Effects of Cigarette Smoking

In the United States, an estimated 26.3 million men (25.5 percent) and 21.2 million women (20.7 percent) are smokers.

The effects of smoking upon our health are sobering:

Here are the facts:

Heart Attack: according to the American Heart Association, a smoker's risk of heart attack is more than twice that of a non-smoker, and smokers who have a heart attack are more likely to die and die suddenly (within an hour) than are non-smokers.
Smoking also promotes heart disease by reducing HDL - the 'good' cholesterol in the blood.
Peripheral Vascular Disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels that carries the blood to the arm and leg muscles. It occurs almost exclusively in smokers creating a greater risk of developing gangrene and leg amputation.
Cholesterol: high cholesterol in the blood does not give any side effects and of itself increases the risk of coronary heart disease. If a smoker already has a high cholesterol count, then the risk of a heart attack becomes even greater. The AHA advises that everyone over the age of 20 have a cholesterol reading every five years.
Stroke: High Blood Pressure is the most important risk factor to stroke and the number 1 preventative measure is to STOP SMOKING! Stokes can happen at any time although the risk is greater with age, however its not uncommon for someone in their 50's who's a smoker, to suffer a stroke, which can devastate the whole family's way of life.
The British Heart Foundation statistics report that in the UK, 59% of people who smoked had died by the age of 58.

Annual mortality of smokers per 100,000 men:

Those who died of lung cancer:
Non Smokers = 14 Former Smokers = 58 Current Smokers = 209

Those who died of all cancers are twice those of non-smokers.

Passive Smoking: The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has classified second hand smoke as a class 'A' carcinogen. The EPA estimates that 150,000 to 300,000 cases annually in infants and young children up to 18 months are attributable to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS).

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