Smoking and lung cancer – statistics
It is estimated that around 4 million people die each year worldwide. And it is not only about active smokers, but also about passive smokers who are exposed to involuntary inhalation of cigarette smoke. The most common direct cause of death is lung cancer.
It is also estimated that as much as 90% of lung cancer cases are caused by active and passive smoking. Cancer is just one of the many effects of smoking. According to data provided by the Ministry of Health in Poland, one in four people are addicted to smoking. Annually, as many as two thousand people die of cancer caused by smoking.
What does a smoker’s lungs look like?
You probably know this picture: smoker lungs black as tar and next to the lung healthy, normal pink-red color. There is no exaggeration here. A smoker’s lungs most often range in color from light brown to completely black. The color change is caused by the deposition of tar present in cigarettes on the lungs (it is not without reason that addicts have “tar in the lungs”). It is these substances that are the main cause of diseases oppressing smokers. Due to tar build-up, a smoker’s lungs age up to three times faster than that of a non-smoker. X-rays of the smokers’ lungs (X-rays) clearly show these changes.