What Effects does Smoking Have on Health?

Although smoking is known to have health risks, the American Heart Association notes that as of 2008, there are nearly 46 million smokers in the United States. Smokers are at a higher risk for stroke and heart attacks, but smoking has many other effects on your health. For more information and help quitting, consult a doctor.

Lung Cancer

• Because cigarette smoke contains carcinogens, or cancer-causing chemicals, that reach your lungs, smoking poses the potential for lung cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is the cause of 90 percent of lung cancer deaths in American men and 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in American women.

Other Cancers

• In addition to lung cancer, smoking may also cause an increased risk for mouth, lip, throat, stomach, pancreas, kidney, bladder and other cancers, according to the American Cancer Society. Smoking may also lead to acute myeloid leukemia.

Reproductive Effects

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that smoking poses many risks to your reproductive system. Smoking increases your risk for infertility, stillbirth, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome.

Poor Bone Health

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, smoking is associated with low bone density in postmenopausal women. Low bone density may lead to osteoporosis, and research from the September 2008 issue of the journal "Cancer" found that low hip bone density is associated with breast cancer.

Secondhand Smoke

• Your smoking habits can have a detrimental effect on the health of those around you. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 3,400 non-smoking American adults die from lung cancer as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke may also cause heart disease; the American Cancer Society notes that about 46,000 deaths from heart disease annually are the result of secondhand smoke.

Heart Disease and Weight Loss

• As the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute notes, cigarette smoking can increase your metabolic rate, which may result in weight loss. The institute notes that this is an unhealthy way to manipulate your metabolism, as it can spur heart disease.