Does Smoking Socially Carry Health Risks?

The good news? The number of smokers who light up every day is on the decline. The not so good news? The number of social smokers, who smoke occasionally, is on the rise. Because these "casual smokers" only puff on a few cigarettes a week, they dont consider themselves to be at high risk for lung cancer or other lung diseases. Is this true or is smoking socially still a health issue?

The Health Effects of Smoking Occasionally

According to a recent study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a social smoker is still at risk for lung problems - even if they only smoke occasionally.

To reach this conclusion, researchers studied 121 people, some of whom were active smokers and some who were either non-smokers or casual smokers. They placed them into smoking categories by measuring the amount of nicotine in their urine.

When they looked at the cells lining the airways and lungs of these study participants through the technique of gene sequencing, they found genetic damage irrespective of how little they smoked. Even exposure to secondhand smoke caused these genes to be abnormal. The most pronounced gene changes were seen in those exposed to the most cigarette smoke.

Smoking Socially Causes Genetic Changes in the Lungs

Shouldnt this be a wake-up call to social and casual smokers? Even smoking occasionally has health risks. When genes are damaged by the effects of low level cigarette smoke, cells that function abnormally are produced. Genetic damage can also cause cells to become lung cancer - and lung cancer has a very poor prognosis.

Smoking socially may seem harmless, but theres no safe level of exposure to cigarette smoke. A casual smoker often lacks the characteristic smokers cough and may not feel winded when climbing the stairs, but damage is taking place at the cellular level, which can lead to lung problems further down the line.

Smoking Socially: The Bottom Line?

Occasional smoking may seem like a way to reduce the risk of smoking related lung problems, but dont be fooled. The damage to your cells builds up over time without your awareness. Dont let silent lung cell damage happen to you. Kick the social smoking habit - for good.

References:

Eurekalert website. "Cigarette smoke causes harmful changes in the lungs even at the lowest levels"