Smoking and your health

Smoking adversely affects your health. If you smoke, quitting is the single best thing you can do for your health. Tobacco smoke contains tar. Tar is made up of over 4,000 chemicals with at least 40 known to cause cancer. Some of these substances cause heart and respiratory diseases, all of which are disabling and can cause death.

You might be surprised to know some of the chemicals and gases found in tobacco smoke. They include:

• cyanide, benzene, formaldehyde, methanol, acetylene (the fuel used in torches), and ammonia
• nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide, both poisonous gases and
• nicotine, an addictive drug

Smoking is the cause of most lung cancer cases. It is also associated with cancers of the mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, pancreas, uterine cervix, kidney, and bladder.

Smoking tobacco causes respiratory diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is the major cause of emphysema, a disease that slowly destroys a person's ability to breathe. Chronic bronchitis is a common ailment among smokers. Smoking is linked to the majority of deaths in persons who have emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

Smoking greatly increases the risk of heart disease, America's number one killer. Individuals who have had a heart attack and continue to smoke are more likely to have another heart attack.

For the pregnant woman, the risk is not just to herself, but also to her unborn baby. The woman who smokes has a greater chance of losing her baby during pregnancy. Or the baby may be born too early or too small. These babies may have a hard time breathing when they are born.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIL File SUBS4993.RF2 VRS# 4993 Data Version 7.0 Copyright 1999, 2002-2003 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.