Why is smoking bad facts

Also, many people say that they feel sick to their stomachs or even throw up. If someone accidentally swallows chewing tobacco, they may be sick for hours. If you have friends who smoke or use tobacco, you can help them by encouraging them to quit. Here are some reasons you can mention:. If you think it will help, you could print out articles like this one to give to a friend who smokes.

He or she may be interested in learning more about the dangers of smoking. But people don't like to hear that they're doing something wrong, so your pal also could be a little angry. If that happens, don't push it too much. In time, your friend may realize you are right. In the meantime, it could help to talk with a parent or a school counselor if you're worried about your friend.

When your friend is ready, a grownup can help him or her quit for good. If your friend decides to quit, lend your support. You might say it's time to kick some butts! Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. Estimates show smoking increases the risk of: 5 Coronary heart disease by times Stroke by times Developing lung cancer by 25 times Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease COPD — a group of lung diseases that make it hard to breathe. Nearly 8 out of 10 COPD deaths are a result of smoking.

Smokers are times more likely to die from COPD than nonsmokers. Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body. Smokeless tobacco causes cancer of the mouth, esophagus and pancreas. Cigarette smoking can be blamed for about one-third of all cancer deaths.

More women die from lung cancer each year than from breast cancer. Cigarette smoking kills more than , Americans each year. Since , more than 20 million Americans have died because of smoking. Cigarette smoking increases risk for death from all causes in men and women. Data from the U. National Health Interview Survey show that people who quit smoking, regardless of their age, are less likely to die from smoking-related illness than those who continue to smoke.

Regardless of their age, people who quit smoking have substantial gains in life expectancy, compared with those who continue to smoke. National Health Interview Survey also show that those who quit between the ages of 25 and 34 years live about 10 years longer; those who quit between ages 35 and 44 live about 9 years longer; those who quit between ages 45 and 54 live about 6 years longer; and those who quit between ages 55 and 64 live about 4 years longer 6.

Also, a study that followed a large group of people age 70 and older 7 found that even smokers who quit smoking in their 60s had a lower risk of mortality during follow-up than smokers who continued smoking.

Quitting smoking reduces the risk of developing and dying from cancer and other diseases caused by smoking. Although it is never too late to benefit from quitting, the benefit is greatest among those who quit at a younger age 3. The risk of premature death and the chances of developing and dying from a smoking-related cancer depend on many factors, including the number of years a person has smoked, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and the age at which the person began smoking.

Quitting smoking improves the prognosis of cancer patients. It also lowers the risk of pneumonia and respiratory failure 1 , 3 , In addition, quitting smoking may lower the risk that the cancer will recur, that a second cancer will develop, or that the person will die from the cancer or other causes 27 , 29 — Menu Contact Dictionary Search.

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Pediatric Supportive Care. Rare Cancers of Childhood Treatment. You can also call the NHS Smokefree helpline on Read the answers to more questions about stopping smoking. Page last reviewed: 9 October Next review due: 9 October Home Common health questions Lifestyle Back to Lifestyle.

What are the health risks of smoking? Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK. Smoking increases your risk of developing more than 50 serious health conditions. Some may be fatal, and others can cause irreversible long-term damage to your health.