What are the long-term effects of using tobacco?
The risk of long-term effects increases with the amount smoked, and the length of time a person smokes. Smoking • is the main cause of lung cancer • increases the risk of cancers of the colon, mouth, throat, pancreas, bladder and cervix • causes most cases of chronic bronchitis and emphysema • causes smoker’s cough • is a major cause of heart disease and stroke • increases the risk of medical problems for a woman during pregnancy (e.g., miscarriage, bleeding, placenta previa and poor healing) and increases the risk that her baby will be underweight or will die in infancy • causes osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) • increases risk of digestive problems • affects the immune system, making smokers more prone to colds, flus and pneumonia • decreases the amount of vitamin C in the body, which may cause skin wounds to heal less quickly • can cause the arteries in the legs to become clogged, resulting in poor circulation, leg pain, gangrene and loss of limb. Many of the risks and dangers o
