The Effects that Smoking Has on Your Body

No one needs to tell you that smoking is bad for you. We all know that. Sometimes, though, it’s good to take a step back and look at how smoking cigarettes affects our bodies. Smoking can harm just about every one of your organs and it is associated with nearly one in five deaths in the US each year. Let’s take a look at the dangers of smoking and its effect on your body.

Smoking and your immune system

Smoking compromises the immune system, making smokers more likely to have respiratory infections and auto-immune diseases like Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Smoking and your bones

Smoking increases your risk for osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and more likely to break. While recent studies show a direct correlation between tobacco use... Read More

Smoking and your bones

Smoking increases your risk for osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and more likely to break. While recent studies show a direct correlation between tobacco use and decreased bone density, there is good news: Quitting smoking appears to reduce the risk for low bone mass and fractures. Close

Smoking and your heart

Tobacco smoke contains a host of harmful chemicals, which damage the ability of your heart to function properly. These chemicals also harm your blood cells. Together, this damage... Read More

Smoking and your heart

Tobacco smoke contains a host of harmful chemicals, which damage the ability of your heart to function properly. These chemicals also harm your blood cells. Together, this damage increases your risk for many diseases, including:

Atherosclerosis (a disease in which plaque builds up in your arteries)

Aneurysms (bulging blood vessels that can burst and cause death)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes:

Coronary heart disease (CHD)
Heart attack and damage to your arteries
Heart-related chest pain
High blood pressure

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD)

Stroke Close

Smoking and your lungs

Smoking cigarettes actually scars your lungs and damages your breathing. It also causes a wealth of respiratory-related issues, including:

COPD (Chronic Obst... Read More

Smoking and your lungs

Smoking cigarettes actually scars your lungs and damages your breathing. It also causes a wealth of respiratory-related issues, including:

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), which causes symptoms that range from wheezing to chest tightness to shortness of breath
Emphysema
Chronic Bronchitis
Pneumonia
Asthma
Tuberculosis

Smoking and your eyesight

Not surprisingly, smoking is as bad for your eyes as it is for the rest of you. As a smoker, you’re at greater risk for diseases that can lead to blindness, including cataracts, optic nerve damage and age-related macular degeneration.

Cigarettes and Cancer

About 70 of the more than 7,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke are known to cause cancer. Since smoking affects your entire body, it follows that smoking can cause a wide... Read More

Cigarettes and Cancer

About 70 of the more than 7,000 chemicals found in tobacco smoke are known to cause cancer. Since smoking affects your entire body, it follows that smoking can cause a wide range of cancers, in various parts of your body including:

Lungs
Trachea
Bronchus
Esophagus
Oral Cavity
Lips
Nasopharynx
Nasal cavity
Larynx
Stomach
Bladder
Pancreas
Kidney
Liver
Uterine Cervix
Colon
Rectum

Smoking is also known to cause leukemia. Close

Why are you quitting smoking?

The key to a successful quit is to have a reason. A personal, powerful reason to want to quit smoking can help fuel your determination to realize a smoke-free life.

Find your reason