Smoking will kill about 650 million of all the people alive in the world today. Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the US, where it kills about 440,000 people each year. Tobacco is a very toxic drug. Smoking even 1-4 cigarettes a day can lead to serious health problems, including a higher risk of heart disease, lung cancer, and dying at a younger age. Smokers are twice as likely to die of a heart attack as nonsmokers, and are much more likely to die within 1 hour of a heart attack.

Using tobacco in any form is harmful. Smoking "light" brands doesn't help, because people end up smoking more cigarettes, or inhaling more deeply, to get the same dose of nicotine as before. Studies have found that people who smoke light brands get lung cancer as frequently as those smoke regular cigarettes. Hand-rolled cigarettes are no safer than commercial brands, and people who smoke them have higher rates of certain types of cancer. "All-natural" brands contain all the carcinogens, tar, and carbon monoxide from tobacco that all cigarettes do. Even if the smoker doesn't inhale, he or she is still at risk for lung cancer and other cancers. People who use "smokeless" tobacco and pipe and cigar smokers have a greater risk of getting lip, mouth, tongue, and some other cancers.

What Does Smoking Do?
The list of all the disorders and diseases that smoking causes is a long one. Smoking

• Causes atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• Causes lung cancer and other cancers. Tobacco use accounts for one third of all cancer deaths in the U.S., and about 87% of lung cancer deaths.
• Causes peripheral artery disease (reduced blood flow to the arms and legs)
• Raises blood pressure
• Causes blood clots
• Causes stroke
• Causes and accelerates growth of aneurysms
• Causes emphysema
• Causes chronic bronchitis
• Makes pneumonia and asthma worse
• Decreases lung function
• Decreases ability to exercise
• Increases risk of impotence in men
• Inhibits healing of wounds
• Is linked with miscarriage, premature birth, still birth, infant death, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in infants whose mother smoked during pregnancy

More on this topic

Understanding Wellness (VIDEO)
What Is Wellness?
Quit Smoking
Smoking & Your Arteries
Eat Healthy
Foods to Avoid
Foods to Enjoy
Fiber Helps Lower Cholesterol
Good Fats: Omegas 3 & 6
The Daily Nutrition You Need
Portion Control
Daily Exercise
Aerobic Exercise
Speed Up Your Metabolism
Benefits of Exercise
Lose Weight
Measuring Fat

Related Health Centers:

The 9 Visual Rules of Wellness, Wellness and Prevention Part I, Wellness and Prevention Part II, Reverse Aging