Task 3. Read the text and answer the questions.

Everyone knows smoking is bad for our health. Each time a smoker
lights up, that single cigarette takes about 5 to 20 minutes off the
person’s life.
Why do people start smoking? There are no physical reasons to start
smoking. The body doesn’t need tobacco; it needs food, water, sleep,
and exercise. Nevertheless, there could be different psychological
reasons smoke. Some people think it looks cool. Others start because
their family members or friends smoke. About 9 out of 10 tobacco users
start before they are 18 years old. Most adults who started smoking in
their teens never expected to become addicted.
Nicotine provides both a stimulant and depressant effects on our body. It
is suggested that low doses have a depressant effect, while higher doses
have a stimulant effect. The main problem is a mild physical and mild to
strong psychological dependence to nicotine.
Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body. Cigarette smoking
causes lung cancer, as well as many other health problems.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by smoking is
known as tobacco disease. It is a permanent, incurable reduction of
pulmonary capacity. It is characterized by shortness of breath, wheezing,
persistent coughing with sputum, and damage to the lungs, including
emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Smoking contributes to the risk of developing heart disease. Any smoke
contains very fine particles that can penetrate the alveolar wall and go
into the blood. These particles exert their effects on the heart in a short
time.
Inhalation of tobacco smoke causes several immediate responses within
the heart and blood vessels. Within one minute the heart rate begins to
rise. It increases by as much as 30 percent during the first 10 minutes of
smoking. Carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke reduces the ability of the
blood to carry oxygen. Smoking tends to increase blood cholesterol
levels and decrease the ratio of high-density lipoprotein (“good”
cholesterol) to low-density lipoprotein (“bad” cholesterol). It also raises
the levels of fibrinogen and increases platelet production which makes
the blood viscous.
Smokers not only develop wrinkles and yellow teeth, they also lose bone
density, which increases their risk of osteoporosis. Smoking can
smoke. Some people think it looks cool. Others start because their
family members or friends smoke. About 9 out of 10 tobacco users start
before they are 18 years old. Most adults who started smoking in their
teens never expected to become addicted.
Nicotine provides both a stimulant and depressant effects on our body. It
is suggested that low doses have a depressant effect, while higher doses
have a stimulant effect. The main problem is a mild physical and mild to
strong psychological dependence to nicotine.
Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body. Cigarette smoking
causes lung cancer, as well as many other health problems.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by smoking is
known as tobacco disease. It is a permanent, incurable reduction of
pulmonary capacity. It is characterized by shortness of breath, wheezing,
persistent coughing with sputum, and damage to the lungs, including
emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Smoking contributes to the risk of developing heart disease. Any smoke
contains very fine particles that can penetrate the alveolar wall and go
into the blood. These particles exert their effects on the heart in a short
time.
Inhalation of tobacco smoke causes several immediate responses within
the heart and blood vessels. Within one minute the heart rate begins to
rise. It increases by as much as 30 percent during the first 10 minutes of
smoking. Carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke reduces the ability of the
blood to carry oxygen. Smoking tends to increase blood cholesterol
levels and decrease the ratio of high-density lipoprotein (“good”
cholesterol) to low-density lipoprotein (“bad” cholesterol). It also raises
the levels of fibrinogen and increases platelet production which makes
the blood viscous.
Smokers not only develop wrinkles and yellow teeth, they also lose bone
density, which increases their risk of osteoporosis. Smoking can cause
fertility problems and can impact sexual health in both men and women.
Another huge problem is passive smoking, especially in families and
public places. Passive or involuntary smoking occurs when the exhaled
smoke from one person’s cigarette is inhaled by other people. Those
who breathe in smoke secondhand can get many of the same problems
as smokers do. Passive smoking involves inhaling carcinogens, as well
as other toxic components. It is known to harm children, infants and
pregnant women. To reduce the risk of these problems smoker should
quit his bad habit as early as possible. The earlier you stop, the greater
the health benefit.
If somebody smokes and wants to quit, there is much information to
read and think about. Support groups are available nowadays. Different
approaches to quitting work for different people. For example, support
groups exist especially for teens and young adults. Besides, the Internet
offers a number of good resources to help people quit smoking.
The only thing that really helps a person is to avoid the problems
associated with smoking. Staying smoke free will give you more energy,
better performance, better looks, more money in your pocket, and, in the
long run, more life to live!
1. What do you think are the main reasons of smoking?
2. List the effects of nicotine on human health.
3. Can nicotine cause physical and psychological dependence?
4. Will smoke quitting reduce the risk of health problems?
5. Does smoking cause an increase or decrease of the heart rate?
6. What is the effect of smoking on lipid levels in blood?
7. Is passive smoking as dangerous as active smoking and why?
8. How can we solve problems associated with smoking in our society?