Smoking as a Drug Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Smoking as a Drug - Research Paper Example As such, seeking to shed a further level of emphasis upon these will be the main and focused intent of this brief analysis. Key words: smoking, health risk, death Introduction: Whereas many individuals are of the opinion that smoking is a dangerous process that threatens the overall health and well-being of the individual, the fact of the matter is that the overall scope of danger that smoking represents a much greater issue with regards to the overall addictive nature that it represents. Few people within the world understand the fact that smoking is more addicting than some of the harder street drugs that people have come to be so aware of; inclusive of LSD or even cocaine. Accordingly, as a means of categorizing this danger and promoting a level of understanding with respect to the full range of damaging impact that smoking can have upon the individual, this brief analysis will consider and discuss the litany of negative health impacts that smoking engenders. As such, it is the ho pe of this author that such an analysis will further help to congeal a level of understanding within the reader that smoking is a harmful practice that is not only restricted to impacting the individuals overall chances of lung cancer. Overall Impact: Firstly, it must be understood that smoking accounts for nearly  ½ million deaths each and every year within the United States. This is a figure that is larger than the overall number of people that succumb to HIV/AIDS, illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle death, suicide, or murders combined. As such, the overall scope of the damage that smoking can have upon an individual is profound and affects their life in a number of different ways. Most obviously, high rates of lung cancer can almost entirely be attributed to smoking. Current estimates place this number from 80-90% of all lung cancer cases; depending upon what demographic and gender is measured. Regardless of the actual number, the statistics that have been provided show that smoking is invariably attributed to high rates of lung cancer and death. Yet, this statistic oftentimes confuses individuals who assume that lung cancer is the only means through which smoking can adversely impact upon the overall health of an i ndividual. However, smoking also increases the chances of developed coronary heart disease by up to 400%. Moreover, upwards of 94% of all deaths that are the result of chronic obstructive lung disease are normally caused by cancer. Yet, of all of the health impacts that can be felt, it is the health impact of cardiovascular disease that is the most overlooked. Due to the impact that nicotine has as well as the artery hardening properties of prolonged exposure to first or second hand cigarette smoke, the narrowing of blood vessels helps to put smokers at high risk for any type of blockage or obstruction that might appear in their blood. Naturally, this drastically impacts upon the overall risk of death and disease from aneurysm, stroke, and of course heart attacks. As each of these increases with risk as an individual ages, the compound effect of smoking and the risk of these diseases acts as a catalyst for many complex health issues that otherwise might not be evidenced within an in dividual’