20th July 2003, 10:50 PM
Smoke coats the alveoli (the lung tissue that exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide) and gradually builds up over time. This causes permanent damage to the alveoli because of irreversible destruction of a protein in the lung called elastin that is important for maintaining the strength of the alveolar walls. The loss of elastin also causes collapse or narrowing of the smallest air passages, called bronchioles, which in turn limits airflow out of the lung.
This is a condition called emphysema. You have to be a pretty heavy smoker to get emphysema, but that doesn't mean your lungs don't experience irreversible damage from passive smoke. But beer will also kill brain cells that cannot regenerate. My point is, a little bit really won't hurt, but it DOES IN FACT cause permanent damage.
This is a condition called emphysema. You have to be a pretty heavy smoker to get emphysema, but that doesn't mean your lungs don't experience irreversible damage from passive smoke. But beer will also kill brain cells that cannot regenerate. My point is, a little bit really won't hurt, but it DOES IN FACT cause permanent damage.