Effects
The effects of smoking will vary from person to person
and depend on such things as:
a person's susceptibility to chemicals in tobacco smoke;
the number of cigarettes smoked per day;
the age when the person began smoking; and
the number of years of smoking.
Immediate effects
Smoking one cigarette immediately raises a person's
blood pressure and heart rate and decreases the blood
flow to body extremities such as the fingers and toes.
Brain and the nervous system activity is stimulated for
a short time and then reduced.
A smoker may also experience dizziness, nausea,
watery eyes and acid in the stomach.
Appetite, taste and smell are weakened.
Other effects of cigarette smoking
Smokers typically experience shortness of breath,
persistent coughs, reduced fitness, yellow stains on
fingers and teeth and decreased sense of taste and smell.
Smokers have more colds and flu than non-smokers
and find it harder to recover from minor illnesses.
Smoking can cause impotence in men, while women who
smoke are less fertile than non-smokers.
People who smoke tend to have facial wrinkles
appearing much earlier and, in general, look older
than non-smokers of the same age.
Smokers have an increased risk of developing:
respiratory infections such as pneumonia and chronic bronchitis;
emphysema (a progressive and potentially fatal lung disease);
heart attack and coronary disease;
cancer of the lung, throat, mouth, bladder, kidney
, pancreas, cervix, stomach;
stomach ulcers; and
peripheral vascular disease due to decreased
blood flow to the legs.
A person who is dependent on cigarettes may
find that they experience withdrawal symptoms
when they cut down or stop smoking cigarettes.
These can include:
increased nervousness and tension;
agitation;
loss of concentration;
changes to sleep patterns;
headaches;
coughs; and
cravings.
Other dangers and important facts
Smoking during pregnancy can affect the unborn
child, and babies are more likely to be born underweight,
premature or stillborn.
Passive smoking, where a person is subject to breathing
in the cigarette smoke of others, can cause lung damage,
including cancer and heart disease.
Fifty Australians die every day from smoking compared
with 10 who die from alcohol-related conditions or 4 who
die from road accidents .
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