Cigarette smoking is the major cause of many cancers, including cancer of the lips, tongue, salivary glands, mouth, larynx, esophagus, and middle and lower pharynx. Stomach cancer can be directly related to smoking, which also has been linked to cancers of the kidney's renal pelvis, uterine cervix and pancreas. Smoking is involved in 85 percent of all lung cancer cases, which is incurable. If you smoke, your risk of dying from lung cancer is 12 times greater than that of a nonsmoker, according to the American Cancer Society. Smoking is also related to hormonal problems for both men and women.
Female smokers enter menopause an average of five years earlier than nonsmokers.
Smoking and nicotine can alter a number of hormones involved in reproduction. Women who smoke are at increased risk of osteoporosis. In men, smoking reduces sperm mobility. Smoke also can affect a non-smoker. When a nonsmoker marries a smoker, the nonsmoker's risk of lung cancer and heart disease doubles.