Smoking leads to diseases that often end in long and painful deaths. More deaths occur each year in the United States because of smoking than deaths from alcohol use, illegal drug use, traffic accidents, the HIV virus and murders combined, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The bad health effects of smoking often do not show up until years after a person starts smoking, which can be too late for many smokers.
Heart Disease
Smoking tobacco is among the six major risk factors for heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. Other factors include high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and diabetes. When the factors are combined, the risks of heart disease are even greater. Smokers have a higher risk of fatty substance or cholesterol buildup in the arteries, which can clog or narrow the arteries to the heart and lead to heart disease. Complete blockage may occur and cause heart attack. Smoking also decreases HDL, or good, cholesterol, which is needed to flush excess cholesterol out of the body.
Stroke
Smoking is an important risk factor for stroke, the American Heart Association says. It interferes with blood flow to many areas of the body, including the blood vessels to the brain. A sudden blockage or rupture of blood vessels in the brain can lead to stroke, causing loss of consciousness, loss of movement or loss of speech. Recovery is possible for some victims of stroke. Others suffer permanent loss of movement or speech.
Cancer
Smoking causes 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in women, according to the CDC. The more cigarettes smoked a day and the longer a person smokes, the greater the risk of getting lung cancer. But smoking also contributes to cancers of the esophagus, larynx, mouth, stomach, bladder, kidneys, pancreas, uterus and cervix, according to the CDC.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which cause agonizing breathing problems for patients. Smoking is the most common cause of COPD, according to Netdoctor. Breathing function for people with COPD slowly declines until they require hospitalization and die from the progressive disease. Smoking is responsible for 90 percent of deaths from chronic obstructive lung diseases, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic airway obstruction, the CDC says.
Bone Disease
Smoking contributes to osteoporosis, a bone-degenerating disease that weakens bones and makes them vulnerable to fracture and breakage. More women than men suffer from osteoporosis. Postmenopausal women who smoke have lower bone density than women who do not smoke, the CDC notes. Women smokers increase their risk for hip fractures.
