Many diseases today point to one cause — smoking. This is due to the fact that tobacco products contain many ingredients that are harmful to the body. Some of these substances can even cause cancer!Tar is a by-product of smoking. This substance accumulates and damages the smoker’s lungs which cause tar lungs. Consequently, the body will resort to coughing to remove the tar. This is how smoker’s cough begins.

Tobacco products have many cancer-causing substances. These cause smoking to become one major risk factor for cancer. People who have smoked at some point in their lives have a 1 in 10 chance of developing lung cancer. If they continue smoking, the risk increases to 1 in 6. Passive smokers are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer by 20 to 30%.

Still, substances in tobacco products cause narrowing of blood vessels. This increases the likelihood of a blockage which results to a heart attack. Smokers below 40 years old are 5 times more likely to have a heart attack. Passive smokers are at an increased risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30%

Another cause of smoking is that it affects the immune system. Smokers are at an increased risk of acquiring infections like common colds, bronchitis, and other pulmonary and respiratory infections.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema are also caused by smoking. Both diseases result from long term exposure to carbon monoxide and cyanide in smoke.

Tuberculosis is also another cause of smoking. Smokers who consume 20 cigarettes a day increase their risk of acquiring tuberculosis by 2 to 4 times.

The worst cause of smoking is death. A smoker’s life expectancy is reduced by 2.5 to 10 years. And a puff of the cigarette equals losing 11 minutes of your life. Smoking today is the second major cause of death in the world! Therefore, it is important that you quit smoking now! Not tomorrow but now! Quit now to live a longer and healthier life!

Click here for more information on cause smoking.