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The People Daily 26th. August 2004

The effects of cigarette smoking, like all drugs are not usually immediate and thus many Kenyans treat them casually being more concerened with consequences which are immediate like jumping in front of s speeding bus or otherwise, or eating bad food.

Effects, which will take effect years down the line, never look threatening a twist on the clishe out of sight out of mind.

When one smokes, non smokers in the vicinity, whether in an enclosed or public space, breathe in against their will up to 4,000 chemicals including Hydrogen Cyanide (which is a poison used in gas chambers to execute criminals).

Aresenic which is a white ant poison, cadmium used in car batteries, carbon monoxide a poisonous gas in car exhausts, acetone which is a paint stripper and DDT a banned insecticide.

That is just a minor sampling.

What about some of the other effects not commonly known? For example cancers of the lung and nose. There is also cancer of the mouth, salivary glands, pharynx and throat.

Others are cancer of the stomach or kidneys, bladder, penis, colon, rectum and anus! For ladies your breasts are at risk if you smoke.

Cases we have recently seen in the media of amputees are probably due to Buerger's disease which occurs when blood vessels are blocked cutting off blood flow to certain parts of the body, commonly hands and legs leading to amputation.

Skin diseases like exczema, psoriasis and wrinkling also occur. Psoriasis, for example, is a non-contagious condition which leaves itchy, red patches all over the body.

But it gets worse for men where there is reduced blood flow to the penis resulting in impotence. Chemicals absorbed into the body also damage sperm leading to babies with birth defects or resulting in miscarriages.

Women too are not spred and it is more difficult for a smoking woman to concieve while much easier for her to have a miscarriage.

Chances of stillbirths or babies with low birth weight are higher because the carbon monoxide and nicotine affects the development of the babies.

David Ogot Sr.
Recovering alcoholic
Nairobi

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