it not the right of the passive smoker | | | | the wrinkling of skin and the grey, aged look |
| to walk in the fresh air without subjecting | | | | that accompanies a smoker. This is not age, |
| him or herself to this sort of poison? Is it | | | | this is the effect of smoking and cannot be |
| not the right of every child to have the | | | | reversed. |
| healthiest start in life possible? Passive | | | | |
| smoking is no less dangerous than smoking | | | | In industrial environments, health and safety |
| itself. In fact, the poisonous chemicals in | | | | dictates a safe level of carbon monoxide a |
| exhaled smoke can be more dangerous depending | | | | person can be subjected to each day. A |
| on a person's health. A passive smoker does | | | | smoker's blood will contain 600 times that |
| not have the option to stop smoking, | | | | safe level. You wouldn't dream of sucking on |
| particularly if the smoker is in their own | | | | an exhaust pipe so why would any reasonable |
| home. | | | | thinking person subject themselves to this? |
| | | | |
| When a smoker inhales these poisonous, | | | | Smoking opens up the body to all sorts of |
| addictive, killer chemicals, they coat their | | | | onslaughts. The reproductive system, as well |
| mouth, throat, airways and lungs with | | | | as sexual performance, will be adversely |
| products that make the immune system | | | | affected as well as the sense of taste and |
| inactive. The lining of the throat will, | | | | smell. Still, it is up to the individual that |
| after a short amount of time smoking, thicken | | | | wishes to believe that smoking as done them |
| and change into the perfect breeding ground | | | | no harm whatsoever. |