So, if there is one single, positive step that you can take towards a longer, healthier life, then it is probably to give up smoking. Research has shown that this is the most important thing that you, as a person with diabetes, can do to reduce your risk of heart disease. In addition to lung cancer, smoking can cause heart disease, strokes, circulatory disease, and respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema. Smoking also increases your chance of developing other cancers such as those of the mouth and throat, the bladder, kidney and pancreas. Smoking increases your risk of gastric and duodenal ulcers.
Smoking affects fertility in both men and women.
Smoking can cause problems in pregnancy and harm an unborn baby. 43 different cancer-causing substances have so far been identified in tobacco smoke. Carbon monoxide in cigarettes reduces the oxygen carrying capacity of blood. Also contained in cigarettes are numerous other harmful chemicals such as ammonia, formaldehyde, acetone and benzene. It's never too late to give up smoking.