Cigarette smoke is a mixture of burning tar that contains 4,000 chemicals, including 60 known cancer-causing agents and tobacco. Other chemicals in cigarette smoke include cyanide, benzene, formaldehyde, methanol, acetylene, and ammonia. Nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide are also present, as well as the addictive drug nicotine. Inhaling these chemicals can increase the risks of cancers, heart disease and respiratory diseases in smokers and nonsmokers alike.
Cancer
According to the American Cancer Society, at least 30 percent of all cancer deaths and 87 percent of lung cancer deaths in the United States are caused by tobacco products. Smoking can cause cancers of the larynx, mouth, lips, pharynx, esophagus and bladder. The CDC has found that the risk of lung cancer is 23 times higher in male smokers and 13 times higher in female smokers than in nonsmokers. There also appears to be a link between smoking and cancers of the pancreas, cervix, kidney and stomach, and some types of leukemia..
Respiratory Health
Smoking can do serious damage to a person's respiratory health. Besides lung cancer, smoking can cause emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema develops as the tiny sacs that make up the lungs' surface area are broken down by tobacco smoke, making it increasingly difficult for oxygen to enter the bloodstream. As this condition worsens, breathing becomes increasingly difficult. Chronic bronchitis is another common disease among smokers. It causes airways to produce too much mucus, forcing the smoker to cough it out. The constant coughing inflames the airways, increasing the likelihood of blocked airways and lung infections.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is the late stage of emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Once COPD has been diagnosed, the patient's ability to breath has deteriorated to the point at which he struggles to breathe normally and might feel as though he is drowning. According to the American Cancer Society, COPD is the fourth-leading cause of death in America and 75 percent of COPD deaths are caused by smoking. Roughly 10 million people in the United States currently suffer from COPD.
Heart Disease and Stroke
Smoking appears to affect the heart as well as the lungs. People who smoke are twice as likely to stroke and two to four times more likely to develop heart disease than their nonsmoking counterparts. While there are many risk factors that can lead to heart disease, smokers run a higher risk of contracting heart diseases and of subsequently dying during a heart attack. Because smoking restricts circulation by narrowing arteries, smokers also are more prone to developing peripheral vascular disease.
Secondhand Smoke
Secondhand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), contains the same harmful chemicals that smokers inhale. Passively inhaling ETS can be just as damaging to a person's health as smoking. The American Cancer Society has found that every year, ETS causes roughly 3,400 nonsmokers to die from lung cancer and 46,000 nonsmokers to die from heart disease. ETS also has been linked to asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, increased mucus production, ear infections, eye irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness in nonsmokers.
