Part 6: Smoking and The Risk of Disease Flashcards
Define ‘drug’.
A substance that alters the way your body works by changing the chemical processes in the body.
Why are some drugs addictive?
Many recreational drugs affect the nervous system (particularly the brain), causing you to crave them.
Define ‘withdrawal system’.
Side-effects when you stop taking a drug.
Define ‘dependent’ (in terms of drugs).
When your body needs a drug to function normally.
Define ‘addicted’ (in terms of drugs).
When you feel craving for a drug.
Explain why people might become addicted to smoking cigarettes.
Nicotine is addictive: it affects the brain and causes cravings.
Suggest what might happen to a person if they are dependent on the nicotine in cigarettes and they stop smoking.
Withdrawal symptoms - such as tremors, sweats, irritability and headaches.
State some effects of smoking. (4)
- Financial issues (NHS have to pay £2.5 billion yearly)
- Passive smoking (second-hand smoke)
- Lung damage
What happens to the lungs when someone smokes cigarettes?
The lungs go black
True or false: gases coming from smoking are alkaline.
False - the gases are acidic.
What gas is present in the lungs due to smoking?
Carbon dioxide
State four toxic substances in cigarette smoke.
- Nicotine
- Tar
- Carbon monoxide
- Other chemicals
Explain the health problems associated with nicotine. (3)
- Addictive
- Makes red blood cells stickier - linked to coronary heart disease.
- Increases heart rate - linked to coronary heart disease.
Explain health problems associated with tar. (4)
- Damages cilia, which stops the removal of mucus, which leads to coughing.
- Irritates airways/lining of lungs causing bronchitis.
- Builds up in ling tissue, which causes the breakdown of alveoli, causing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Carcinogenic so it can cause lung/throat/tongue cancer.
Explain the health problems associated with carbon monoxide. (2)
- Prevents haemoglobin from carrying as much oxygen; makes smokers more breathless after exercise.
- Reduces the amount of oxygen getting to the foetus in pregnant women - leads to premature births, low birth weight or even stillbirth.
Explain health problems associated with other chemicals. (2)
- Narrows blood vessels in skin - ageing it.
- Damages lining of the arteries- increases risk of coronary heart disease (e.g. heart attack) and clot formation (causing strokes).
Explain why smoking reduces the birth mass. (2)
- Carbon monoxide reduces the ability of haemoglobin to transport oxygen.
- Therefore, the foetus receives less oxygen and can’t respire as quickly.
- So growth is reduced.
Suggest why cigarette companies might increase the nicotine content of their product. (2)
- Cigarettes contain nicotine
- It is addictive
State two effects of nicotine.
- Raises blood pressure
- Addictive
State two effects of tar.
- Causes lung cancer
- Makes lungs black
State an effect of carbon monoxide.
Stops blood carrying oxygen
