Smoking diseases (English version)

Smoking Diseases
This smoking diseases list takes a chronological look at the scientic evidence on diseases caused by smoking
cigarettes to smokers and also to non smokers who may be affected by secondhand smoke.

Diseases Caused By Smoking Cigarettes
Lung Cancer
Dr. Leroy E. Burney issued the US Public Health Service's first statement on cigarette smoking In July 1957. It
identified smoking as a cause of lung cancer.
Each succeeding Surgeon General has had occasion to issue additional and stronger warnings. These have
linked smoking with lung cancer, with heart disease, with chronic lung disease, with other cancers, and with
increases in overall mortality.

Bronchitis
In 1962 the Royal College of Physicians in London concluded that "Cigarette smoking is a cause of lung
cancer and bronchitis, and probably contributes to the development of coronary heart disease and various
other less common diseases. It delays healing of gastric and duodenal ulcers." 1

Smoking Causes Heart Disease
Fifteen years later in 1979, there was no longer any doubt that cigarette smoking was directly related
to coronary heart disease for both men and women in the United States.
By 1982, the foreword to the surgeon general’s report declared that "Cigarette smoking is a major cause of
cancers of the lung, larynx, oral cavity, and esophagus, and is a contributory factor for the development
of cancers of the bladder, pancreas, and kidney." 2

COPD is a Smoking Disease
Traditionally, chronic bronchitis and emphysema have been subsumed under the term chronic obstructive
lung diseases (COLD) which is also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cigarette
smoking is the major cause of COLD in the United States for both men and women. 6

Emphysema
It is now recognized that COPD comprises three separate, but often interconnected, disease processes:

•

chronic mucus hypersecretion, resulting in chronic cough and phlegm production;

•

airway thickening and narrowing with expiratory airflow obstruction;

•

and emphysema, which is an abnormal dilation of the distal airspaces along with destruction of
alveolar walls. The last two conditions can develop into symptomatic ventilatory limitation. 5


Secondhand Smoke Related Diseases
More recently, the 2006 surgeon general report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to
Tobacco Smoke concludes:
•

Secondhand smoke exposure causes disease and premature death in children and adults who do not
smoke.

•

Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS), acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents
causes respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in their children.

•

Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system
and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer.6

Summary
So, what diseases can you get from smoking?
Based on the scientific evidence about smoking diseases we have considered in this article, smoking causes:
•

heart disease

•

cancers of the lung, larynx, oral cavity, and esophagus

•

chronic bronchitis

•

emphysema

•

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD or COLD)

Smoking is also a contributory factor for the development of cancers of the bladder, pancreas, and kidney.
Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS),
acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and more severe asthma.