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List of Smoking Dangers

Smoking can harm nearly every organ in the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. The dangers of smoking account for nearly 1 out of 5 deaths annually in the United States. Smoking causes more deaths each year than the combination of illegal drugs, HIV, alcohol abuse, murder, suicides and all injuries caused by motor vehicles.

  1. Cancer Risks

    • Cigarettes smoking is responsible for 30 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States and nealy 9 out of 10 lung cancer deaths. Lung cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Smoking can also cause a number of other cancers, including cancer of the throat, esophagus, stomach, cervix, pancreas, kidneys and bladder. Smoking affects the oral cavity and can cause cancer of the tongue, mouth and lips. Additionally, smoking can cause acute myeloid leukemia, according to the American Cancer Society website.

    Heart Disease and Stroke

    • Smoking is responsible for coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. Smoking reduces circulation by narrowing the arteries and increases the risk of peripheral vascular disease. Risk of stroke is nearly doubled for a person who smokes. Additionally, cigarette smoke causes abdominal aortic aneurysm.

    Pregnancy Risks

    • Smoking during pregnancy causes health problems for both the mother and the baby. The dangers of smoking include ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo is embedded outside the uterus. The fetus will never survive this type of pregnancy, and the mother's life is also at risk. Additional smoking dangers during pregnancy include complications with the placenta, stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

    Respiratory Health Dangers

    • Smoking affects the health of the lungs by damaging the airways and small air sacs. The lung diseases caused by smoking are bronchitis, emphysema and chronic airway obstruction, according to the CDC.

    Second Hand Smoke

    • Smoking is also a danger to people who are nonsmokers when they are subjected to second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the cardiovascular system and increases the risk of heart disease in nonsmokers 25 to 30 percent. A nonsmoker subjected to second-hand smoke is also at greater risk for heart attack. People who already have heart disease are at even higher risk of heart attack. Second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer 20 to 30 percent.

    Other Smoking Dangers

    • Smoking has also been known to increase the risk of hip fractures in women, lower bone density in post menopausal women, and increase the risk of infertility, according to the CDC.

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