The health complications of tobacco smoking cigarettes, pipes or cigars have been the topic of much study over the last six decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, smoking causes the deaths of 443,000 people in the United States alone each year. As a lifestyle choice and acquired habit, smoking is considered to be a leading preventable cause of disease and death. Fortunately, once a person quits, most of the harmful effects of smoking are reversible.
Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, smoking contributes to almost 90 percent of lung cancer deaths and 30 percent of total overall cancer deaths. The carcinogens in cigarettes are carried throughout the body when inhaled, and significantly increase the risk of developing cancers in many organs including the lungs, liver, kidney, stomach, pancreas, bladder, throat and oral cavity. Risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, is also increased by tobacco smoking.
Circulatory Problems
Smoking causes a narrowing of blood vessels, forcing the heart and circulatory system to work much harder to deliver blood and oxygen to our bodies. Over time, this leads to a number of circulatory problems such as peripheral artery disease and coronary heart disease, the latter being cited as the number one cause of death in the United States by the CDC. Smoking can also cause a weakening and swelling of the body's main artery, the abdominal aorta, forming an aneurism. Rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurism can cause instant death. Additionally, smoking increases blood clots, doubling a person's risk of stroke, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Respiratory Disease
Smoking's adverse effects on the lungs are due to its damaging effects on airways as well as the small air sacs in the lungs called alveoli. This can worsen the symptoms of asthma and pneumonia as well as cause a number of chronic respiratory problems such as emphysema, bronchitis and chronic airway obstruction, according to the CDC.
Reproductive Effects
Smoking is associated with reduced fertility in both women and men. Male smokers are also more likely to suffer the effects of erectile dysfunction. Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to a host of complications, including a higher risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, stillbirth and low birth weight according to the CDC. Smoking is also considered a risk factor in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS, though the causes of SIDS are unknown.
Premature Aging
The body's largest organ, the skin, also is affected by smoking. Narrowing of the blood vessels in the top layer of skin can cause the skin to sag and wrinkle, causing an aged appearance. According to Health Life, smoking is also associated with collagen and elastin damage, two components that give skin a plumped, smooth appearance.
