It is a possible contributing factor in heart disease. Immediate Effects Smoking stimulates the central nervous system. Heart rate, breathing and blood pressure increase and the skin temperature drops. The blood vessels in the fingers and toes tighten, reducing blood supply to those areas. Inexperienced smokers may suffer diarrhoea and vomiting.
Some smokers report that smoking produces relaxation.
Long Term Effects Smoking is the single most important cause of lung cancer. It is also associated with cancers of the mouth and upper respiratory tract. Although the relationship is less strong, cigarette smoking is a contributory factor in the development of cancer of the blader, kidney, pancreas, stomach and cervix. Smoking is now the most common cause of chronic respiratory disease, e.g. chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The risks of coronary heart disease, stroke and impaired circulation of the legs and feet leading to gangrene are much greater for smokers than non-smokers.