The Costs of Smoking Humans are the only animals to intentionally inhale smoke. Humans have found many ways to inhale smoke, but the benefits are not known. Cigarettes, the most popular inhalation method, seem deceptively simple, simply a paper cylinder containing processed tobacco. In fact, they are highly designed to provide a constant dose of nicotine, coming from the three main types of tobacco, virginia, burley and oriental, each of which contains different levels of nicotine. Cigarettes also contain thousands of other chemicals, including some that may seem harmless, such as sugar, chocolate and vanilla, which are added to make the smoke smoother and easier to inhale. However, even these harmless substances can become toxic when combined with other substances. Many studies have been conducted by medical professionals to investigate the effects of inhaling smoke, nicotine, and cocktails of chemicals on our bodies. The physiological cost of smoking is borne by the strong dependence of nicotine, which makes it difficult for the smoker to quit. This will be examined later in the essay along with the reversal of harmful effects if the smoker quits. Over the past decades, numerous harmful physiological effects on the human body have been consistently demonstrated, including diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems, various tumors and premature aging, which we will talk about now. There are several diseases of the circulatory system, which can be caused by smoking. related, the biggest "killer" is coronary heart disease. As soon as you inhale the smoke of a cigarette, your heart is affected. Minus... half the paper... the problems of smoking are clearly enormous and indisputable, although this essay has only covered the physiological effects. Smoking is also extremely expensive, not only in terms of the cost of cigarettes, but also in the additional costs that health services incur in treating patients with smoking-related illnesses. It has become less and less socially acceptable to smoke in public, due to increased awareness of the effects of second-hand smoke. It is hoped that decreasing public acceptance of smoking will prevail until smoking is made illegal in public. However, the addictive nature of nicotine cannot be underestimated and even legal action may have little effect on smokers who have continued to smoke for decades, knowing the harmful costs. www.ash.org.uk Kent M. (2000) Advanced Biology. Oxford: University Press