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The Impact of Smoking: Are You Creating New Problems or Making Existing Problems Worse?

By Nancy Kupka, PhD, RN
The Impact of Smoking: Are You Creating New Problems or Making Existing Problems Worse?

Smoking harms almost every organ in your body and is the most preventable cause of premature death in the U.S.

Here are just a few of the ways that smoking makes existing medical problems worse.

Respiratory problems

  • More people die from lung cancer than any other cancer, and cigarette smoking is responsible for 87% of lung cancer deaths.
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), sometimes called emphysema or chronic bronchitis, damages the airways in your lungs. This leads to shortness of breath, long-term disability and early death. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U. S., and about four in five cases of COPD are caused by cigarette smoking.
  • Asthma, a chronic lung disease that makes it harder to move air in and out of the lungs, is aggravated by smoking. This leads to difficulty with breathing, emergency hospitalizations and an inability to enjoy normal activities. Asthma affects more than 26 million Americans, and smoking only makes the condition worse.

Heart and circulatory problems

  • Smoking makes it much more difficult for you to be physically active. It also increases the risk of blood clots and coronary heart disease after bypass surgery.
  • Smoking decreases high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol, leading to a higher risk of atherosclerosis or the buildup of fatty substances in the arteries. This can lead to coronary heart disease and stroke.
  • Women who take oral contraceptives (birth control pills) and smoke increase their risk of stroke.

Skin problems

  • Smoking speeds up how quickly skin ages, causing wrinkles and a dull, washed-out complexion.
  • Breathing in second-hand smoke can cause eczema to flare up.
  • Smokers' wounds take longer to heal.
  • Smoking worsens psoriasis and other skin diseases.

Endocrine problems

The endocrine system is responsible for secreting chemicals (hormones) to regulate several body systems. Although further research is needed, it is known that smoking negatively impacts:

  • Growth
  • Fertility
  • Thyroid disease
  • Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
  • High cholesterol
  • Obesity
  • Osteoporosis

Digestive system problems

  • Smoking increases the risks of cancers of the mouth, esophagus, stomach and pancreas. It may also raise the risk of cancers of the liver, colon and rectum.
  • Smoking increases the risk of heartburn, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), ulcers, pancreatitis, Crohn's disease and other digestive issues.
  • Smoking worsens liver disease.

Immune system problems

Smoking suppresses the immune system's ability to fight infections.

Musculoskeletal system problems

  • Smoking is responsible for the loss of bone mineral content, which leads to an increased chance of fractures. Smoking also delays how long it takes fractures to heal.
  • Smoking is associated with knee and back pain.
  • Osteoarthritis, age-related bone loss, persistent shoulder pain, and associated rotator cuff tears are linked with smoking.

Nervous system problems

  • Continuous smoking leads to changes in the nicotine receptors in the brain. This causes addiction symptoms, such as tolerance, craving and withdrawal.
  • Smoking is a major risk factor for stroke, vascular dementia and small ischemic vessel disease.
  • Cigarette smoke is responsible for inflammation of the nervous system.

    • Urinary system problems

    Cigarette smoking is associated with bladder cancer, overactive bladder in women, and prostate cancer in men.

    Reproductive system problems

    • Women who smoke before and during pregnancy have an increased risk of low birthweight and pre-term babies.
    • Smoking among women is also linked with an earlier onset of menopause.
    • Men can have fertility issues related to smoking.

    The good news is that stopping smoking can reverse the effects of tobacco on many of your body's systems. Quitting reduces your chance of heart disease, respiratory problems, stroke and many types of cancer - so, quit today.

    If you or someone you care about wants to quit smoking, Walgreens health care providers at the Healthcare Clinics and MDLive are on hand to support you in your plans to be tobacco-free from cigarettes or other forms of tobacco. There are additional educational materials available in the Walgreens Answer Centers on walgreens.com to support you as well.

    Published on October 21, 2019

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