Cigarette smoking has been directly linked to a variety of ailments, the most common of which are cancer and cardiovascular (heart) problems. Smokers who do not die a premature death as a result of cancer or heart disease almost always end up with emphysema, which is a severe blockage of the lungs and airways.

Cigarette Smoking Health Risks:

1. Cancer. Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer directly linked to smoking. Men smokers suffer from lung cancer 22 times more frequently than non-smokers. Women smokers suffer lung cancer 12 times more frequently. Smoking has also been linked to a much higher incidence of the following cancers: lip, oral, larynx, throat, esophagus, pancreas, cervical, bladder, and kidney. Certain families and ethnic groups also suffer an even higher risk to smoking related cancer, particularly African-American men and people who have family members who have smoking-related cancers.
2. Heart disease. The leading cause of smoking-related death is coronary heart disease, not cancer. Cigarette smoking more than doubles your chances of suffering from heart disease, and doubles your risk of stroke. You are also 10 times more likely to suffer from vascular disease (degeneration of blood vessels).
3. Emphysema. Cigarette smoking makes you 10 times more likely to suffer from emphysema, a condition in which the lungs become severely blocked, limiting breathing and making any physical movement very difficult.
4. Smoking while pregnant. Pregnant women who smoke not only suffer all of the adverse health risks stated above, but also endanger their unborn children. Infants whose mothers smoke during pregnancy suffer a higher risk of premature birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.