Tobacco or Health? : Physiological and Social Damages Caused by Tobacco Smoking

This book comprehensively summarizes the adverse effects of tobacco smoking on human health. The current second edition has integrated a large set of new data that have been published in numerous scientifc studies and meta-analyses over the past few years. Unfortunately, the harmful sequelae of tobacco smoking are played down by the ind- try and politicians in many industrialized countries. However, about 800,000 people/year in the EU die from the immediate consequences of smoking. The particularly insidious feature of tobacco consumption is that smoking-attributable harmful effects on health do not generally become apparent until three or four decades after smoking initiation. Although some positive changes in the legislative handling of tobacco have appeared in the past fve years, we still need to form a pact, sealed by politicians, the medical prof- sionals, teachers and the media, to target the problem across nations. In this respect, a minority of countries, including the US and the UK, have given positive examples. There are four areas that need to be improved in future: (1) strict bans on tobacco adv- tisement on a global level, (2) better measures to protect against side-stream (passive) smoke exposure, (3) establishment of prevention programs, especially for children and (4) tre- ment of tobacco addiction.

This book presents a summary of the consequences that tobacco smoking has on health, taking into account all organ systems affected, such as the respiratory tract, cardiovascular system, central nervous system, and urinary tract, including mineral metabolism, the pregnant woman, etc. It also describes primary prevention measures as well as possible intervention modalities, established on evidence-based medicine, to help individuals stop smoking. The book is of a high scientific standard and thus differs from many popular-science treatises. It helps inform the reader of all smoking-related problems.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Vincent F Carr, DO, MSA, FACC, FACP(Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)
Description:The preface describes this book perfectly: This book comprehensively summarizes the adverse effects of tobacco smoking on human health. Well said. The first edition was published in 2003.
Purpose:Like the preface, the dedication states the purpose well: This book is dedicated to all the unborn who suffer from the negative effects of tobacco. They cannot protect themselves, and often, they suffer a lifetime. This puts the entire book into perspective, not only as a treatise on the medical problems, which it does very well, but also on the political and social aspects that affect families and large-scale economies.
Audience:This is a book for every person who has an interest or has been affected by tobacco in their lives, whether physicians, sociologists, economists, teachers, or members of the media. The authors are highly regarded researchers. Unfortunately, Dr. Haustein has died, but his work will last for generations.
Features:This is a detailed account of the history of tobacco usage, the pathophysiology, the social ramifications, the comorbid conditions associated with smoking that are not intuitively recognized, the addiction problems, and finally prevention. The tables and statistics are comprehensive, the color photomicrographs are well presented, and the references are extensive.
Assessment:This is an extremely important, utilitarian, comprehensive study of tobacco and a standard for any study of the subject. It is an important addition to every scholastic library.

Front Matter....Pages i-xv History of Tobacco....Pages 1-16 Epidemiology of Tobacco Dependence....Pages 17-33 Tobacco Constituents and Additives....Pages 35-60 Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics of Nicotine....Pages 61-86 Smoking and Lung Disease....Pages 87-118 Cardiovascular Disease, Disturbances of Blood Coagulation and Fibrinolysis....Pages 119-148 Other Organ Systems....Pages 149-220 Smoking and Pregnancy....Pages 221-246 Passive Smoking....Pages 247-288 Non-Drug Treatments to Promote Smoking Cessation....Pages 289-309 Pharmacotherapy of Nicotine Dependence....Pages 311-358 Primary Prevention....Pages 359-385 Tobacco Industry, Advertising and Advertising Bans....Pages 387-409 Society, Politics and the Tobacco Industry....Pages 411-431 Appendix: Experiences from a Smoker Counselling Centre....Pages 433-444 Back Matter....Pages 445-455