Effects of smoking on the body and regenerative medicine

Abstract

Smoking rates are declining worldwide and are also declining in Japan. However, new forms of tobacco are becoming more widespread, and smoking rates are accompanied by unseen risks. Smoking has a wide range of effects on the body and is responsible for around 120 000 deaths, according to some reports. Appropriate medical intervention before death occurs and complete cure through regenerative medicine as a means of treatment will also account for an important proportion in the future. Before treatment, smoking cessation education is linked to self-care and patient awareness may determine whether future treatment is best. Progress in regenerative medicine using human ES and iPS cells is expected to further expand the range of treatments available. Although it remains state-of-the-art medicine, we as medical professionals have to fulfil our responsibility to raise awareness in the pre-treatment phase, and therefore we need to make efforts to ensure that knowledge is acquired in pre-graduate education at medical faculties and returned to many patients.