By now, we are all too well aware of how coronavirus impacts our health. Most importantly, we know how coronavirus affects people who are suffering from already-existing health problems. In this regard, smokers are at a higher risk of developing adverse symptoms due to coronavirus.

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A paper published by the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), sheds light on this fact. According to research, smoking can cause a “doubling in risk of disease progression.” In addition to this, research from China and Korea also reaffirms this.

Cigarette side effects are numerous, which include dehydration, shortness of breath, and other respiratory infections. Apart from this, the nicotine present in a cigarette can lead to constricting heart muscles and blood vessels. All of which can aggravate your health even without contracting coronavirus. Chronic smoking also affects other organs, including kidneys, digestive system, bones, reproductive organs, eyes, and mouth.

According to the NHS, smoking causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which leads to bronchitis and emphysema. Bronchitis causes infections in the lungs, while emphysema causes severe shortness of breath. In extreme cases, it can lead to pneumonia. Coronavirus similarly attacks the lungs. Hence, smokers may be at a greater risk of developing pneumonia.

The full-effect of coronavirus is not yet known. Ongoing research, once completed, will shed more light on how coronavirus affects smokers and their organs.

Why are people quitting smoking?

The findings, such as those by UCSF, may motivate people to give up smoking altogether. In July 2020, BBC reported that about one million people gave up smoking since COVID-19 hit the country.

According to the article, 41% of people who quit responded to the onset of coronavirus. These numbers are the highest in a decade. COVID-19 is a major factor that has impacted people’s decision to quit smoking. Other factors include inaccessibility of tobacco (when in isolation) and less social smoking. The survey was conducted by the University College of London.

The BBC article also reports that smokers are 1.8 times more likely to die if they contract the virus. With such staggering results, it is natural that smokers are quitting in droves.

Because of the coronavirus, life, as we know it, has ceased to exist. Social norms are no longer applicable. Hence, social smoking is on the decline.

According to a report published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, work stress causes people to smoke more often. High job strain, high effort-reward imbalance, and higher job demand are factors that increase the risk of chronic smoking habits. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the work environment has changed significantly. With the absence of stresses on the job, it could explain why people are smoking less. However, before jumping to conclusions, more research is required in this regard.

Another reason could be the UK government’s policy regarding e-cigarettes. More people are switching to e-cigarettes as an alternative to cigarette smoking. The government imposes a minimum level of nicotine in the liquid. Moreover, the government has banned colouring, caffeine, and taurine in e-cigarettes.

Hence, to reduce the risk of contracting and developing severe symptoms, smokers can switch over to e-cigarette. Although the risk of the e-cigarette is not yet fully known, WHO states that, at the current time, there is no link between e-cigarette use and COVID-19. However, it is not to say that people who use e-cigarettes are not susceptible to other diseases, such as heart and lung diseases.

The number of smokers quitting this unhealthy activity could be rising even more.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that smokers are at a higher risk of developing severe symptoms of coronavirus. Because of this, a significant number of the smoker population has quit smoking. Several factors are to account for this.

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