That's hardly news--we've known about the dangers of smoking for decades.

這幾乎不是新聞了 -- 我們已經知道抽菸的危害有幾十年了

But how exactly do cigarettes harm us?

但是抽菸究竟會如何傷害我們？

Let's look at what happens as their ingredients

我們來看看當其中的成分

make their way through our bodies,

進到我們體內時會發生什麼事

and how we benefit physically when we finally give up smoking.

還有當我們戒菸時，身體又會得到哪些益處

With each inhalation,

每吸一口

smoke brings its more than 5,000 chemical substances

煙都會伴隨五千種以上的化學物質

into contact with the body's tissues.

進入到體內和身體組織接觸

From the start, tar, a black, resinous material,

最一開始，焦油，一種樹脂製的黑色物質

begins to coat the teeth and gums,

開始附著牙齒和牙齦表層

damaging tooth enamel, and eventually causing decay.

損及琺瑯質，最終導致腐爛

Over time, smoke also damages nerve-endings in the nose,

隨著時間拉長，煙也會損毀鼻腔內的神經末梢

causing loss of smell.

造成嗅覺喪失

Inside the airways and lungs,

在器官和肺裡面

smoke increases the likelihood of infections,

煙提高了傳染病的發生機率

as well as chronic diseases like bronchitis and emphysema.

以及像是支氣管炎和肺氣腫這類慢性疾病

It does this by damaging the cilia,

這都是因為它會損害纖毛

tiny hairlike structures whose job it is to keep the airways clean.

這些長得像頭髮的微小組織負責保持氣管的乾淨

It then fills the alveoli,

最後它會填滿肺泡

tiny air sacs that enable the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide

這些小小的氣囊讓肺部和血液間得以傳遞

between the lungs and blood.

氧氣和二氧化碳

A toxic gas called carbon monoxide crosses that membrane into the blood,

一種稱為一氧化碳的有毒物質會透過這些薄膜進到血液中

binding to hemoglobin

綁住血紅素

and displacing the oxygen

然後取代氧氣

it would usually have transported around the body.

它原先應該是載運氧氣循環身體

That's one of the reasons smoking can lead to oxygen deprivation

這也是為什麼抽煙可以導致缺氧

and shortness of breath.

和呼吸急促

Within about 10 seconds,

在十秒內

the bloodstream carries a stimulant called nicotine to the brain,

血液將一種稱為尼古丁的興奮劑帶到腦部

triggering the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters

觸發了多巴胺的釋放，以及其他種神經傳遞介質

including endorphins

包含腦內啡

that create the pleasurable sensations which make smoking highly addictive.

那會帶來愉悅感，使得抽煙非常容易上癮

Nicotine and other chemicals from the cigarette

香菸中的尼古丁和其他化學物質

simultaneously cause constriction of blood vessels

同時造成了血管的收縮

and damage their delicate endothelial lining,

損害他們纖細的內皮表層

restricting blood flow.

限制了血流

These vascular effects lead to thickening of blood vessel walls

這些血管效果會導致血管壁厚化

and enhance blood platelet stickiness,

並且增加血小板黏性

increasing the likelihood that clots will form

增加了血塊發生機率

and trigger heart attacks and strokes.

引發心臟病和中風

Many of the chemicals inside cigarettes can trigger dangerous mutations

香煙中的多種化學物質都可以引起身體 DNA 中的危險變異

in the body's DNA that make cancers form.

然後帶來癌症

Additionally, ingredients like arsenic and nickel

另外，砷和鎳這類物質

may disrupt the process of DNA repair,

可能打斷 DNA 的修復過程

thus compromising the body's ability to fight many cancers.

因此使得身體擊敗癌症的能力大打折扣

In fact, about one of every three cancer deaths in the United States

事實上，在美國每三起癌症死亡病例中，就有一例是

is caused by smoking.

導因於抽菸

And it's not just lung cancer.

而且還不止肺癌

Smoking can cause cancer in multiple tissues and organs,

抽菸可以導致多種組織和器官的癌症

as well as damaged eyesight

還會損壞視力、

and weakened bones.

弱化骨骼

It makes it harder for women to get pregnant.

它讓女性較難受孕

And in men, it can cause erectile dysfunction.

而對於男性，它會導致勃起障礙

But for those who quit smoking,

但是對於那些戒煙的人而言

there's a huge positive upside

情況有大大好轉的一面

with almost immediate and long-lasting physical benefits.

那會帶來幾乎是立即就有的長期生理益處

Just 20 minutes after a smoker's final cigarette,

就在一個吸菸者戒菸二十分鐘後

their heart rate and blood pressure begin to return to normal.

他的心率和血壓就會開始回歸正常

After 12 hours, carbon monoxide levels stabilize,

十二小時後，一氧化碳的濃度平衡

increasing the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity.

提升血液的氧氣承載力

A day after ceasing,

戒菸後的一天

heart attack risk begins to decrease as blood pressure and heart rates normalize.

隨著血壓和心率達到正常值，心臟病風險也開始降低

After two days,

過了兩天

the nerve endings responsible for smell and taste start to recover.

負責嗅覺的味覺的神經末梢開始恢復

Lungs become healthier after about one month,

肺部在一個月後變得健康起來

with less coughing and shortness of breath.

咳嗽和短促呼吸都較少發生了

The delicate hair-like cilia in the airways and lungs

氣管和肺中的脆弱纖毛

start recovering within weeks,

在幾週內開始復原

and are restored after 9 months, improving resistance to infection.

九個月後會完全修復，提升抵禦傳染病的免疫力

By the one-year anniversary of quitting,

戒菸後滿一年

heart disease risk plummets to half as blood vessel function improves.

因為血管機能提升，心臟疾病風險大幅降低一半

Five years in,

五年後

the chance of a clot forming dramatically declines,

血塊發生機率劇烈降低

and the risk of stroke continues to reduce.

中風的風險也持續減少

After ten years, the chances of developing fatal lung cancer

十年後，發生致命肺癌的機率

go down by 50%,

減少 50%

probably because the body's ability to repair DNA is once again restored.

這可能是因為身體修復 DNA 的能力回歸了

Fifteen years in, the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease

十五年後，發生冠狀心臟疾病的風險

is essentially the same as that of a non-smoker.

基本上會和非吸菸者風險一樣

There's no point pretending this is all easy to achieve.

沒必要裝作這很容易達成

Quitting can lead to anxiety and depression,

抽離了尼古丁

resulting from nicotine withdrawal.

戒菸可能導致焦慮和沮喪

But fortunately, such effects are usually temporary.

但幸運的是，這些情況通常都是暫時的

And quitting is getting easier, thanks to a growing arsenal of tools.

而且多虧於越來越多種的器具，戒菸變得比較容易

Nicotine replacement therapy through gum,

透過口香糖的尼古丁替換療法

skin patches,

或是皮膚貼片、

lozenges,

喉糖、

and sprays

和噴霧

may help wean smokers off cigarettes.

都可能幫助戒菸者擺脫香菸

They work by stimulating nicotine receptors in the brain

他們的運作機制是激發腦中的尼古丁受器

and thus preventing withdrawal symptoms,

因此避免戒斷症狀

without the addition of other harmful chemicals.

而且不需要添加其他的有害物質

Counselling and support groups,

諮商和互助協會、

cognitive behavioral therapy,

認知行為療法、

and moderate intensity exercise

還有中強度的運動

also help smokers stay cigarette-free.

同樣可以幫助吸菸者擺脫香煙

That's good news,

這是好消息

since quitting puts you and your body on the path back to health.

因為戒菸能夠將你和你的身體導回健康的道路