Health Effects of Smoking

Many organs and body systems are adversely affected by tobacco smoke.

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There is strong evidence that smoking is related to more than two-dozen diseases and conditions. All smokers are at extra risk for:

• Coronary heart disease (e.g., heart attacks)
• Peripheral vascular disease (circulatory problems)
• Aortic aneurysm
• High cholesterol (LDL)
• Lung cancer
• Cancer of the mouth, throat and voice box
• Cancer of the pancreas
• Cancer of the kidney, and urinary bladde
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD
• Chronic bronchitis
• Emphysema
• Pneumonia
• Influenza (the "flu")
• The common cold
• Peptic ulcers
• Chronic bowel disease (Crohn's disease)
• Tooth decay (cavities)
• Gum disease
• Osteoporosis
• Sleep problems (falling asleep inappropriately and/or frequent waking)
• Cataracts
• Thyroid disease (Grave's Disease)

Smoking affects health instantly

After inhaling a puff of tobacco smoke:

• The airways in your lungs will tighten, making breathing more difficult.2
• You’ll cough as your body tries to clear your lungs.
• Your heart rate and blood pressure will rise.

Diseases related to smoking

Lung cancer

• Smoking causes lung cells to change, which can then develop into lung cancer.
• About 85% to 90% of lung cancers are related to tobacco smoking.

Most deaths from lung cancer are caused by smoking
Although other factors can cause lung cancer, smoking is responsible for 85% of all new cases of lung cancer in Canada.

Lung cancer is a highly lethal disease; only a small minority of patients are alive five years after diagnosis.

Other cancers

Smoking also increases your risk of developing:

• Cervical cancer, mouth cancer and throat cancer.4
• Cancer of the bladder, pancreas and stomach, and kidneys.12
• Cancer of the lips and tongue.13

The causal relationship between smoking and cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus has been established for many years.

Like all tobacco-caused diseases, the risk increases with amount and duration of smoking.

Alcohol consumption is also a risk factor for these cancers, and the combination of alcohol consumption and smoking results in a greatly increased risk.

Recent studies confirm earlier findings of a strong link between smoking and cancer of the pancreas and with cancer of the kidney and bladder.

Recent findings also suggest that smoking may be a previously unrecognized cause of cancer of the large intestine (colorectal cancer) in both men and women.

Evidence is also growing concerning a link between smoking and some forms of leukemia.

Heart disease (cardiovascular disease) and Stroke

• Smoking causes cardiovascular diseases that lead to heart attacks and strokes.

Smoking is an important cause of heart disease, stroke, and diseases of the blood vessels. Many of these deaths are premature (before the age of 70).
Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in Canada.

Smoking is a major risk factor for heart attacks and sudden cardiac death. Smoking also increases the risk of recurrence in persons who have survived a heart attack.

• Women who smoke while using birth control pills are more likely to suffer a stroke or develop heart disease and high blood pressure.
• Smoking is also the most powerful risk factor for plaque formation (atherosclerosis) involving the arteries of the legs (peripheral vascular disease). This condition leads to leg pain, difficulty in walking, gangrene and, ultimately, loss of limb.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Your lungs hold on to 85 to 99% of almost all of the things you inhale.
Respiratory problems can include increased coughing, phlegm, wheezing, chest colds and shortness of breath, even in smokers who smoke as little as one cigarette a week.

• COPD is a term for a group of lung diseases — such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis — that damage the lungs and make it hard to breathe.
• smoking is the most common cause of COPD.

Other health risks related to smoking

Smoking and Dental Health

• Tobacco smoke stains teeth and gums.
• Smoking increases your risk of periodontal disease: swollen gums, gum disease, cavities and bad breath.
• Tobacco use increases the risk of developing oral cancer.
• Loss of teeth is also associated with smoking

Smoking and Reproduction

• Women who smoke may have a more difficult time becoming pregnant.
• Smoking may affect the health of men’s sperm.
• Smokers are twice more likely to experience impotence than men who don’t smoke.

Smoking and Gastrointestinal System

Peptic ulcer disease is more likely to occur in smokers than in non-smokers. When ulcers are present, they heal less rapidly in smokers and are more likely to recur.

Evidence is accumulating that smoking is a risk factor for the occurrence of chronic bowel disease (Crohn's disease). As well, smoking may contribute to the recurrence of this disease.

Smoking and Asthma

• Asthma is a lung disease. If you have asthma, certain allergens and irritants cause the airways in your lungs to inflame and swell, causing chest tightness, wheezing and difficulty breathing.
• Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke both trigger asthma attacks.

Smoking is also associated with:

• Premature death - The average smoker will die about 8 years earlier than a non-smoker.
• Cataracts (which can then lead to blindness)3
• Osteoporosis and increased fractures
• Sleep disturbance
• Graves’ disease
• Stomach ulcers3
• Premature aging and Wrinkled skin (due to lack of oxygen and poor blood flow/circulation)18