Eight million people---that's how many the World Health Organization estimates will die from smoking tobacco in the year 2030. In fact, on average, smoking kills one person every six seconds, the WHO reports. Yet although numerous organizations and government agencies have worked to fight the smoking epidemic, the use of tobacco products is increasing globally. Whether you are considering starting smoking or have been smoking for years, it's vital that you understand what it can do to your body.
Chronic Diseases
Smoking tobacco is dangerous because you are exposing your organs to thousands of hazardous substances, including more than 60 carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents, according to MayoClinic.com. As a result, your risk increases of developing chronic diseases that affect your entire body. These include emphysema, chronic bronchitis and Type 2 diabetes. You're also more likely to have hypertension and cardiovascular conditions, increasing your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Although smoking is typically associated with lung cancer, being a smoker increases your chances of developing several other types of the disease, including oral, esophageal, pancreatic, bladder and kidney cancers. Your risk of developing certain forms of leukemia---cancer affecting the blood or bone marrow---increases as well.
Female-specific Risks
If you are female, there are other hazards of cigarette smoking to consider, such as cancers affecting only women. These include cancer of the cervix and uterus. While smoking can cause impotence in men, women may have difficulty becoming pregnant or carrying their baby full-term. Women are also at risk for entering menopause prematurely, according to the National Institutes of Health's MedlinePlus website.
Appearance & Skin Health
Smoking doesn't just damage your body internally; it can also drastically affect your appearance. In fact, smoking can cause more skin wrinkling than exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays, according to the DermNet NZ website. Typical signs of aging in smokers include vertical wrinkles around the mouth, crow's feet around the eyes, dry skin, uneven complexion and saggy skin. In addition, you're more likely to develop psoriasis and a form of acne called acne inversa, which affects the armpits, breasts and groin. You also have double the risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, in comparison to non-smokers.
Effects on Children
You are not only affecting your own health when you smoke cigarettes, but also the health of others---particularly your children. The website Womenshealth.gov reports that smokers' babies are more likely to have a low birth weight and lung damage and die of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. In addition, smokers' children are more prone to colds, ear infections, asthma and respiratory infections. Their risk of lung cancer also increases, even if they never smoke themselves.
