Tobacco Smoking in Men, Essay Example

Introduction

Health problem is currently a worldwide concern due to emerging and increasing concern of diseases amongst the current generation of male and female (Peate, 2005). The diseases that currently affect people are mostly due to lifestyle as well as the behavior of human beings for instance drug abuse. This essay will discuss an interview done with a smoker. Tobacco is the most preventable cause of diseases and disability as well as death of many people in the world. According to Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking results to most of the premature deaths in the world. The mode of consumption of the drug is as discussed below.

Smoking

A smoker who puffs where solid particles, gases, and liquids are emitted from the tobacco stick. The smoke passes through the mouth in to the lungs and is then released through the nose. Most of the symptoms here are physical whereby stains remain on the teeth whereas fingers burn (Quik , 2004).

Smokeless tobacco

Tobacco can be consumed through chewing, dipped and spit tobacco in the form of snuff and chewing. The chewing form is shredded, pressed into cake or either twisted in strands. The snuff is in leaf forms and is packaged for easier transportation and use (Fowles & Dybing, 2003). Even though the interview started in a form where the interviewee could gauge that it was a form of victimization, the respondent therefore initially declined to give the full information concerning its abuse. However, as the respondent was taken through the interview, a lot of information was shared (World Health Organization, 2008).

The attraction and influence of tobacco smoking was discussed at length and it came out that most of the smokers try this at an early age of 18 and below. It emerged that majority of the men who currently smoke started due to peer pressure, stress, and in functions where they could gather and see their seniors smoke (World Health Organization, 2008). Another lesson learnt was majorly on health risks it poses as well as treatment and control.

Even though women do smoke, men as smokers bear a greater number. This is because smoking is more socially acceptable for men. In this regard, men smoke for fun, while women do it to calm nerves. Men smoke mainly when they are out with friends thus it is socially acceptable for men. Statistics shows that 56 percent of men smoke as compared to 48 percent of women due to socialization. This is an indication that most men are affected health wise due to smoking than women (World Health Organization, 2008).

Effects of tobacco smoking

Brain damage

Tobacco contains addictive drug known as nicotine. This is readily absorbed in to the bloodstream then it stimulates the adrenal glands that release hormone adrenaline. This farther stimulates nervous system, thus leading to the increase in blood pressure, increased heartbeat rate, and respiration. Long-term addiction leads to enhanced nicotine effects on brain. It is imperative that quitting the drug leads to withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, attention deficits, increased appetite, sleeping problems as well as tobacco cravings (Quik, 2004).

Cancer

Smoking contributes to 90 percent of cancer cases especially lung cancer. Thus, the various cancer diseases are related to consumption of tobacco namely lung cancer, kidney cancer, cancer of the larynx, head-to-neck cancer, bladder cancer, esophagus cancer, cancer of the pancreas, and stomach cancer (World Health Organization, 2008).

Pulmonary damage

Carbon monoxide and cyanide are responsible for pulmonary damage as well as the elasticity loss in the alveoli. This is an incurable disease characterized by difficulty in breathe, wheezing, and coughs that are long term and accompanied by sputum (World Health Organization, 2008).

Cardiovascular disease

Prolonged smoking increase heartbeat rate as carbon monoxide leads to a reduction in the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. The blood vessels are farther narrowed thus a blockage occurs, this leads to heart attack as research shows that people under 40 years are five times more likely to experience cardiovascular disease if they smoke (World Health Organization ,2008). Other infections related to smoking include influenza, renal disorder, and impotence due erectile dysfunction, tuberculosis and oral infections (Peate, 2005).

Symptoms

• There is experience of sweating, irritation and rapid heart rate when one wants to quit.
• Difficulty in quitting after a longer use of tobacco
• Continued smoking despite health diseases
• Coughing with sputum on prolonged smoking
• Browning of teeth and smelly body (Hamer, Stamatakis, Batty, 2010).

Prevention strategy

Education and counseling by physicians and adolescents should be enhanced to effectively decrease the risk in tobacco usage (Quik, 2004).

Treatment

The addiction is cumbersome to manage though its treatment options are accessible. A doctor or a physician should be seen with the visibility of the symptoms notwithstanding. Various specialists are of importance especially counselors, doctors, and the rehabilitation specialists who induct the addicts. The treatment should be done by giving patch (Nicotine replacement therapy), nicotine inhaler, and rehabilitation through reduction of consumption. Behavioural treatment is also helps smokers to quit through self-help materials and counseling. It teaches individuals on the risks of smoking as well as helping them develop coping strategies to deal with the situation (Hamer et al, 2010).

Misconception of tobacco smoking

On issues concerning relapse when quitting, various myths, or fact information are given for instance the gain in weight after one quits smoking. This is temporary to some smokers, however, a separate diet can be designed for those who have the desire to quit, hence avoid being overweight (Hamer et al, 2010).

Current treatment research or any information          

A research on the development of nicotine vaccine is underway. This will enhance the induction of immune response in the bloodstream. In this regard, nicotine will be blocked from access to the brain, hence prevent the negative effects of nicotine.

References

Fowles, J. & Dybing, E. (December 2003) Application of toxicological risk assessment principles to the chemical constituents of cigarette smoke: Tob Control 12 (4): 424 – 30.

Hamer, M., Stamatakis, E. & Batty GD (August 2010) Objectively assessed secondhand smoke exposure and mental health in adults: cross-sectional and prospective evidence from the Scottish Health Survey:Arch. Gen. Psychiatry67 (8): 850–5

Peate I. (2005). The effects of smoking on the reproductive health of men: British journal of nursing (Mark Allen Publishing) 14 (7): 362–366.

Quik M. (2004). Smoking, nicotine and Parkinson’s disease. Trends in Neurosciences 27 (9): 561–568.

World Health Organization (2008). WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2008: The mpower Package Geneva. World Health Organization.