| It is common knowledge that smoking is hazardous to | | | | disease (COPD). People who smoke and have been |
| one's health. Additionally, many people know that | | | | exposed to asbestos have higher occurrences of |
| exposure to asbestos is very dangerous and can lead | | | | COPD than people who have not been exposed to |
| to the development of the disease mesothelioma. | | | | asbestos. Some of the terrible effects of COPD are |
| What many people do not know, however, is that | | | | the inflammation and eventual destruction of small |
| when smoking and asbestos exposure are combined, | | | | airways in the lung tissue. Once these tissues have |
| both of the harmful elements work together to create | | | | been destroys, some people can be completely |
| a much higher risk for the development of | | | | debilitated. |
| mesothelioma, or other types of cancers. | | | | Studies have shown that people who quit smoking, but |
| Cigarettes have many harmful chemicals that break | | | | still had asbestos exposure are less likely to have lung |
| down the lungs and can be leading causes in cancer. | | | | cancer than those people who continue to smoke. |
| Asbestos exposure also exposes the lung to harmful | | | | Some say that COPD can be reversed the longer |
| chemicals that weaken your body's defenses against | | | | time is spent without smoking. Additionally, people who |
| cancers and other lung problems. Studies have found | | | | are able to quit smoking often feel healthier over time |
| that cigarette smokers have a four to eleven times | | | | and significantly increase their life expectancy. Even |
| greater chance of getting lung cancer than | | | | though any amount of smoking or asbestos exposure |
| non-smokers. If a person is a heavy smoker, than the | | | | can lead to lung cancer, the sooner one quits, the |
| number goes up to twenty-seven times as likely. | | | | better off he or she will be. |
| Adding a heavy smoker to asbestos exposure sends | | | | Asbestos exposure is very harmful for anyone. |
| the probabilities for lung cancer skyrocketing. In fact, | | | | However if you know that you have been exposed to |
| heavy smokers with a history of asbestos exposure | | | | asbestos, and continue to smoke, you are playing with |
| have a 50 to 90 times greater chance of having lung | | | | fate. The sooner someone stops smoking, the sooner |
| cancer. Needless to say, heavy smoking and large | | | | his or her lungs can begin to heal. Mesothelioma and |
| amounts of asbestos exposure will almost certainly | | | | other cancers are very serious diseases that often |
| lead to lung cancer. | | | | end in death. In order to stay alive for loved ones, |
| Smoking causes chronic obstructive pulmonary | | | | smokers should quit immediately. |