Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

Smoking
Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart
disease, stroke, and lung cancer.1
• Estimates show smoking increases the risk:
◦ For coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times1,6
◦ For stroke by 2 to 4 times1
◦ Of men developing lung cancer by 25 times1
◦ Of women developing lung cancer by 25.7 times1
• Smoking causes diminished overall health, increased
absenteeism from work, and increased health care utilization
and cost.1
Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and
blood vessels (cardiovascular disease).1,2
• Smoking causes stroke and coronary heart disease, which are
among the leading causes of death in the United States.1,3
• Even people who smoke fewer than five cigarettes a day can
have early signs of cardiovascular disease.1
• Smoking damages blood vessels and can make them thicken
and grow narrower. This makes your heart beat faster and your
blood pressure go up. Clots can also form.1,2
• A stroke occurs when:
◦ A clot blocks the blood flow to part of your brain;
◦ A blood vessel in or around your brain bursts.1,2
• Blockages caused by smoking can also reduce blood flow to
your legs and skin.1,2
Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and
the small air sacs (alveoli) found in your lungs.1,2
• Lung diseases caused by smoking include COPD, which
includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.1,2
• Cigarette smoking causes most cases of lung cancer.1,2
• If you have asthma, tobacco smoke can trigger an attack or
make an attack worse.1,2
• Smokers are 12 to 13 times more likely to die from COPD than
nonsmokers.1
Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your
body:1,2 (See figure above)
• Bladder
• Blood (acute myeloid leukemia)
• Cervix
• Colon and rectum (colorectal)
• Esophagus
• Kidney and ureter
• Larynx
• Liver
• Oropharynx (includes parts of the throat, tongue, soft palate,
and the tonsils)
• Pancreas
• Stomach
• Trachea, bronchus, and lung
Smoking also increases the risk of dying from cancer and other
diseases in cancer patients and survivors.1
If nobody smoked, one of every three cancer deaths in the
United States would not happen.1,2
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/infographics/health-effects/index.htm#smoking-risks
What are the health risks of secondhand smoke?

