How is smoking bad for me?

"How is smoking bad for me"? you might wonder. Most people would reply that it causes lung cancer from the tar in the smoke. If they didn't know anyone who had lung cancer, or if they were quite young (and so immortal!) this might seem a distant problem to them. They would also be likely to say that nicotine was bad for people but not be able to say more than that.

There's more to the answer than lung cancer. And nicotine is not really the problem, other than getting you hooked, and controlling how you smoke. It all comes down to how you get your nicotine. By breathing in smoke with its hot gases and chemicals you are giving your body a powerful and toxic cocktail. See the link at the bottom of the page for more on chemicals in tobacco smoke.

It is amazing how the human body carries on with all the battering we give it. But silently and often in ways unknown to us the body gets damaged. See the link at the bottom for more on how the body is affected by smoking.

"But I use filters"! Filters don't really help with the problem. Although they catch some of the larger chemical particles, other particles and poisonous gases still get through. Filters also can cause their own "fall-out". They are made from cellulose acetate and tiny fibres of this, coated with tar, get into the lungs and cause more damage.

Rolling tobacco smoke contains more or less the same chemicals as those from manufactured cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes from rolling tobacco may even be worse for you.

Low tar cigarettes aren't a solution. The low tar reading comes from measuring tar in the smoke when the cigarette is "smoked" by a machine. But machines aren't addicted to nicotine. Real smokers (without realising it) block up the holes on the filter with their fingers. Doing this makes sure that enough nicotine gets through (unblocked, the holes reduce the amount of nicotine as well as tar). They usually puff harder too. Harder and more inhaling means more chemicals and toxins getting into the lungs, and going in even deeper.

Shisha pipes also deliver toxic chemicals, tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide gas to your lungs. And there's the smoke from what is used to burn the tobacco,too. Shisha users tend to smoke the pipe over a much longer period, i.e. 40 to 45 mins. This longer smoking may also increase the risks.

Chemicals in Tobacco Smoke

Effect of Smoking on Health

Tar

Carbon Monoxide