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?
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 nonsmokers.
More important, when an individual finally manages to quit, 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 suffer 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 nonsmokers.
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 them 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.
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.
