Some Basic Facts about Smoking
Each and every part of the human body is affected by tobacco. Smoking not injures the lungs, but also affects the heart, kidney, digestive system, blood vessels, skin, eyes, nose, throat, mouth and every other part of the body. A person who smokes is two times more probable to die before the age of 65 than a non-smoker. If you are a smoker, you are at much higher risk of getting lung cancer or a coronary heart disease as compared to a normal person. The healing power of the body is also reduced to almost half by the tar that is produced in the lungs due to cigarettes.

How Smoking Affects the Lungs
Mucus is constantly produced in the lungs. Hair like structure, called cilia, that is present in the wind pipe helps remove this mucus. But the tar produced due to smoking damages the cilia. This affects the cleansing process of the lungs. The tissues in the bronchial lining are damaged and they start to thicken due to smoke. Furthermore, the smoke paralyses the scavenger cells that roam around the lungs to remove foreign particles. Tar is produced as a result of the chemicals from smoking. This tar is deposited in the throat lining and impairs breathing.

Effects of Smoking on Heart and Blood Vessels
The nicotine from tobacco speeds up the heart beat by an average of 15 beats per minute. It also induces a lot of irregularity in the heart beat which causes cardiac arrhythmia and numerous other coronary heart problems. Nicotine also increases the blood pressure by 10 to 15%, thereby increasing the risk of heart attack. The amount of oxygen in blood also drops drastically due to asphyxiation from carbon monoxide. Smoking decreases the blood circulation resulting in cholesterol deposition in arteries. Smoking also leads to various heart ailments like aneurysm, peripheral vascular disease, etc.

Smoking and the Digestive System
Peptic ulcers are very common in smokers. They lining of the stomach or duodenum is damaged due to the chemical that enter the body due to smoking. Smoking reduces the amount of bicarbonates present in the body, which leaves the stomach acids active. This leads to formation of ulcers in the duodenum. Smoking also affects the functioning of the liver. Stones in gall bladder are also formed due to smoking. The intestinal linings also swell due to smoking. This condition is medically known as Crohn's disease. Smokers are at a higher risk of relapse of repeat surgery when compared to a nonsmoker with Crohn's disease.

Effects on Brain and other Organs
Smoking decreases the blood flow to the brain. It impairs the emotional decision making capability of a person. Smoking speeds up osteoporosis. It reduces the blood circulation leading to dry skin. Smoking also reduces the fertility in both males and females and causes earlier menopause. Smoking weakens erection in middle aged men and reduces the mobility of sperm. It may also lead to premature delivery and miscarriage. New born babies are seriously affected due to the smoking habit of their mothers. Passive smoking in babies increases the risk of cold and sudden infant death syndrome.