Smoking is a key risk factor for the three diseases that cause most deaths, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and lung cancer. It is responsible for around 80% of all lung cancer deaths and 20% of all cancer deaths (smoking has been linked to cancers of the mouth, bladder, kidney, stomach and cervix, among others).

Smokers are also at increased risk of developing reduced lung function and smoking in pregnancy increases the risk of health problems for both mother and child.

Effects of Tobacco Smoke

·         Every year hundreds of thousands of people around the world die from diseases caused by smoking.

·         This can cause heart attacks and stroke. It slows your blood flow, cutting off oxygen to your feet and hands. Some smokers end up having their limbs amputated.

·         Carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and body tissue of oxygen, making your whole body and especially your heart work harder. Over time, Lung cancer from smoking is caused by the tar in tobacco smoke. Men who smoke are ten times more likely to die from lung cancer than non-smokers.

·         Heart disease and strokes are also more common among smokers than non-smokers.

·         By Shelly, Christiane and Imogen

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Alcohol

What is alcohol?

Alcohol is a drug that has the immediate effect of altering mood. Because drinking makes people feel relaxed, happy and even euphoric, you may find it surprising to learn that alcohol is in fact a depressant. It switches off the part of the brain that controls judgement, leading to loss of inhibitions.

The effects of alcohol

The more alcohol consumed, the greater the effect – speech becomes slurred, vision blurred, balance is lost and movements are clumsy. Apart from cases of extreme intoxication, however, there effects are short-term. The liver breaks down and eliminates alcohol from the body, taking about an hour to deal with one unit.

Underage Drinking

Where do they do it?

54% of 11-12 year olds said they drank at home or at someone else’s home. 33% of 15 year olds said they drank alcohol in a pub or bar and 26% of 14 year olds said they drank at parties with friends.

Why worry?

A survey of underage binge drinkers aged between 14-17 asked the teenagers what problems their binge drinking had led to. Answers included unsafe sex, injury, drug taking, involvement in dangerous driving and problems with the police.

How much of a problem is it?

A majority of head teachers surveyed in 2004 by the BBC Six-o’clock news believed that alcohol was a bigger problem than drug abuse in their schools.

By Laura Stroud and Louanne Yon-Brooks