PSYC 1010 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Passive Smoking, Boogie 2Nite, Lung Cancer

• School: York University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1010
• Professor: Gerald Goldberg

Document Summary

The smoking of tobacco is widespread in our culture, but the percentage of people who smoke has declined noticeably since the mid-1980s. According to the surgeon general of the united states, smokers ingest more than 7000 chemicals in each puff on a cigarette. The chemicals rapidly spread throughout the body causing widespread cellular damage. It is the leading cause of premature death in north america. The evidence clearly shows that smokers face a much greater risk of premature death than nonsmokers. Smoking increases the likelihood of developing a surprisingly large range of diseases. Lung cancer and heart disease kill the largest number of smokers. However, smokers also have an elevated risk for oral, bladder, and kidney cancer, as well as many others. Most smokers know about the risks associated with tobacco use, but they tend to underestimate the actual risks as applied to themselves. The dangers of smoking are not limited to smokers themselves.