According to the American Lung Association, 8.6 million people in the U.S. are seriously ill due to the effects of smoking, and nearly 440,000 individuals die each year due to smoking-related causes. Lung diseases account for the vast majority of long-term smoking effects, and smoking is known to cause cancer. Smoking also affects cardiovascular health, reproductive health, vision and digestion. Long-term smoking also causes aesthetic problems, such as wrinkles and premature aging of the skin.
Respiratory Health
Long-term smoking greatly increases a person's chances of developing emphysema, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). All of these diseases hinder breathing, and many cause chronic coughing, or "smoker's cough." The longer a person smokes, the more difficult it is to control these diseases, and the end results are often oxygen tanks and ultimately death.
Cancer
According to the National Institutes of Health, smoking causes at least 30% of cancer related deaths in the U.S. This includes lung cancer, oral cancer and cancers of the throat and esophagus. Smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer in the United States. Quitting smoking, even later in life, greatly reduces a person's risk of developing cancer.
Cardiovascular Health
Smoking causes high blood pressure and narrowing of blood vessels and arteries, which greatly increases a person's chance for heart attack and stroke. Long-term smokers are also more apt to develop dangerous blood clots and poor circulation.
Reproductive Health
Smoking causes reduced fertility in women, interfering with ovarian estrogen production. Smoking is also linked to early menopause, low birth weight and premature birth. Men who smoke have a lower sperm count than non-smokers. As smoking shrinks blood vessels, smoking is also linked to erectile dysfunction in men.
Digestion
Smoking is linked to increased heartburn, ulcers, liver damage and Crohn's Disease. Smoking damages the esophagus, contributing to acid reflux and heartburn symptoms. Smokers tend to have more ulcers than non-smokers, and smoking hinders the body's ability to heal the ulcers. Smoking is linked to liver damage, and it hinders the liver's ability to absorb or process medication. Crohn's disease affects the intestine, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea, and smoking increases the risk of developing the disease.
Vision Health
Smoking is linked to increased risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Individuals who smoke are at higher risk for cataract surgery and glasses later in life. The risk for developing age-related macular degeneration is greatly increased for long-term smokers. This disease is incurable and causes vision problems that may lead to blindness.
Skin Health
Smoking ages the skin. A 2007 study at the University of Michigan showed that skin damage and wrinkles occurred in parts of the body not exposed to sunlight. The amount a person smokes and how long they smoke is directly linked to the amount of damage done to the skin. The study showed that smoking not only ages the face, but other parts of the body as well.
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