According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), smoking cigarettes is responsible for nearly 1 out of every 5 deaths in the United States. Smoking has negative effects on the health and overall well-being of the smoker as well as relatives, friends and co-workers.
Cancer
The ACS reports that smoking cigarettes increases the risk of developing many types of cancer, including larynx (voice box), lung, mouth, pharynx (throat), esophagus, stomach, pancreas, cervix, kidney, bladder, and acute myeloid leukemia (blood). In fact, smoking is the cause of nearly 9 out of 10 lung cancer deaths.
Cardiovascular Disease
The CDC reports that smoking cigarettes has detrimental effects on the heart and blood vessels, making smokers two to five times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than non-smokers. Smokers are also 10 times more likely to develop peripheral vascular disease and twice as likely to suffer a stroke.
Respiratory Diseases
The CDC reports that cigarette smoking vastly increases the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In fact, about 90 percent of deaths from COPD are attributable to smoking. Furthermore, according to ACS, smoking makes the symptoms of pneumonia and asthma worse.
Pregnancy and Baby Health
Pregnancy is negatively affected by cigarette smoke, as the ACS reports that women who smoke have an increased risk of having a low birth-weight baby. MedlinePlus also reports that smoking increases the risk of the baby dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Second-Hand Smoke
Smoking does not just affect the health of those who smoke: Those who are in the presence of cigarette smoke also experience the negative affects of smoking. MedlinePlus reports that people who breathe in second-hand smoke get many of the same bad health effects as the smokers themselves.
