Tobacco Risks & Dangers
Tobacco use in the United States is the greatest preventable cause of serious illness and death. Tobacco use harms tissues throughout the body, as seen on the list below:
- The brain
Nicotine is highly addictive.
Use of tobacco can increase the risk of strokes.
- The skin
Remember the Seinfeld episode when Kramer became a smoker and then sued the tobacco industry for "disfigurement"?
Tobacco smoking leads to poor wound healing, increased wrinkling, and increased risk of skin cancers.
- The lungs
Tobacco use is related to emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma.
Tobacco use is related to 85% of all lung cancers.
- The alimentary tract
Tobacco use is related to 80% of laryngeal cancers, 80% of esophageal cancers, and 93% of oral cavity cancers.
- Fetal effects
The use of tobacco during pregnancy is related to increased risk of infant mortality and fetal malformation.
Second-hand smoke increases the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).