Angielski

Many tests have shown that smoking tobacco is dangerous. Smoking damages the heart, lungs and other body organs. It is probably the most widespread and most serious drug problem in the world, yet millions of people who know about the dangers, including many doctors, continue to smoke.

What is it about cigarettes that makes people want to smoke and why those who say they want to stop find it so difficult to do so? The answers to these questions probably involve both the psychology of smoking and the chemistry of nicotine. The simplest explanation why people continue to smoke is that once their bodies become dependent on nicotine, it is painful not to have it. But studies show that smoking only 10 cigarettes a day can give a smoker enough nicotine to prevent the pain of nicotine withdrawal. Yet many people smoke many more than ten.

A more important reason seems to be that cigarette smoking helps people deal with their problems. Tests show that nicotine changes the way some important brain chemicals are produced and released. These chemicals affect the way a person feels. They can give a smoker an increased energy or they can have a calming effect. These changes take place very quickly. In less than seven seconds, 25% of the nicotine a person breathes in enters the brain. Unlike some other drugs, the effects of nicotine do not last long, and smokers can increase or reduce these effects by the way they smoke. They get less nicotine by smoking in short, quick breaths. This ma-kes them feel more active. They may also smoke in long, slow breaths to feel calm. There is also evidence that nicotine improves a person’s memory of events that happened long ago. Other studies of both humans and animals show that nicotine increases their ability to stand pain and even makes them want to eat fewer sweet foods.

give up – rzucić, zaniechać, przestać

smoking – palenie (papierosów)

widespread [waidspred] – rozległy, powszechny

yet – wciąż, a jednak

including – włączając

involve – dotyczyć, być związanym z…

both [bouθ] – zarówno, obie, obaj….

dependent on – zależny od

enough [inΛθ] – wystarczający

prevent [ privent] – ochronić, przeszkodzić, zapobiec

withdrawal [wiðdro:∂l] – cofnięcie, wycofanie

deal with – radzić sobie z…

released [rili:zd] – uwolniony

affect – wpływać

calming – uspokajający

less – mniej

breathe in [ bri:ð in] – wdychać

unlike [Λnlaik] – w przeciwieństwie

last – trwać

increase – zwiększyć

slow – wolny, powolny

improve [impru:v] – polepszać

memory – pamięć

events [ivents] – wydarzenia

ability – zdolność

stand pain – znieść ból