As reported by www.eurekalert.org, the study was conducted on a couple of laboratory rats. These rats were fed with certain extracts of the smokeless tobacco and were then evaluated to note the alterations in enzymes. The findings also revealed that smokeless tobacco can cause severe damage to kidney, liver and lungs. The report was published in the American Chemical Society’s journal Chemical Research in Toxicology. “Most of the users seem to be unaware of the harmful health effects and, therefore, use smokeless tobacco to ‘treat’ toothaches, headaches, and stomachaches. This false impression only promotes tobacco use among youth. The use of smokeless tobacco and its new products is increasing not only among men but also among children, teenagers, women, and immigrants of South Asian origin and medical and dental students.” explained the researchers in the report.

According to smoke-free.ca, Drew had described herself as a “smokaholic” and declared that “‘it’s disgusting. It’s awful. But I love it!” She even went to the extent of saying that she loved everything about smoking. She was quoted as saying: “I love smoking! I love the first one in the morning, I love the last one before I go to bed and every one in between. If I could, I would smoke and eat at the same time. Whether its obsessions or fixations, this is definitely one of mine. But if it’s a fault, then it’s one I take pride in.”

But later on, with the side effects smoking was having on her health and mind, Drew finally decided to quit smoking. The ‘Charlie’s Angels’ star claims to have found a “balance” in her life with the help of hypnosis. She professes that she has managed to kick a two to three pack a day habit that she had had since her teens. In an interview with a reputed magazine Drew said, “I’m not (sober) and I don’t claim to be – quite the opposite. I’ve tried to find the balance. I hope it’s balanced.”

Quitting smoking is hard, whether you’re famous or not. To break the physical and mental addiction is something we sometimes just can’t do on our own. Here hypnosis proves to be really effective and a great help. Going down this route could see you quit smoking in an instant – unlike other methods such as nicotine patches or gum which could take months to wean you off and which could have nasty side effects.

The star who smoked when she was 10 admits she’s “still struggling” with it. But now, she is determined to carry on the battle till the end.

Celebrities who have quit smoking, including Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Ellen DeGeneres, and Debra Messing.

Find out how smoking damages your health.

Image: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drew_Barrymore_2_by_David_Shankbone_cropped_2.jpg, Author: David Shankbone.

When we think about the harmful effects of smoking, usually the pictures of coated diseased lungs comes to mind – pictures that in some countries are printed on cigarette packs, along with other shocking images that depict the damage it can cause. Nearly every part of the human body suffers the affects of smoking, lung disease being the top most!

Damages from head to toe:

Smoking not only reduces the sense of taste but also causes a bad breath and a disgusting smell in the hair. The wrinkles and the premature aging may make you look older than you really are. Smoking also damages senses like hearing and smelling.

Cigarette in ashtray

The smoke of the nicotine stick of choice (be it cigarette, cigarillo, pipe or cigar) directly enters the respiratory system, and could cause disorders like emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These problems are caused by exposure to substances commonly found in smoke. Smokers may also regularly experience a shortness of breath and lower endurance when playing sports. A smoker is also at a higher risk of acquiring tuberculosis by consuming even a few cigarettes a day. Lung cancer has also been linked to smoking. Around 80 percent of cases across the globe have been attributed to smoking.

Another effect of smoking damages the cardiovascular system. Nicotine has the ability of narrowing blood vessels, which leads to blockage. Because of this particular reason, a smoker is five times more at risk of suffering a heart attack.

Smoking damage can also be found in the gastrointestinal system (otherwise known as the digestive system.  Here it can cause diseases like cancers of the oral cavity, esophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer and bad breath. Along with the gastrointestinal system, the immune system also suffers with increased risk of catching infections like common colds, and chronic bronchitis, and other pulmonary and respiratory infections.

Smoking also increases the risk of miscarriage as it damages the reproductive system of a would-be mother. It not only deprives oxygen by damaging the fetus but can also harm the child and its lungs. Infants born by a smoking mother usually have a low birth weight and are small in height. This can lead to jaundice and breathing difficulties.

Caution to Men!

A recent survey reveals that around 90 per cent of smokers are unaware of the risks it poses to their sex lives, even while the link between impotence and smoking is scientifically well known. Young men should avoid smoking because nicotine exposure may damage the sperm. Usually the DNA cells are carefully protected in the sperm, but if the cells are damaged, it will be impossible to repair them.

Celebrities who smoke:

Though the recent ban on smoking in movies made it impossible for the industry to utilize the creative freedom and reality of the society, many celebrities are famous for their smoking habits in real life.

We have already lost many legendary souls to their addiction to nicotine, but still many celebrities are famous for the fag in hand. The most popular smoking celebrities are:

• Colin Farrell: Hollywood’s most stylish man Mr. Farrell tops the male celebrity “fag in hand” list, he is caught with a cigarette even on the red carpet and does not mind smoking in public.
• Ben Affleck: Though recently Ben was caught saying that he is thinking of quitting the toxic habit due to his family, the actor is disreputably known for being a chain smoker with an average of two packs a day.
• Brad Pitt: His girlfriend Angelina Jolie gave him a no sex policy because she dislikes the smell when he smokes cigarettes
• Lindsay Lohan: A not so old but equally popular Lindsay is always in media due to her nicotine and drug use.
• Uma Thurman: The actress’ addiction to smoking not only gave her physical discomfort but she also missed out on roles because it made her unfit.

Though with the help of yoga, meditation and various hypnotist therapies celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie are again able to breathe the fresh nicotine free air, but so many stars are still killing themselves every single minute with a fag in hand.

No smoking

Smoking facts:

Even after the proper knowledge of the damages caused by smoking, people the world over continue with their habit. Smoking might be a slow killer but it causes around four million deaths on average; every eight seconds someone dies from a tobacco use, which means the time you take to light up a fag it is actually killing someone somewhere in the world.

• A single cigarette can cut around five minutes of your life.
• Around 4,000 toxins and chemicals have been found in one cigarette and the smoke caused by it.
• China is known to be the world’s largest tobacco producer, accounting for around a quarter of tobacco leafs worldwide.
• Around 10 billion cigarettes are sold daily, which essentially means we are paying the cigarette industries for our own deaths.

Image: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/937787, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/928903, http://www.sxc.hu/photo/706174