Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 different chemicals; about 200 of them are poisonous, and more than 40 are cancer causing. Smoking is so dangerous that approximately 400,000 deaths are attributed to smoking-related causes in the United States each year. The health problems caused by smoking are the number one cause of death in men in this country.
If you smoke, you will notice the gradual onset of a host of long-term problems. Your senses of smell and taste will weaken, you will get more frequent colds than before, and facial wrinkling will intensify. You also increase your chances of developing cancers of the lung and other organs, emphysema, high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. You also place your family at risk of the same health problems by exposing them to secondhand smoke.
Despite the dire health prospects facing smokers, many of them continue their habit because of nicotine’s addictive properties. But if you smoke, effective methods exist to help you quit and avoid starting again.