"I used to smoke, now I havent smoked for A weekI researched this because I was caught in school smoking with a friend... I was frightenedactually these are summaries and there are pictures in the book I researched on"Smoking can cripple and destroy parts of your body- your heart, your lungs, your blood vessel, your brain, and other organs. If you smoke, your chances of dying from CANCER are 110% greater than those who have never smoked on a regular basis, In fact smokers die at a 68% faster rate than nonsmokers. Each cigarette subtracts an average of 6 minutes of life on account of an average smoker. The greatest threat to smokers is cancer, a wild destructive, spreading growth of cells. Nicotine and other substances in tobacco, which enter the lungs and spread to all parts of the body through the blood the bloodstream and lymphatic system, contribute to the appearance of cancer. Cancer of the throat, arising from the irritating effect of chemicals in cigarette smoke, often leaves its victims without vocal chords after corrective surgery. He must learn to speak again by regurgitating swallowed air. When the average smoker takes a long drag on his cigarette, he inhales deeply, forcing smoke into the remotest sections of his lungs. The smoke contains tar and nicotine, which invade thousands of innumerable air sacs in the lungs. As he continues to smoke, the smoker’s air passages become increasingly coated with the sticky tar, which includes several cancer-causing agents. Ordinarily “cilia,” small hairlike structures, brush invading matter from the air passages. But the tar from tobacco paralyzes these structures and makes its way to the lungs. As the tar residues continue to build up in the air passages over several years, they begin to change the surface cells of the passages. The cells begin to increase in number. Within a few years lung cancer often appears. Even today with all the spectacular advances in medical science, lung cancer still proves 95% fatal. Emphysema occurs when the surface cells, because of outside irritants, begin to grow abnormally. As the growth continues, they begin to block the small air tubes inside the lungs, trapping carbon dioxide within. Because of this blockage the person with Emphysema finds it difficult to exhale air. Quitting smoking enables the lungs to function more effectively again, but the broken air-sacs walls never heal. Hardening of the arteries affects more people and causes a lot of death. Mainly because chemicals absorbed in tobacco, increases the buildup of fatty deposits. Nicotine also causes the arteries to shrink. This combination of fatty build-up and shrinkage hinders the blood vessels from supplying enough blood the heart, brain and other parts of the body. As a result, it only takes a small blood clot caught in the constricted blood vessel to cause a heart attack or stroke. In order for the human brain to function properly, it must have an adequate supply of blood to bring it oxygen. A brain supplied with blood through damaged arteries is more prone to strokes, senility and paralysis. The desire to stop smoking is good, as far as it goes; but many people make the mistake of confusing a mere DESIRE with WILLPOWER. Along with the desire to stop smoking you will want to mobilize your willpower into positive, forceful action. You are going to need all the willpower you have, but each additional minute, hour and each day will add to your determination and willpower.