Final answer:
It is true that patients often downplay their smoking habits. Smoking dramatically reduces life expectancy and is associated with numerous health risks, including an array of cancers. The addictive nature of nicotine and presence of toxic chemicals in tobacco smoke contribute to the difficulty of quitting and the severity of its health effects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patients sometimes downplay how much they smoke is true. There are various factors that lead to patients minimizing their smoking habits. These can include shame, denial, or a desire to avoid lecture or judgement from healthcare providers. The harmful effects of smoking are well-documented and include a significant impact on life expectancy and health.
Regarding the health effects of smoking, about 50 percent of long-term smokers are likely to die from smoking-related diseases. Smoking reduces life expectancy by an average of 10 to 15 years when compared to non-smokers. Factors such as the number of cigarettes smoked per day, the age at which smoking started, and the depth of inhalation influence how smoking affects a smoker's health.
Toxic chemicals such as tar, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde are present in tobacco smoke. Furthermore, nicotine is highly addictive and considered more addictive than heroin. Smoking negatively affects the respiratory and cardiovascular systems but also has detrimental effects on other systems of the body, contrary to what some people might believe.
It is difficult for smokers to quit due to the addictive nature of nicotine and the habit-forming behavior associated with smoking. Cancers that are significantly more likely in smokers include lung cancer, throat cancer, esophageal cancer, bladder cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Smoking causes cancer largely due to the carcinogens present in tobacco smoke that damage the DNA in cells.