What every smoker should know about the smoking lung cancer link

The smoking lung cancer connection is well documented. It is known that smoking increases the risk of developing lung cancer by a factor of 23 in men and 13 in women! You don't need any other reason to start on the road to being smoke free - beginning right now.

When a smoker inhales cigarette smoke, he or she dumps over 4000 chemicals into their lungs. And about 60 of these chemicals are known carcinogens - substances that cause cancer. It is no wonder that cigarette smoking causes cancer. The smoking lung cancer nexus is very, very strong.

Incidentally, lung cancer is not the only cancer that can result from smoking. Researchers say that cigarette smoke can cause cancer in the esophagus, bladder, larynx, mouth, kidneys and many other parts of the body as well.

Passive smokers, those who inhale second hand cigarette smoke as a result of being in the vicinity of smokers, may be at even greater risk of developing lung cancer. This is because the smoke enters their lungs without any filtering at all, unlike in the case of smokers.

The risk caused by the smoking lung cancer link can vary depending on several factors. The age at which the person first started smoking is one. If they started at a younger age, the risk is much higher. The depth of smoke inhalation has a lot to do with the risk - deep inhalations of cigarette smoke result in enhanced risk.

The number of cigarettes smoked per day is a factor as well. So is the number of years for which the person has smoked. As those numbers go up, the risk of developing lung cancer increases.

People often believe that low tar or low nicotine cigarettes can reduce the risk of cancer. Unfortunately, studies show that this has no significant effect on the chances of developing cancer. Part of the reason is that people tend to adjust their smoking style when using these cigarettes - they end up forcing more of the toxic chemical cocktail into their lungs.

Despite this fact, cigarette companies continue to advertise "lighter" cigarettes as a "healthier" alternative to "heavier" cigarettes. The smoking lung cancer connection is alive and well even if you use light cigarettes.

For many years now, cigarette packages in the United States (and in many other countries) carry statutory health warning labels. In spite of this, there is no let up in the number of new smokers who continue to fall for the advertising ploys of tobacco companies as well as pressure from their peers to smoke in order to be "cool".

It is known that smoke from cigarettes, pipes, cigars, etc can contain harmful substances like fertilizers and pesticides. Inhaling these products can irritate sensitive tissues in the lungs, mouth, throat and elsewhere. The carcinogens present in tobacco smoke can cause cancer in various body parts.

Pipes are cigars are not "safe" to use, contrary to what some claim. The risk of pipe and cigar smokers developing lung cancer is far greater than that of non smokers. They are also liable to develop cancers in the mouth, throat and other parts of the body aside from the lungs. The smoking lung cancer link is strong here as well.

The only sensible alternative is to stay away from the smoking habit. If you are a smoker, seek help to get rid of the habit, if you cannot safely eliminate it on your own. Else the smoking lung cancer connection can cost you your life.