It’s no secret that smoking is bad for your lungs. For years tobacco companies have been required to inform consumers of the hazards of cigarettes. Still, once you start it can be extremely difficult to quit.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance. For many consumers, the decision to smoke is a life-long one. It seems that once someone gets started, it is very hard to stop.
When cigarettes first entered the market, consumers had no idea of the health hazards that came along with them. But once the information got out, it was eye-opening. Smoking can take years off of a person’s life and lead to all kinds of health problems, especially with the lungs.
One nurse wanted to demonstrate just how much smoking can damage the lungs. Amanda Eller, who lives in North Carolina, created a set of videos that showed the real-world effects of smoking cigarettes. Her revelation has taken the internet by storm.
Amanda sat two lungs side by side on a table. One was an ordinary pair of healthy lungs. The other was quite the opposite. These lungs had been obtained from someone who had smoked a pack of cigarettes every day for 20 years. The lungs were pitch black and seemingly deformed in several areas. The image alone is shocking.
The nurse then inflated each of the pairs of lungs in front of a camera. The difference was utterly astounding. First she inflated the healthy set of lungs, which rose and fell in the expected amount of time. Once the lungs fill with air, they must retain their shape for a moment in order to hold the air inside. Then it is able to travel to the rest of the body.
The smoker’s lungs, however, told a different tale. They filled up with air just like the other set, but they couldn’t keep their shape. Instead they fell back into their deflated form, almost instantly. These lungs had no elasticity; in other words, there was nothing there to help them retain their inflated shape.
As a result of this immediate collapse, the lungs would not have been able to hold in air long enough for it to make its way to the rest of the body. This is how avid smokers can take a deep inhale yet still feel out of breath. The body isn’t getting the oxygen it needs to thrive.
“Because these lungs are COPD, cancerous lungs, the elastance is gone, so they will stretch out but then the recoil of them just snaps right back,” Amanda explained.
Understandably, these videos struck a chord with their viewers. Current and previous smokers felt impassioned by these videos, and they openly shared their pro- or anti-smoking sentiments online.
Those who quit smoking were even more encouraged to stick with their decision once they saw these videos. “I’m proud to say it’s been 3 months since I gave up my 11 year smoking streak and boy I’ve never felt so good in my life,” Gordyy Mitchell-Healy shared on Facebook.
“Will always regret wrecking my lungs due to smoking,” Rod Underwood admitted. “I gave up 3 years ago on receiving a COPD diagnosis. If you smoke, try and stop please!”
“I stopped 7 weeks ago, due to having bacterial pneumonia and a strain on my heart, best thing [I’ve] ever done,” Joanne Mcdermott wrote.
Those who still smoke were equally as passionate about their decision. “We all gonna die someday anyway,” said Lisbeth Mathiesen. “Enjoy it while you can you live only once! God I’m sick of hearing about ‘smoking kills’ going outside your door can kill you too!”
“I love smoking and this video ain’t gonna stop what I enjoy,” declared Michael Brockwell.
“I love my cigarettes though I know this,” admitted Theresa Quirin. “I can’t stop. Seems the only thing that keeps me sane right now.”
Obviously people on both sides felt strongly about their decisions. It is, after all, a personal choice. To smoke or not to smoke – the only one who can decide for you is you.
Did this video change your mind about smoking? Or do you think others simply need to mind their own business? Share your opinion in the comments below.
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