Heart Attack, Stroke and Emphysema Smokers are also prey to a number of other illnesses . According to the CDC, smoking triples the risk of dying from heart disease . Devastating strokes are much more common in smokers. Smoking causes almost all cases of emphysema and chronic bronchitis, conditions which kill thousands of Americans each year and leaves millions of others constantly struggling to breathe. Smoking is the number one cause of early heart attack, far outweighing the effects of cholesterol in most victims.
Most pediatricians believe that smoking around an infant or a child is a form of child abuse.
One of America s greatest tragedies is a child born into addiction. Recent studies also indicate that smoking while pregnant may also cause behavioral and other societal problems later in life. There are many health risks associated with lighting up a cigarette or putting in a dip and in many cases the tobacco user is not the only person affected. These facts should not be too surprising, as 77 of the 4,000 chemical compounds found in cigarettes and tobacco smoke are known carcinogens. Another 133 are known to be general health hazards.