Facts About Air Pollution Caused by Smoking

Smoking causes more air pollution than car exhaust. According to an Italian study, published in 2004 in "Tobacco Control," air pollution particles from smoking three cigarettes was worse than a 2003 diesel engine. The cigarettes produced 10 times the particulate matter of the automobile.



Not only does smoking cigarettes create air pollution, but cigarette butts contaminate the ground and water by releasing the approximately 4,000 chemicals present in cigarettes. And used cigarettes take 25 to 26 years to decompose.

Atmosphere

• While cigarettes are burned they emit many poisonous andr carcinogenic chemical compounds.

  Cigarette smoke releases harmful chemicals into the air -- including nicotine, carbon monoxide, sublimated tobacco tars and glycerin.

  According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, among the 4,000 chemicals present in cigarettes, 50 are known carcinogens. Other poisonous chemicals found in cigarettes include benzene, formaldehyde, ammonia, acetone, arsenic and hydrogen cyanide, which was used in Zyklon B pesticide canisters by Nazi Germany to murder millions in the gas chambers, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.

Health and Air Pollution

• There are many respiratory and cardiovascular risks associated with particulate matter from cigarettes.

  The air pollution from cigarette smoke is a risk factor for lung cancer and chronic lung diseases including asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. There is also an increased risk for cardiovascular problems such as heart attacks and stroke. According to the American Heart Association, secondhand smoke can increase atherosclerosis, a condition in which fatty material collects along artery walls, hardens and blocks arteries.

Carbon Monoxide

• The American Heart Association states that long-term, low-level exposure to cigarette smoke in the air can raise carbon monoxide levels in your blood, decreasing the oxygen in the bloodstream and increasing the risk of serious respiratory illnesses.

Nicotine

• The AHA also states the nicotine causes a short-term increase in blood pressure, heart rate and blood flow from the heart. This creates an increased need for oxygen, but when combined with carbon monoxide intake it creates a dangerous situation because there is less oxygen in the bloodstream.