What are the short-term effects of smoking and chewing tobacco?
• The smell. Nobody wants to smell like an ashtray. But there’s no escaping it smoking makes your breath, your clothes, your hair, your car or truck, and your home stink. • The stains. Smoking and chewing tobacco stain your teeth and fingers and make your breath rank. They also can lead to serious dental problems, like rotting teeth. • The smoker’s cough. Clean lungs and bronchial tubes rid the body of unwanted gunk to keep your airways clean. But when smoke enters your body, some of it remains trapped and prevents your body from getting rid of all the junk in the lungs. The result: that nasty-sounding smoker’s cough. But here’s the good news: Once you quit smoking, your lungs may clear out again. • The health problems. Why does smoking cause a rise in blood pressure? Because nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this can damage your heart, arteries, and lungs, increasing your risk for heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease. Tobacco use also can interfere
