News tagged with cigarette smoke
A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in France has found evidence that suggests vaping can be used as a way to reduce cigarette smoking, but it can also lead to relapse. In their paper published in the ...
Jul 16, 2019 report
New data on e-cigarette use among New Zealand adults
Around one in six New Zealand adults have tried e-cigarettes but only 2 percent are using them currently, a national survey has found.
Eight in ten Americans want less nicotine in cigarettes: CDC
(HealthDay)—No matter the age, race, gender, education or income level, most Americans favor forcing tobacco companies to lower nicotine levels in cigarettes to make them less addictive.
'Natural' and 'organic' cigarettes are just like other cigarettes
Descriptors such as "natural" and "made from organic tobacco" in the marketing of Natural American Spirit cigarettes imply reduced risk of toxic exposures. Studies show that smokers perceive these cigarettes as being less ...
Study finds electronic cigarettes damage brain stem cells
A research team at the University of California, Riverside, has found that electronic cigarettes, often targeted to youth and pregnant women, produce a stress response in neural stem cells, which are critical cells in the ...
Smoking may impair body's blood pressure autocorrect system
Smokers may be at a higher risk for developing hypertension, and an overactive response to normal drops in blood pressure may help explain why, according to researchers.
Your guide to a healthier home for better asthma control
(HealthDay)—If you or a family member has asthma, your doctor has most likely mapped out the steps you need to take to treat an asthma flare.
WHO praises Brazil lawsuit against tobacco giants
The World Health Organization has praised Brazil's move to sue two global cigarette makers and their local units for costs of treating tobacco-related diseases, but the firms said Friday they were still waiting for details ...
Smokin' hut: Singapore's solution for cigarette puffers
Smokers in Singapore will no longer have to sneak a drag on the street, with the launch of the city-state's first air-conditioned "smoking cabin", but the experience won few fans among cigarette puffers on Wednesday.
Home remedies: Self-care measures to relieve tension-type headaches
Frequent headaches can interfere with your daily life. But healthy lifestyle choices can help you head off the pain. Start with the basics, including diet, exercise and relaxation.
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the vapors either tasted or inhaled. The practice began as early as 5000–3000 BC. Many civilizations burnt incense during religious rituals, which was later adopted for pleasure or as a social tool. Tobacco was introduced to the old world in the late 1500s where it followed common trade routes. The substance was met with frequent criticism, but became popular nonetheless. German scientists formally identified the link between smoking and lung cancer in the late 1920s leading the first anti-smoking campaign in modern history. The movement, however, failed to reach across enemy lines during the Second World War, and quickly became unpopular thereafter. In 1950, health authorities again began to suggest a relationship between smoking and cancer. Scientific evidence mounted in the 1980s, which prompted political action against the practice. Rates of consumption from 1965 onward in the developed world have either peaked or declined. They however continue to climb in the developing world.
Smoking is the most common method of consuming tobacco, and tobacco is the most common substance smoked. The argicultural product is often mixed with other additives and then pyrolyzed. The resulting vapors are then inhaled and the active substances absorbed through the alveoli in the lungs. The active substances trigger chemical reactions in nerve endings which hightens heart rate, memory, alertness, and reaction time. Dopamine and later endorphins are released, which are often associated with reward and pleasure. As of 2000, smoking is practiced by some 1.22 billion people. Men are more likely to smoke than women, however the gender gap declines with younger age. The poor are more likely to smoke than the wealthy, and people of developing countries than those of developed countries.
Many smokers begin during adolescence or early adulthood. During the early stages, smoking provides pleasurable sensations and thus serves as a source of positive reinforcement. After an individual has smoked for many years, the avoidance of withdrawal symptoms and negative reinforcement become the key motivations.