There is evidence that smoking may affect some aspects of a woman's sexuality. Smoking more than a half of a pack per day is associated with higher incidents of infertility and sterility. Irregular menstrual cycles are higher among smoking women, the number of years of potential fertility is reduced, and menopause occurs earlier among women who smoke. Approximately 129,000 people die each year of cancers related to smoking. The rate of lung cancer in women has risen sharply since they are smoking in greater numbers.
Smoking is also a major cause of cancers of the larynx, mouth, and esophagus.
It is a contributing factor in the development of cancers in the bladder, pancreas, and kidneys. Pipe and cigar smoking is often implicated in cancers of the lungs, mouth and esophagus. Coronary heart disease is the number one killer in the United States, claiming 750,000 lives per year. Cigarette smoking is one of the three major risk factors in coronary heart disease, the other two are high blood pressure and high serum cholesterol. Of all environmental causes of death and disease in the United States, cigarette smoking is the major one to be avoided.