Smoking Hot Line

Smoking Hot Line

By: A member of The Medical Advisory Committee to the Tuberculosis and Health Association of Northern Virginia

Dear Doctor: I’ve heard that cigarette smoking is a major cause of lung cancer, bronchitis and emphysema and even some types of heart disease. Are there other ill effects? J.L.S.

Dear J. L. S.: Yes. An association exists between cigarette smoking and the prevalence of illness and higher death rates from peptic ulcer, especially gastric ulcer. Also, there has long been clinical evidence that cigarette smoking aggravates sinusitis conditions.

Dear Doctor: Is it true that many children start smoking in elementary grades? Concerned Mother

Dear Concerned Mother: There are few smokers before the age of 10 or 12. Fairly regular smoking begins to get a foothold by the 8th or 9th grade. At the present time, it is estimated that by the age of 18, 37.6 percent of the boys and 21.9 percent of the girls smoke on a fairly regular basis.

Dear Doctor: Please tell me just how cigarette smoke harms the lungs. D.D.B.

Dear D. D. B: Every puff of cigarette smoke contains billions of tiny unburned particles along with gases. When inhaled, 80 to 90 percent of the smoke remains in the body and a residue of tar builds up in the air tubes. Ordinarily, the mucus is swept up and out of the air tubes by tiny, rhythmically moving hairs called cilia. Cigarette smoke paralyzes this motion and eventually destroys the cilia. The mucus and tar slow down, stop and then clog the air tubes. All too often, the end result is chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

Dear Doctor: Is there proof that cigarette smoking is really harmful to one’s health? D. R. L.

Dear D. R. L.: Unfortunately, yes. The latest scientific facts show that cigarette smokers have substantially higher rates of death