Inhaling another substance in tobacco, a glycoprotein, increases the clotting activity of the blood . This may injure blood vessel walls and lead to hardening of the arteries . Following are some of the major diseases that have been linked to tobacco use in numerous research studies. Some cardiovascular diseases include heart attack, atherosclerosis , stroke , and angina pectoris. Lung cancer is seven times as likely to strike a smoker as a nonsmoker.
Smokers have a fivefold increased risk for cancer of the larynx , oral cavity, and esophagus .
There is an increase of about a third in cancers of the bladder, kidney, and pancreas . Diseases affecting children Mothers who smoke give birth to premature and underweight babies. Although many pregnant women realize how smoking can retard the growth of a fetus , some women resume smoking once the baby is born. Also, chronic respiratory illnesses, such as asthma , are more common in nonsmoking children of smoking parents. Many find themselves hooked on cigarettes at a young age.