Your body

What happens to your body when you smoke?

Your body is under increased risk of developing serious disease and health problems while you are smoking. All the major organs of your body are put under increased pressure by your habit, and smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop a wide range of short and long term health problems.

So why quit? Because you can reduce, or eventually reverse, your risk of these smoking related ailments.

Reproduction & Fertility

Smoking can increase the risk of impotence, damage sperm, reduce your sperm count and cause testicular cancer.

Smoking can also reduce female fertility and increase the risk of miscarriage, a low birth weight baby and cot death, as well as increasing the risk of cervical cancer.

Stomach

Smokers have an increased chance of getting stomach cancer or ulcers.

Smokers also have an increased risk of developing cancers of the kidney, pancreas and bladder.

Heart

Smokers are more than twice as likely as non-smokers to die of heart disease.

Smokers are at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and aneurysms.

Smokers are also more likely to suffer low fitness levels, ulcers and cold skin, hands and feet.

Circulation

Smoking coats your veins and arteries with fatty deposits and causes them to narrow, and harden.

Smokers are at increased risk of gangrene, which leads to about 2000 amputations per year.

Mouth & Throat

Smokers have an increased risk of lip, tongue, throat, voice box and oesophagus (gullet) cancer.

Smoking causes bad breath and stained teeth. It can also cause gum disease and damage your sense of taste.

Skin

Smoking reduces the oxygen that reaches your skin, causing ageing and grey, dull skin.

The toxins in smoke also cause cellulite.

Bones

Smoking can cause weak and brittle bones.

Women who smoke are more likely to suffer osteoporosis than non-smokers.