Smoking is harmful to your health. But it’s tough to quit because of nicotine’s effect on your brain. Learn more about what smoking does to your body.
Cigarette smoking is a major public health concern, with over 16 million Americans living with a smoking-related disease. Smoking and secondhand smoke exposure cause over 480,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and causes many diseases. Quitting smoking lowers the risk for early death and of developing smoking-related diseases.
Smoking is a human behavior which involves the combustion of a substance, usually plant material, and the inhalation of resulting fumes. Today, smoking is mostly practiced by rolling the dried leaves of the tobacco plant into a cigarette. Other forms of tobacco smoking include the use of a smoking tobacco with a pipe or cigar, or using a bong.
Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body and is a main cause of lung cancer and COPD. It also is a cause of coronary heart disease, stroke and a host of other cancers and diseases.
A fact sheet that lists some of the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco smoke and describes the health problems caused by cigarette smoking and the benefits of quitting.
There's no way around it. Smoking is bad for your health. Learn the effects of smoking (how smoking harms nearly every organ) and how to quit.
Smoking does more than just cause cancer. It can also damage nearly every organ in your body. Learn more about the health effects of smoking tobacco.
Find information, resources, and support to help you get ready to quit tobacco and successfully stop smoking.