Diseases related to smoking and nicotine kill over 400,000 people each year, according to the American Lung Association. Chronic diseases like emphysema and bronchitis severely affect a person's quality of life. Unfortunately, these are only two of the illnesses caused by nicotine. The good news is that many of the affects of nicotine are reversible. The American Cancer Society reports that one year after quitting, the risk for developing heart disease is lowered by 50 percent.
Heart
The heart responds immediately to nicotine. Instantly, changes in heart rate and blood pressure can be detected. It changes breathing patterns by affecting respiratory nerves. Nicotine narrows arteries and reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood.
Lungs
The American Lung Association reports that lung disease accounts for 73 percent of smoking-related illnesses. Smoking causes chronic bronchitis, pulmonary disease and promotes growth of cancer cells in the lungs.
Blood Pressure
The nicotine in cigarettes and other tobacco products causes arteries to constrict. As a result, the heart beats faster and blood pressure rises. After years, the affects of nicotine on blood pressure can cause heart attacks, stroke and other chronic illnesses.
Brain
Within eight seconds of inhaling cigarette smoke, the nicotine reaches the brain. Nicotine attaches to receptors in the brain that affect mood, appetite and memory. Most importantly, it activates a part of the brain that controls pleasure and reward, making withdraw more difficult.
Second-Hand Smoke
Half of the smoke produced by a cigarette is actually inhaled by the people around a smoker. Those exposed to nicotine, even if they are not cigarette or cigar smokers, can develop irregular breathing patterns, high blood pressure and lung disease. The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention reports that children of parents who smoke absorb at least twice the amount of nicotine compared to kids with non-smoking parents.
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