Smoking and your health Smoking has both short and long term effects on one's health. Below are some examples. When a person inhales cigarette smoke, irritating gases and particles cause one of the lungs' defenses - the cilia, to slow down. Even one puff on a cigarette slows the cilia, weakening the lungs' ability to defend themselves against infections. The risk of respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, influenza and common cold, is increased in smokers compared to nonsmokers.
Natural menopause occurs earlier in smokers than in nonsmokers by one to two years.
This may have unfavorable implications for other conditions such heart disease and osteoporosis. Smoking has now been shown to be linked to sleep disturbance. In a recent study, both men and women reported difficulty in falling asleep and symptoms suggestive of sleep fragmentation. Smoking decreases blood flow in the small vessels of the skin, damaging skin components, and leading to skin wrinkling and an appearance of premature aging in both men and women. Carbon monoxide, an ingredient of tobacco promotes cholesterol deposits in arteries, impairs vision and judgment, and reduces attentiveness to sounds.