Health

Tobacco use kills around 114,000 people in the UK every year, more than 300 every day - as if a plane crashed every day and killed all its passengers, around 20% of all deaths.

• About half of all regular cigarette smokers will eventually be killed by their habit.
• Smoking causes at least 80% of all deaths from lung cancer, around 80% of all deaths from bronchitis and emphysema and around 17% of all deaths from heart disease.
• 30% of all cancer deaths can be attributed to smoking.  Cancers other than lung cancer which are linked to smoking include: cervical cancer, cancer of the pancreas, cancer of the kidney, liver cancer, cancers of the lip, mouth and throat, bladder cancer, stomach cancer and leukaemia.

• Fewer than 10% of lung cancer patients survive five years after diagnosis
• http://www.ash.org.uk/ Basic Facts 2 – Smoking and Disease
• Tobacco kills more men in developing countries than in industrialised countries and if current trends continue, it is likely that tobacco-related deaths will soon be the same amongst women.
• Approximately 0.1 billion people died from tobacco use in the 20 th century. This figure is set to increase 10 fold in the 21 st century

How smoking harms you

• HAIR- smell and staining
• BRAIN and MENTAL EFFECTS-strokes, addiction/withdrawl, altered brain chemistry, anxiety about harm caused by smoking
• NOSE-reduced sense of smell
• TEETH-discoloration and stains, plaque, loose teeth, increased risk of gum disease
• MOUTH and THROAT-cancer of the lips, mouth, throat and larynx, sore throat, reduced sense of taste, bad breath
• RESPIRATION and LUNGS-lung cancer, cough and sputum, shortness of breath, colds and flu, pneumonia and asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema
• LIVER-cancer
• KIDNEYS and BLADDER-cancer


Emphysema damages  the delicate air sacs in your lungs. They become large and hard, and lose their ability to  exchange air. With damaged air sacs, you cannot get enough air to breathe, and always feel that you cannot catch your breath.

• MALE REPRODUCTION-reduced number and quality of sperm, infertility, impotence
• DIABETES- non-insulin dependant diabetes mellitus (Type 2-adult onset)
• LEGS and FEET-increased leg pain and gangrene; peripheral vascular disease, poor circulation
• EYES-eyes sting/water, blink more, blindness (macular degeneration), cataracts
• SKIN-wrinkles, premature aging
• HANDS-poor circulation (cold fingers);peripheral vascular disease, stained and smelly fingers
• HEART-harms, blocks and weakens arteries of the heart, heart attack
• CHEST-cancer of the oesophagus
• ABDOMEN-stomach and duodenal cancers, cancer of the stomach, pancreas, colon, aortic aneurysm
• BONES-osteoporosis, increased risk of spine and hip fractures
• FEMALE REPRODUCTION-period pains, earlier menopause, cancer of the cervix, infertility and possible delay in conception
• BLOOD-leukaemia
• BURNS-from fires caused by cigarettes and smoking related materials
• IMMUNE SYSTEM- weakened.