Do you smoke? If yes, are you completely aware of the effects smoking has on your body? If you do not smoke, are you aware of the effects smoking has on your body as well? Yes, even if you don’t do it yourself, smoking still has hazardous effects.Let me remind you some of the effects smoking has on our bodies.

First, since smokers and nonsmokers inhale the smoke, it is just logical that the respiratory system will be affected. Inhaling smoke, no matter the substance, has effects on our bodies. This is because smoke has many substances like carbon monoxide and cyanide. Both substances, when inhaled over a long period of time causes emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Also, smoke has many carcinogenic and mutagenic substances which increase a smoker’s risk to lung cancer. Around 97% of lung cancer cases in the United States are effects of smoking. Even secondhand smoke increases a nonsmoker’s risk by 20 to 30%.

Effects of smoking on the cardiovascular system included diseases like atherosclerosis, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Smokers are 5 times more likely to suffer a heart attack. Secondhand smoke affects nonsmokers by increasing their risk of acquiring heart disease by 25 to 30%.

Smoking affects the immune system by increasing the risk of smokers in acquiring infections like common colds, bronchitis, and other pulmonary and respiratory infections. Effects of smoking on the gastrointestinal system include periodontitis, teeth stains, halitosis or bad breath, leukoplakia, and cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, and larynx.

These are just a few of the diseases. If you ask your physician, or try reading materials about the effects of smoking, I am certain that you will see more diseases as effects of smoking. And what is worst is the fact that even death is an effect of smoking. For every puff of the cigarette, you lose 11 minutes of your life. Smoking is now considered as the second major cause of death worldwide!

What will you do now that you know the effects of smoking? I suggest that it’s about time to quit. Quit smoking! Stop death!

Click here for more information on effects smoking.