Smoking is bad. Blah blah blah. Okay, so everyone knows that smoking is bad for you and that it accounts for most cases of lung cancer. But do you really know enough about the toll that smoking takes on the rest of your body?

Every time you drag lovingly on that little ciggie you’re setting yourself up for an early and ultimately very uncomfortable demise. And, on the way you’ll trash your skin, teeth, gums and perhaps your sex life. A little harsh?

Maybe. But unfortunately it’s also true. It is mind-boggling that something which is scientifically proven to be one of the most efficient weapons of mass destruction in the world is still sold in supermarkets.

And because the obscure little warning on the box may not have thoroughly convinced you that smoking is indeed bad for you, we’ve put together a list of reasons why you should quit.

The other cancers

Of the 4000 chemicals found in cigarettes, 51 are carcinogenic. It’s not really all that surprising then, that if you smoke regularly and for an extend period of time you will get some form of cancer. And while this unfortunate display of the law of ‘cause and effect’ generally results in lung cancer, this is not all you need to worry about.

And if the image of a cancer riddled body isn’t enough to put you off, imagine yourself licking the pavement, sucking on a car exhaust, knocking back some Handy Andy and sipping on a glass of nail polish remover. Tar, carbon monoxide, ammonia and acetone are amongst the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes.

Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease is an inevitable consequence of a prolonged and heavy smoking habit. The hardening of arteries is a natural process that occurs as one grows older. Cholesterol and fats are deposited in the arteries, leaving them blocked or rigid. Smoking accelerates this process and the likelihood of blood clots increases.

Coronary thrombosis — a blood clot in the arteries supplying the heart, which can lead to a heart attack. Smokers tend to suffers from coronary thrombosis 10 years earlier than non-smokers and 30 percent of all heart attacks are caused by smoking. Of patients requiring a heart bypass, nine out of 10 are smokers.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease — smoking accounts for almost all patients with emphysema and is a major risk factor in chronic bronchitis.

Asthma — smoking worsens the symptoms of asthma and makes asthma medication less effective.

Gangrene and limb amputation

The affects of smoking on your body’s vascular activity extends beyond cardiovascular disease. If the blood vessels leading to the brain become blocked, you can suffer from a stroke, which could lead to paralysis. Smokers are twice as likely as non-smokers to get a stroke. Smokers are also more likely to develop hypertension.

Smoking also affects the blood supply to your limbs. Peripheral vascular disease, which occurs when poor circulation prevents your extremities from receiving enough oxygenated blood, is 10 times more likely to develop in smokers than in non-smokers. The risk of gangrene and limb amputation is increased by five times if you smoke.

Injury prone

Not only does smoking suppress your immune system, making you a more likely candidate for colds, flu and infections, it also makes you more injury prone.

Yip, studies have found that smoking makes you a more likely contender for twisted ankles and broken arms. The really bad news is that your body also takes longer to heal — more than double the time. Smoking has also been related to loss of bone density and early onset of osteoporosis.

Blood flow in smokers tends to be sluggish, which means that oxygenated blood (necessary for healing) does not reach the damaged tissue or bone quickly enough. To make matters worse, the blood which does eventually reach the damaged area is contaminated by the carbon monoxide from the cigarettes. So, while quitting is always a good idea, it is particularly pertinent if you are about to undergo serious surgery.

Impotence and infertility

So, you think smoking is sexy? Well, you may have bigger problems than tasting like an ashtray. For men in their thirties and forties, smoking increases the risk of erectile dysfunction by 50 percent. The theory behind smoking-induced impotence is that the blood can’t flow quickly enough to produce an erection.

Women who smoke more than 10 cigarettes per day are twice as likely as non-smokers to experience early menopause. Smoking also increases the risk of infertility.

The risks of smoking whilst pregnant are well documented. Most seriously, it can lead to pre-term delivery, still births, neonatal death (before the infant is 28 days old) or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Babies born to smokers are also on average 250 grams lighter.

Smoker’s face

The fact that many perfectly groomed models and actors smoke, may lead to the misconception that smoking is in some way glamorous. Alas, far from the flawless complexion seen on these icons of popular culture, smoking is more likely to result in ugly stained teeth and ‘smoker’s face’.

‘Smoker’s face’ is characterised by prominent wrinkles, sunken cheeks, dry pallid skin, and a mottled complexion. The damage to your skin is caused by:

Dulling of your senses

Smoking has a significant affect on your senses. Sight, taste, smell and hearing are all compromised.

Sight — smoking increases your risk of developing cataracts. Cataracts occur when the lens of your eye or the surrounding membrane becomes clouded, obstructing the passage of light and leaving you with blurry vision or blindness. This risk is exacerbated in individuals with diabetes.

Taste — smokers tend to have a poor sense of taste and are more likely to suffer from gum disease and tooth loss.

Smell — linked to the poor sense of taste, smokers tend to also have a poor sense of smell.

Hearing — passive smoking increases children’s risk of middle ear infections.

So, in a nutshell — smoking is really bad for you. It will kill you and your death will be painful. Along the way you’ll lose your looks, your sex life and possibly your ability to reproduce. Mmm... or you could quit and your (now considerably longer) future will suddenly start looking a lot brighter.

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