Throughout the last century, tobacco and cigarettes have played a regular part in many Americans' lives. Unfortunately, it was not until the late 1950s that the government started playing a role in curbing cigarette use due to the potentially serious health consequences that come from smoking. Starting in 1966, the U.S. surgeon general started requiring labels stating that cigarettes may be hazardous to your health. This warning has grown into much greater detail as more information continues to come to light about the hazards of smoking.
Cancer
In 1985, the surgeon general added an additional warning to cigarette packages stating that cigarettes cause lung cancer. Cigarettes are full of toxic chemicals that are exposed to your lungs as you inhale the smoke from the cigarette, damaging the many cells of the body the smoke comes into contact with and raising your risks for cancerous cells to develop. According to the American Cancer Society, your risks for developing lung cancer from smoking cigarettes can vary depending on how much you smoke, how long you have smoked, what age you started smoking and what types of cigarettes you smoke.
Heart Disease
Also added to the surgeon general's warning in 1985 was the fact that smoking can also cause heart diseases. Smoking can contribute to heart disease in several ways, such as increasing your chances of developing blood clots, increasing your blood pressure and decreasing your ability to exercise, leading to a greater chance for plaque buildup in your blood vessels, states the American Heart Association.
Emphysema
Emphysema can also be caused by cigarette smoking and has found its way into the surgeon general's warnings. Emphysema is a progressive disease of the lungs, which causes a reduced ability to breathe due to permanent damage to the air sacs in your lungs, reducing your ability to get oxygen into the blood, as well as affecting your ability to breathe in and out regularly.
Pregnancy
Warnings about pregnancy complications due to cigarette smoking have also been added by the surgeon general. Complications that can occur from smoking while pregnant can include low birth weights, preterm delivery, and an increased chance for cerebral palsy, learning problems, heart defects, stillbirth and infant death.
