WHAT ARE THE HEALTH RISKS OF SMOKING?
Diabetes Mellitus
Image Source: CDC Tobacco Use-CDC Vital Signs-September 2010
Health Risks of Smoking leading to Cancer

7 out of 10 cases of smoking causes of lung cancer which is about (70%) It also increases the risk of cancer in other parts of your body which includes

  • Mouth
  • Throat
  • Voice box (larynx)
  • Oesophagus (the tube between your mouth and stomach)
  • Bladder
  • Bowel
  • Cervix
  • Kidney
  • Liver
  • Stomach
  • Pancreas
Health Risk of Smoking to the Heart and Blood Circulation

It also causes damage to your heart and your blood circulation and increases the risk of other heath and circulation related conditions such as

  • Coronary heart disease
  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Peripheral vascular disease (damaged blood vessels)
  • Cerebrovascular disease (damaged arteries that supply blood to your brain)
Health Risk of Smoking to the Lungs

Effects of smoking unto the lungs leads to conditions such as:

  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Chronic Bronchitis
  • Emphysema
  • Pneumonia
  • Smoking can also worsen or prolong the symptoms of respiratory conditions such as asthma, or respiratory tract infections such as the common cold.
Health Risk of Smoking on Fertility
  1. For men: smoking limits blood supply to the penis causing erectile dysfunction leading to impotence in men.
  2. For women: Reduce fertility chances
Health risks of Passive Smoking

Second-hand smoke comes from the smoke that the smoker breathes out during an active smoking episode. Second hand smoking is also known as Passive Smoking and it will equally increase your risk of getting the same health condition as active smokers. For example: Although you are a non-smoker, but if you have a spouse / partner that smokes around you, your risk of developing lung cancer will increase by a quarter (Source: Smoking NHS). Children are most at risk to the effects of second-hand smoking. Continuous exposure will put them in risk of developing chest infections, meningitis, a persistent cough and, if they have asthma, their symptoms will get worse.

Health risks of smoking during pregnancy

Smoking during pregnancy will put both you and the unborn child at risk of health issues.

Complications that develop when women smoke during pregnancy are:

  • Miscarriage
  • Premature (early) birth
  • A low-birth-weight baby
  • Stillbirth