Smoking damages the respiratory system through multiple harmful effects:
- It irritates the trachea (windpipe) and larynx (voice box), causing inflammation and discomfort.
- Smoking causes swelling and narrowing of the lung airways and increases mucus production, which reduces lung function and leads to breathlessness.
- It impairs the lungs' clearance system by paralyzing cilia-tiny hair-like structures that normally sweep out mucus and harmful particles-resulting in the build-up of poisonous substances and lung damage.
- The damage to lung tissue includes permanent harm to the alveoli (air sacs), reducing oxygen exchange and causing shortness of breath.
- Smoking weakens lung immunity by reducing antibody formation, increasing susceptibility to respiratory infections such as pneumonia and tuberculosis.
- The combined effects lead to chronic inflammation, increased mucus, and airway obstruction, which worsen breathing and lung health over time
Two major respiratory conditions that can develop from smoking are:
- Chronic Bronchitis : A type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) characterized by long-term inflammation of the large airways (bronchi), causing persistent cough and mucus production
- Emphysema : Another form of COPD where the walls of the alveoli are damaged and destroyed, leading to reduced surface area for oxygen exchange, causing breathlessness, fatigue, and other complications
Additionally, smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, which arises from abnormal cell growth in the lungs and airways
. In summary, smoking harms the respiratory system by causing airway irritation, impaired lung clearance, tissue damage, and immune suppression, which contribute to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer, and increased respiratory infections.
