Smoking
Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK, with about 100,000 people dying every year and many more people suffering from smoking related diseases. Smoking increases your risks of developing more than 50 serious health conditions, it causes 90% of lung cancer cases and can cause cancer in many other parts of the body including the:
- mouth
- lips
- throat
- voice box (larynx)
- oesophagus (the tube between your mouth and stomach)
- bladder
- kidney
- liver
- stomach
- pancreas
Smoking also damages the heart and blood circulation increasing the risk of:
- coronary heart disease
- heart attack
- stroke
- peripheral vascular disease (damaged blood vessels)
- cerebrovascular disease (damaged arteries that supply blood to your brain)
- Smoking also damages your lungs, leading to conditions such as:
- chronic bronchitis (infection of the main airways in the lungs)
- emphysema (damage to the small airways in the lungs)
- pneumonia (inflammation in the lungs)
If you smoke, finding a way to stop is usually the most beneficial change you can make to improve your health.
For information from the British Heart Foundation on the dangers of smoking click here
Get support on quitting smoking in Hounslow here
For information about stopping smoking from NHS Choices click here
Search for a wide variety of free Smokefree resources, from leaflets and posters to guides and resource packs here