In 1964, The United States Surgeon General first reported that smoking was hazardous to your health. According to the American Cancer Society, if you smoke, your risk of dying from lung cancer is 12 times greater than a non-smoker. Smoking is also the major cause of cancer of the mouth, larynx, throat, and esophagus; and has been linked to cancers of the kidney, bladder, and pancreas. In addition to the higher risk of developing lung and other cancers, smoking is a leading cause of heart disease. Smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack as a non-smoker. Smoking also poses special dangers during pregnancy. Babies born to mothers who smoke tend to have lower birth weights than those of non-smoking mothers. Smoking also increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death shortly after birth. Men and women who smoke are prone to develop lifelong respiratory conditions such as chronic bronchitis (brawn-kite-is) and emphysema (em-fih-zee-mah). These illnesses occur when the cilia (sill-ee-a), which are the tiny 'cleaning' hairs in the lungs, are destroyed, allowing tar to build up. For more information, consult your healthcare provider.
