Hands up, now, those of you guilty of it - smoking and drinking is definitely doing more harm to your body now that you can control later! For more than 30 years now, scientists have found and proven that the combination of alcohol and tobacco abuse puts people at a much higher risk of developing cancers of the oesophagus, lip, tongue and pharynx.
The good news is, these types of cancers are the most preventable. Most population, - especially teenagers, who are most susceptible to picking up these habits - should be empowered with the encessary information so that they can take ownership of their own health.
Who does it affect?
Do you think most people who practise drinking and smoking do it out of peerpressure? You may be wrong. While it's true that cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption go hand in hand at pubs and discos, research shows that people who drink alone do smoke as much as those who drink in the company of other people.
A National Health Survey in 1998 also highlighted that people with lower levels of academic qualifications tend to be smokers, more so than people with higher levels of academic qualifications.
Does alcohol perpetuate the smoking habit?
Why do smokers often drink alcohol, and vice versa? Scientists believe there is a chemical link. The main psychoactive component in cigarettes is nicotine - a potent chemical, which, according to some experts, is just as addictive as heroin.
Nicotine has a stimulating effect on the nervous system, increasing the heart rate and mental stimulation. Once addicted to nicotine, a person may experience tremors or shakiness as the nicotine levels in the blood decreases below a certain level. The urge to smoke another cigarette is activated to maintain a certain threshold level of nicotine, so as to avoid the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. The cycle of chain smoking is therefore perpetuated.
Alcohol apparently has the effect of causing nicotine levels in the blood of smokers to fall even faster, by activating the enzymes to metabolise nicotine. This cause smokers who drink to smoke even more, in order to maintain the same blood nicotine levels to keep off the withdrawal symptoms.
Why does cancer strike more often in smokers or drinkers?
Current research is focused upon why cancer afflicts more alcohol and tobacco users than people who do not indulge in either alcohol or smoking or both. Preliminary laboratory data suggests that alcohol enhances the metabolism of several tobacco-associated carcinogens.
Tobacco and its smoke contains many classes of chemical carcinogens which can interact with DNA in the cell to spark off the process of carcinogens (the forming of cancer cells).
Decide for yourself
The potential health threats that smoking and drinking pose are very real. If you're just a casual smoker or social drinker now, maybe it's time to think about your health and stop. If you have friend or family members who drink and smoke, advise them to stop. All of us are ultimately responsible for our own bodies, so it's only right that you should stay healthy. After all, you don't want to be a burden to your family if you should fall ill.
All said and done, there's little cheer in drinking and smoking. Let's clear the 'smoke' and not drink to that.