Your smoke is also bad for other people - they breathe in your
smoke secondhand and can get many of the same problems as smokers do. This
includes heart disease and lung cancer. Children exposed to secondhand smoke
have a higher risk of ear infections, colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, and more
severe asthma. Mothers who breathe secondhand smoke while pregnant are more
likely to have preterm labor and babies with low birth weight.
Are other forms of tobacco also dangerous?
Besides cigarettes, there are several other forms of tobacco. Some people smoke
tobacco in cigars and water pipes (hookahs). These forms of tobacco also contain
harmful chemicals and nicotine. Some cigars contain as much tobacco as an entire
pack of cigarettes.
E-cigarettes often look like cigarettes, but they work differently. They are battery-
operated smoking devices. Using an e-cigarette is called vaping. Not much is
known about the health risks of using them. We do know they contain nicotine, the
same addictive substance in tobacco cigarettes. E-cigarettes also expose non-
smokers to secondhand aerosols (rather than secondhand smoke), which contain
harmful chemicals.
Smokeless tobacco, such as chewing tobacco and snuff, is also bad for your health.
Smokeless tobacco can cause certain cancers, including oral cancer. It also
increases your risk of getting heart disease, gum disease, and oral lesions.
https://medlineplus.gov/smoking.html
What’s in a cigarette?
Tobacco smoke contains around 7,000 chemicals. Many of these are
poisonous and over 60 are known to be cancer causing (carcinogenic).
The chemical constituents of cigarettes include:
Nicotine
Nicotine is a colourless, poisonous alkaloid derived from the tobacco plant.
It is a powerful drug, which affects the brain and quickly becomes addictive.
Tar
‘Tar’ is the term used to describe the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.
It’s a sticky brown substance that forms when tobacco cools and
condenses. It collects in the lungs and can cause cancer.
Carbon monoxide
An odourless, colourless gas that is released from burning tobacco. When
it is inhaled it enters the blood stream and interferes with the working of the
heart and the blood vessels. Up to 15% of a smoker’s blood can be
carrying carbon monoxide instead of oxygen.
Arsenic
Arsenic-containing pesticides used in tobacco farming occur in small
quantities in cigarette smoke. Arsenic is commonly found in rat poison.
Ammonia
Ammonia is a toxic, colourless gas with a sharp odour. Ammonia
compounds are commonly used in cleaning products and fertilisers. Also
used to boost the impact of nicotine in manufactured cigarettes.
Acetone
Fragrant volatile liquid ketone, used as a solvent. Nail polish remover is a
solvent, for example.
Toluene
Toluene is a highly toxic chemical. Industrial uses include rubbers, oils,
resins, adhesives, inks, detergents, dyes and explosives.
Methylamine
Chemical found in tanning lotion.
Pesticides
A number of pesticides (toxic chemicals used to kill pests, usually insects)
are present in cigarette smoke. These pesticides find their way into
cigarettes because they’re used on tobacco plants as they are growing.
Polonium – 210
Radioactive element – used in nuclear weapons as well as an atomic heat
source.
Methanol
Fuel used in the aviation industry.
https://www.cancer.ie/reduce-your-risk/smoking/health-risks/whats-in-cigarettes#sthash.tg2FIyYi.dpbs
Did you know that there are three common reasons why people smoke?
• Nicotine (or physical) addiction – the chemical addiction that causes withdrawal symptoms and
the ‘need’ for nicotine
• Situation triggers – the smoke you want when you’re in certain situations or with certain people
• Emotional triggers – the smoke you want when you’re upset, stressed, bored or happy.
Usually we smoke because of a combination of these reasons.
NICOTINE ADDICTION + TRIGGERS (emotional and situation) = URGE TO SMOKE
Just dealing with one side of the smoking equation usually isn't enough, because most people then get
tripped up by the other. For example, if you manage to control your cravings for nicotine - but don’t plan
ahead around how you will manage stress triggers - a bad day at work might be enough to get you
smoking again.
How addicted to nicotine you are will determine the best methods to deal with withdrawal symptoms and
cravings such as medication or nicotine replacement products (sometimes called nicotine replacement
therapy or NRT).
Different people have different triggers so there’s no one single way to quit. Everybody who quits has a
different story, but there are some similarities.
After more than 30 years of helping smokers to quit, we have found the best chance of quitting success is
to combine medication or nicotine replacement products with advice and coaching from Quitline.
That's because nicotine replacement products deal with the physical addiction while our Quit Specialists
can help with ways to deal with emotional and situation-based triggers.
https://www.quit.org.au/articles/why-we-smoke/
Vaping Devices (Electronic Cigarettes)

What are vaping devices?
Vaping devices, also known as e-cigarettes, e-vaporizers, or

electronic nicotine delivery systems, are battery-operated devices
that people use to inhale an aerosol, which typically contains
nicotine (though not always), flavorings, and other chemicals.
They can resemble traditional tobacco cigarettes (cig-a-likes),
cigars, or pipes, or even everyday items like pens or USB
memory sticks. Other devices, such as those with fillable tanks,
may look different. Regardless of their design and appearance,
these devices generally operate in a similar manner and are made
of similar components. More than 460 different e-cigarette brands
are currently on the market.1 Some common nicknames for e-
cigarettes are:
• e-cigs
• e-hookahs
• hookah pens
• vapes
• vape pens
• mods (customizable, more powerful vaporizers)
How do vaping devices work?

Most e-cigarettes consist of four different components, including:
• a cartridge or reservoir or pod, which holds a liquid solution

(e-liquid or e-juice) containing varying amounts of nicotine,
flavorings, and other chemicals
• a heating element (atomizer)
• a power source (usually a battery)
• a mouthpiece that the person uses to inhale
In many e-cigarettes, puffing activates the battery-powered

heating device, which vaporizes the liquid in the cartridge. The
person then inhales the resulting aerosol or vapor (called vaping).
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/vaping-devices-electronic-cigarettes

Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

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Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

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Smoking

Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

What are the health risks of secondhand smoke?

Usually we smoke because of a combination of these reasons.

NICOTINE ADDICTION + TRIGGERS (emotional and situation) = URGE TO SMOKE

Vaping Devices (Electronic Cigarettes)

Vaping devices, also known as e-cigarettes, e-vaporizers, or

• mods (customizable, more powerful vaporizers)

How do vaping devices work?

• a cartridge or reservoir or pod, which holds a liquid solution

• a heating element (atomizer)

• a power source (usually a battery)

• a mouthpiece that the person uses to inhale

In many e-cigarettes, puffing activates the battery-powered

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