HEALTH
From Issue #18
Say Yes To Smoking - Say Yes To...
Arsenic
A little poison anyone? Arsenic is a metal found in ant
poison. Many tobacco farmers around the world used
arsenic pesticides to get rid of bugs while 
growing the
tobacco plant. This substance finds its way into
cigarettes — and into your body.
Benzene
Benzene was once used in industry to manufacture
inks, rubber, lacquers and paint remover and is highly
toxic. As a chemical, benzene is confirmed to cause
cancer/leukemia in humans and is therefore not
suitable for industrial applications let alone your body!
Cadmium
You can't get more toxic than this. Cadmium is a heavy
metal found in car batteries! And make no mistake
about it, cadmium gets into your lungs. Researchers
have estimated that up to 20% of the total cadmium
in cigarettes is inhaled when smoked.
Carbon Monoxide
Experts say there is NO safe amount of carbon
monoxide. That's why many new houses come
equipped with carbon monoxide detectors. What does
carbon monoxide do to you? This poisonous gas
reduces the amount of oxygen taken up by your red
blood cells. This means less oxygen for your organs,
like your heart and lungs. Ever notice how smokers get
winded going up a flight of stairs?
Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is used in embalming fluid used to
preserve dead bodies. If that doesn't turn you off
smoking, what will? Then there's the matter of health.
Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen (cancer causing
substance).
Hydrogen Cyanide
Consider this: hydrogen cyanide is the poison used in
gas chambers — it's an efficient killer. In smaller doses
like those found in cigarettes, it damages tiny hairs in
your body that are part of your natural lung cleaning
mechanism. As a result, toxic substances can build up
in your lungs.
Nicotine
Nicotine is the drug responsible for making cigarettes
so addictive. It makes your body crave more cigarettes
and that means inhaling all those gross chemicals.
Studies have shown that the nicotine habit can be as
hard to break as heroin or cocaine addiction.
Within seven seconds of inhaling on a cigarette, the
nicotine reaches your brain, stimulating the nervous
system, increasing heart rate, raising blood pressure
and constricting small blood vessels under the skin,
(which can cause wrinkles, by the way).
Phosphorous
Phosphorus is a mineral found in fertilizer and laundry
detergent. Yes, you have phosphorus in your body, but
do you really want to smoke the stuff? Poisoning from
phosphorus causes irritation of the mucous
membranes and inflammation. And over time, it can
destroy bone.
Tar
Wonder why smokers' fingers have those yellowish
brown stains? One word: tar. This is the black, sticky
stuff that carries the many toxic chemicals to your
lungs. Tar not only leaves stains on your teeth, fingers
and lung tissue, it's also the main cause of throat and
lung cancer.
Wanna quit? Check out www.quit4life.com.
