The Short Term Risks of Smoking

Smoking is a very dangerous habit. Someone who smokes for just one week can face some of the same challenges that a veteran smoker must face. When you pick up a cigarette, your risk of heart attack and lung cancer increases significantly, and you may have a hard time breaking the habit, increasing the likelihood of more significant, long-term damage.

Increased Risk Of Lung Cancer

• The message that smoking is bad is an old one. A person who smokes even one cigarette begins to damage his lungs immediately. Not only will smoking for a short time cause yellow fingernails and teeth, but it also weakens the lungs. Someone who smokes for a day, week or even a month can face some of the same health problems that an everyday smoker experiences, including difficulty with breathing and lung damage.

Increased Risk Of Heart Attack

• A person who smokes only one or two cigarettes automatically has a significant risk of a heart attack. A smoker is putting many different chemicals into the body that are very dangerous. Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 different chemicals, including formaldehyde which is a colorless liquid used to preserve bodies. Ammonia, tar and carbon monoxide are also found in cigarettes. To prevent this risk, a person should avoid cigarettes and exercise on a daily basis.

Addiction

• The biggest risk of smoking in the short term is addiction. Cigarettes are habit forming, so a person who picks up a cigarette will have a hard time putting it down which can make the habit last a lifetime. Cigarettes contain a chemical called nicotine which is one of the most addictive substances known to mankind. Avoiding cigarettes, in general, is the best way to prevent their long-term health consequences.