Carcinogens absorbed from cigarette smoke and smokeless tobacco are concentrated and excreted in the urine. The bladder and the kidneys are in constant contact with cancer-causing chemicals. Bronchial and Lungs - Smoking causes the lungs and bronchioles to be inflamed and congested. Chronic bronchitis predisposes smokers to emphysema and incurable lung disease. Emphysema is characterized by stretching and breaking of the tiny air sacs of the lungs, making them useless for breathing.
Cigarette smokers are ten times more likely to die of lung cancer than nonsmokers.
Reproduction - Smoking more than one half a pack of cigarettes daily is associated with higher incidence of infertility in women. Babies born to women who smoke are lighter and smaller than those born to nonsmokers. This is important because birth weight is a predictor of infant health. Women who take birth control pills and who smoke are at greater risk of cancer. Brain - A combination of high blood pressure and smoking is associated with stroke, the third leading cause of death in the U.S. Nicotine from any source constricts blood vessels and restricts oxygen supply.