Cigarette smoke, whether inhaled firsthand or secondhand, causes a number of dangerous side effects. The smoke contains a number of toxic chemicals that can damage your heart, lungs, and increase your risk of developing cancer. According to the American Cancer society, the toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke include cyanide, formaldehyde, benzene and ammonia.
Blood Vessel Damage
Drugs.com points out that cigarette smoke is full of carbon monoxide. When this chemical gets into your system, it decreases the amount of oxygen that is spread throughout the body. The smoke can lead to a hardening of the arteries and blood vessels, which in turn can increase your risk for heart attacks and stroke.
Lung Damage
When cigarette smoke enters your respiratory tract, it damages the tiny cilia hairs that line your bronchial tract and your lungs. Drugs.com points out that these hairs are responsible for protecting the lungs. They also remove dirt and waste products from the lung tissue. Cigarette smoke damages these hairs and leads to "dirty" lungs. While a healthy lung looks pink, someone who is regularly exposed to cigarette smoke will have a dark-colored lung. Chronic smoking can lead to diseases like emphysema.
Increased Cancer Risk
According to the American Cancer Society, smoking causes 30 percent of all cancer fatalities in the United States. Included in that figure are the 87 percent of lung cancer deaths caused by cigarettes. In addition to lung cancer, cigarette smoke is linked to an increased cancer risk in the pancreas, mouth, bladder, throat, and stomach.
Effects on Appearance
Regular exposure to cigarette smoke can also have hazardous effects on your physical appearance. Drugs.com notes that the properties in cigarette smoke can increase the prominence of lines on the face, and make you look older.
