Posted: May 22nd, 2023

Smoking increases the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood

s a result, a “feeling good” atmosphere is created. Another component is Carbon monoxide, an odorless gas that has 210 more times higher affinity for human hemoglobin than oxygen. Its presence in the blood forms carboxyhemoglobin, the body lacks enough oxygen to function normally. Thirdly, tar, a brown sticky substance still in cigarettes, discolors teeth and fingernails. It contains lethal chemicals, which trigger cancer development such as carcinogen benzopyrene. Lastly, Hydrogen cyanide is another toxic chemical in cigarette that destroys the cleaning system of the lungs. It damages the lung’s tiny cilia (hairs) used for removing foreign particles hence leading to the accumulation of poisonous chemicals.

According to Sukhraj (2007), smoking increases the levels of carbon dioxide in the blood (p. 5). For instance, when breathing in, oxygen passes through nostrils to the epithelium wall of the alveoli where it is absorbed into the blood. At the same time, carbon dioxide is expelled from the blood into the alveoli back into the nostrils, as breathing out takes place. Smoking destroys the alveoli, the air sacs where gaseous exchange takes place leading to reduced elasticity of the blood vessels, which unswervingly impairs the gas transfer. Therefore, the body holds high amount of carbon dioxide and does not take in enough oxygen needed for the tissues.