$Unique_ID{BRK01087}
$Pretitle{Community and Social Problems}
$Title{What Research Has Shown That the Effects of Smoking Are Bad?}
$Subject{smoking statistics}
$Volume{Q-23}
$Log{
Figure 1*0007301.scf
Figure 2*0007302.scf}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What Research Has Shown That the Effects of Smoking Are Bad?


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QUESTION:  I am sure that all these new controls on smoking wouldn't have
happened without some dramatic proof of the dangers, but I have never seen
anything about that.  My father has been a smoker for 40 years and still shows
nothing wrong on his medical examinations.  What kind of research has shown
that the effects of smoking are as bad as they are made out to be?

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ANSWER:  Your father is a lucky man and for his sake, I hope he continues to
remain untouched by the many ill effects of tobacco.  However, in my mind, the
proofs of serious diseases that result from the smoking habit are
overwhelming.  More than 30,000 studies have been published on the
relationship between smoking and disease, and over and over again, the
connection is made clear.  Statistically, lung cancer is seen in cigarette
smokers far more frequently than in the population of non-smokers.  More
important, when an individual finally manages to quite, the chances of
developing lung cancer are reduced.  In experiments on animals, cigarette tars
painted on the skin result in the growth of cancerous tumors.  When chronic
diseases of the lung that diminish the flow of air into the lungs are
investigated, the relationship between smoking and emphysema seems clear.  And
the numbers indicate that heavy smokers suffers the greatest reduction in
their lung function.  The same holds true for heart disease, where those who
have smoked more than 2 packs a day have a 200% greater risk for coronary
heart disease (CHD) than non-smokers.  With statistical evidence that goes
back to 1954, the link between CHD and smoking reveals that smokers in general
have a 70 percent greater chance of dying from heart disease than do those who
have resisted temptation.  While it may not be apparent just how the diseases
develop in all cases, there is little room for doubt that there is a clear
"cause and effect" connection.  What astounds me most, is not that we are now
trying to help people by preventing from smoking in public places and on
public transportation, but that, in view of all the evidence that exists, it
has taken us this long to do something important about this avoidable health
problem.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
