Why is cigarette smoking bad for you

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 08 ; Actual Causes of Death in the United States. Rockville MD : U. A Report of the Surgeon General external icon. For Further Information. Fact Sheets. What's this. Related CDC Sites. Social Media. Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website.

Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. Over time, the ongoing narrowing, along with damage to the blood vessels, can cause peripheral artery disease. Smoking also raises blood pressure , weakens blood vessel walls, and increases blood clots. Together, this raises your risk of stroke.

Exposure to secondhand smoke carries the same risk to a nonsmoker as someone who does smoke. Risks include stroke, heart attack, and heart disease. The more obvious signs of smoking involve skin changes. Substances in tobacco smoke actually change the structure of your skin. A recent study has shown that smoking dramatically increases the risk of squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer.

Smoking increases the likelihood of fungal nail infections. Hair is also affected by nicotine. An older study found it increases hair loss , balding, and graying. Smoking increases the risk of mouth, throat, larynx, and esophagus cancer. Smokers also have higher rates of pancreatic cancer.

Nicotine affects blood flow to the genital areas of both men and women. For men, this can decrease sexual performance. For women, this can result in sexual dissatisfaction by decreasing lubrication and the ability to reach orgasm. Smoking may also lower sex hormone levels in both men and women. This can possibly lead to decreased sexual desire. Quitting smoking is difficult, but your doctor can help you make a plan.

Ask them for advice. There are a variety of nonprescription and prescription medications that can help you quit. For example, women who smoke are more likely to have trouble getting pregnant. Smoking while pregnant can also lead to health problems that can affect both mother and baby. Women who smoke while pregnant have a higher risk of:. Babies of mothers who smoke during and after pregnancy are also more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome SIDS.

Smoking can damage blood vessels anywhere in the body. Blood flow in the penis is a key part of male erections. Men who smoke have a higher risk of erectile dysfunction. This risk increases the more they smoke and the longer they smoke. Smoking can also affect sperm, which can reduce fertility and increase the risk for miscarriages and birth defects.

Here are a few examples of other ways smoking tobacco can affect your health:. Smoking-related illness can make it harder for a person to breathe, get around, work, or play. Quitting smoking , especially at younger ages, can reduce smoking-related disability. Cigarette smoking and the use of tobacco products can cause health problems in children and teens.

Over time, these can include the serious health problems discussed above, which might start at even younger ages. One of the most serious problems is nicotine addiction, which often leads to long-term tobacco use as kids get older. There is also some evidence that nicotine harms the brain development of teenagers. Read more about stopping smoking in pregnancy. Your GP can give you information and advice on quitting smoking. You can also call the NHS Smokefree helpline on Read the answers to more questions about stopping smoking.

Page last reviewed: 9 October Next review due: 9 October Home Common health questions Lifestyle Back to Lifestyle. What are the health risks of smoking? Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK.