Smoking cigarettes is a dangerous habit that contributes to approximately 443,000 deaths in the United States every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking is harmful to almost all of the organs in your body and contributes to the development of disease, disability and premature death. The U.S. Surgeon General reports that hundreds of chemicals and compounds in cigarettes are considered toxic and 69 are known to cause cancer. The longer a person smokes, the more likely he is to suffer smoking-related illnesses and the more severe the illnesses will be.
Cardiovascular Disease
When compared to nonsmokers, people who smoke cigarettes are two to four times more likely to develop coronary heart disease. Nicotine, the addictive chemical in tobacco products, causes narrowing of blood vessels in the body. Tobacco smoke contains chemicals that can cause blood clots to form, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Respiratory Disease
Smoking damages the lining in the lungs and hinders their ability to exchange air. Cigarette smoking can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are forms of COPD. Damage to the lungs caused by smoking can also lead to lung cancer. The U.S. Surgeon General reports that 85 percent of lung cancer cases in the United States are caused by smoking.
Cancers
Smoking can cause cancer in different parts of the body. Smokers are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer, stomach cancer, uterine and cervical cancers, kidney cancer, bladder cancer as well as cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx and esophagus, according to the CDC. The constant damage caused by smoking forces your body to keep white blood cell counts elevated in an attempt to heal the damage, which makes it difficult for your body to respond to and fight cancer when it develops. Exposure to cigarette smoke may promote tumor growth and inhibit the effects of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.
Pregnancy Outcomes
In women, exposure to tobacco smoke can also increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including low birth weight, miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy. In men, the DNA in sperm may be damaged by the chemicals in tobacco smoke, resulting in infertility or damage to the developing fetus. According to the CDC, smoking is also linked to preterm delivery, stillbirth and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
