Can Smokers And Drinkers Be Eligible To Donate Blood?

Cigarette on aster

OVER VIEW

Smoking is one of the main reasons for death, and it kills around 8 million people each year. In India, there are about 120 million smokers.

Alcohol is a drug, which was used in earlier times as an antiseptic and anesthesia. but excessive alcohol can make our body home to many diseases.

According to the research, India requires about 5 units of blood every year, and every two seconds someone needs blood around the world.

There are many people who need a blood transfusion to survive such as:

NOTE: A normal person’s body has 5 to 6-liter blood, and during the blood donation, only 1 unit of blood (350 ml) is drawn.

In such a situation, this question is justified whether such a person can donate blood or not? – but before this – what is the effect of smoking on blood?

Learn More – Blood Donation: Every Possible Thing You Need To know

Smoke Effect On Our Blood

Cigarette smoke goes into our body and thickens the blood and forms clots inside the veins and arteries, which increase the chance of heart attack.

It not only affects our body, or heart, but also lead to many diseases such as:

If you want to donate blood this might thing disqualify you include:

Cannabis

If you like to donate blood but use cannabis either for medical or recreational might think that you are not eligible to donate blood?

Cannabis used people can donate blood, but potential donors cannot give if their use of cannabis impairs their memory or comprehension.

There are many org, sites, and channels, that said the same, But there are some conditions for cannabis blood donation including:

  • You must be sober
  • No proof of being intoxicated
  • Be able to give information about health.

Nicotine

According to the (CDC) cigarette contain 4000 + chemical components and hundreds of them are harmful to human health.

One of them is nicotine, which is a highly addictive chemical, that triggers the way the brain works, causing a craving for more of it.

That is why smoking is very hard to quit. And if you want to quit, talk to your doctor, take support of family, and therapies.

Can smokers be eligible to donate blood?

Yes, smokers can also donate blood, but remember these things then only you will be eligible for donating blood are:

  • Avoid smoking before 24 hours of donating
  • Even, Avoid smoking even 4 to 5 hours after donating blood

Smokers have higher hemoglobin levels, smoking shortly before donation can adversely affect the quality of donated red blood cells (2)

It can also lead to increase blood pressure, and after donate leads to dizziness, which might disqualify you from donating.

Why should you give up smoking?

There are several reasons, that why you should quit smoking, including:

  • More chance to heart attack and stoke
  • Can change your DNA, causes cancers
  • Lead to weak immune system
  • Low sperm quality and quantity
  • pneumonia
  • High blood pressure
  • Affect your subcortical brain regions, that are associated with happiness, memory, emotion, and hormone production.
  • Damage eyesight or risk of eye problem
  • Smokers are more prone to other diseases and common illness
  • Risk of developing swelling of the gum and gum infection.

Can alcoholics donate blood?

Yes, drinkers can donate blood, but only if you avoid alcohol for 24 hours before donating blood.

Doctors advise staying away from alcohol until donors have fully recovered from their donation, it prevents the worse effect of alcohol.

Also, avoid alcoholic beverages because they may increase the risk of dehydration.

NOTE: If you do drink alcohol, make sure to drink enough water before and after the donation.

Learn More – Alcohol (drug)| Everything About

Why You Should Quit Drinking?

I think one of the main reasons is domestic violence, which is seen more in developing countries.

However, drinking alcohol to a limit is considered good, but drinking too much alcohol is associated with many diseases such as:

  • Excessive alcohol can damage you liver
  • Affects the pancreas can lead to pancreatitis
  • High blood pressure
  • Risk of heart stock and attack
  • More chance to tuberculosis due to weak immunity
  • lead to memory loss
  • mood swings
  • Severe Headache, after getting up from sleep
  • Make your chances of dehydration, which causes dry skin, wrinkles, etc
  • Low testosterone level
  • Women who drink heavily during pregnancy have a higher risk of premature delivery, miscarriage, or stillbirth.

Things That Disqualify You To Donate Blood

There are many universal things that disqualify you to donate blood such as:

  • Using illegal drugs or injection
  • Any medical condition like hepatitis, HIV, cancer, tuberculosis, etc and common illness like fever, cold, sore throat, etc
  • Use of Certain medicine – aspirin, blood thinner medicine, isotretinoin (use in acne), etc. And you can use cholesterol, sugar, BP medicine.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding ladies
  • Accupuncture therapy
  • Being Tattoo, but after 8 months you can also donate blood
  • Any organ transplant or blood transfusion
  • Any Blood disorder
  • Dental issue, but after 24 hour you can donate blood
  • Travelers, which may wait for sometimes, and doctor may ask about your medical history, previews location, etc

If you undergoing any medical treatment and medical condition, then consult your doctor first, they will give you the right advice to give blood donation.

What happens to your blood after donating?

After donating blood, your blood goes through some medical tests before going to a blood bank to identify any infectious diseases.

To check your blood is safe or not. And then the blood goes to the machine, which divides your blood into red cells, plasma, and platelets.

  • Plasma: Burns, and lack of body fluid, causes dehydration, then that patient is given to plasma bag.
  • Platelets: It gives to patients with malaria, dengue, etc where platelets go down.
  • Red packed cells: If a person has insufficient red blood cells, they are given red blood cells.

After this, some tests are performed to determine what is your blood type. Blood is stored in different places according to the blood type.

When a hospital needs blood, plasma, or platelets then they are sent from the blood bank.

BOTTOM LINE

Both smokers and drinkers can donate blood, but only if they avoid them for 24 hours before donating blood, and also avoid after donating for a few hours.

After donating blood, your blood goes through some medical tests before going to a blood bank to identify any infectious diseases.

Healthytalk8

Hello, I'm Sahil bisht, I am a Mechanical engineer, As well as, aspiring blogger with an obsession for health. This blog delicate to people who want to learn in health.

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