Inhaling Poison

I have interrupted my colorectal cancer series with an article on tobacco smoking. This will add to my section on lung cancer which I did earlier this year. You are all aware by now that lung cancer is the number one killer among cancers, both in men as well as in women. Just as important is the fact that tobacco smoking accounts for the majority of such cases.

It is interesting to have a look at just what is in tobacco smoke. It is nothing short of frightening when you look at the various lists that have been published, some by the manufacturers themselves! There are various industrial solvents, preservatives, metals and even radioactive elements. In addition, there is also the much talked about nicotine, which makes it that much harder for persons to beat the habit. Many of these have been studied in great detail and some are considered carcinogenic to laboratory animals as well as to man.

Please remember that lung cancer is a highly preventable form of cancer. A major cancer prevention strategy is therefore to never start smoking or to quit if you have started, as the risk decreases proportionate with the duration of cessation. You can join the discussion on reducing cancer risk here. For those who have overcome the habit, I would love to hear your story or any advice you can give to others who are still struggling to do so.

Finally, I invite you all to join my poll below. The poll looks to categorize the readership of the site. It is useful to know so as to present the most appropriate material for you all.

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