Health Risks and Diseases of Smoking

Do you have any idea which smoking-related disease is the number one cause of death among smokers? If you're thinking it's lung cancer or COPD/emphysema, you're wrong. While both of these smoking-related diseases do claim a lot of lives, it is heart disease that that holds the top slot in the list of diseases that kill smokers.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States today and the leading cause of death among smokers. And, on a global level, researchers report that there were 1,690,000 premature deaths from cardiovascular disease among smokers in the year 2000. In contrast, there were approximately 850,000 lung cancer deaths during the same year, and 118,000 COPD deaths from smoking in 2001, worldwide.

Smoking is hard on the heart, but the fact is, tobacco use plays a role in a multitude of diseases that ultimately lead to disability and/or death. Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemical compounds; 250 of which are known to be poisonous, and upwards of 70 have been identified as carcinogens. Viewed in that light, it's no wonder that the effects of smoking are so widespread and destructive.

Let's take a look at how cigarette smoke affects our bodies, from head to toe. You may be surprised at some of the ways smoking has a negative impact on our health.
Brain and Mental Effects:

Stroke
Addiction/nicotine withdrawal
Altered brain chemistry
Anxiety about the harm caused by smoking

Eyes:

Eyes that sting, water, and blink more
Macular degeneration
Cataracts

Nose:

Less sense of smell

Thyroid

Graves Disease
Thyroid Disease

Skin:

Wrinkles
Premature aging

Hair:

Smell and staining

Teeth:

Discoloration and stains
Plaque
Loose teeth
Gum disease (gingivitis)

Mouth and Throat:

Cancers of the lips, mouth, throat, and larynx
Cancer of the esophagus
Sore throat
Reduced sense of taste
Breath smells of smoke

Hands:

Poor circulation(cold fingers)
Peripheral vascular disease
Tar-stained fingers

Respiration and Lungs:

Lung cancer
COPD (includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema)
Cough and sputum
Shortness of breath
Colds and flu
Pneumonia
Asthma
Complicates tuberculosis

Heart:

Harms, blocks and weakens arteries of the heart
Heart attack

Liver:

Cancer

Abdomen:

Stomach and duodenal ulcers
Cancer of stomach, pancreas, and colon
Aortic aneurysm

Kidneys and bladder:

Kidney cancer
Bladder cancer

Bones:

Osteoporosis
Spine and hip fractures

Spine:

Degenerative Disc Disease

Male reproduction:

Sperm: deformity, loss of motility, reduced number
Infertility
Impotence

Female reproduction:

Period pains
Earlier menopause
Cancer of cervix
Infertility and delay in conception

Blood:

Leukemia

Legs and Feet:

Gangrene
Peripheral vascular disease
Beurger Disease

Immune System:

Weakened immune system

The effects of smoking hold additional risks for women. Those who smoke throughout their pregnancies increase the risk of:

Spontaneous abortion/miscarriage
Ectopic pregnancy
Abruptio placentae
Placenta previa
Premature rupture of the membranes
Premature birth

Risks to the fetus include:

Smaller infant(for gestational age)
Stillborn infant
Birth defects, e.g. congenital limb reduction
Increased nicotine receptors in baby's brain
Increased likelihood of child smoking as a teenager
Possible predisposition to adult anxiety disorders

As long as this list of diseases known to be associated with smoking is, it is incomplete. We don't yet fully understand all of the dangers that cigarette smoke presents, but research continues, bringing us new discoveries seemingly by the day.

One thing is certain: Cigarettes snuff out life at an alarming rate. Statistics tell us that upwards of half of the long-term smokers will die a smoking-related death. And globally, that presently translates to nearly 5 million deaths a year. Put another way, someone loses their life to smoking every 8 seconds somewhere in the world.

If you currently smoke, use this the "Quit Smoking Toolbox" to help you see your smoking habit for what it is—a deadly addiction that you can live without.

As humans, we are incredibly resilient. While not all smoking damage is reversible, so much can be healed, even after years of smoking.

Don't ever think it's too late for you to quit smoking, and please...don't waste any more of your life on cigarettes. Smoking offers you absolutely nothing of value.

Take back your life. You deserve the freedom and long-lasting benefits that smoking cessation brings.