Reason #1                                                                                                                                 We all have heard about the fact that cigarette smoking causes cancer. But if you thought that cigarette smoking only led to lung cancer you are quite mistaken. Smoking leads to cancer of the nose, mouth, larynx (voice box), trachea, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidneys, bladder, cervix, bone marrow and blood. Wondering how it happens? Well, when you smoke, the entire process – right from when you light up your cigarette to when you exhale – leads to several drastic and disastrous effects in the body.

Reason #2

We try a number of ways to fight the signs of ageing, right from creams to diets to even surgical treatments, but did you know that if you quit smoking you can actually cut down the appearance of fine lines and other signs of ageing by half? Yes, smoking leads to the appearance of fine lines(especially around the eyes and lips), age spots, puffy eyes, dull, dry and lifeless skin. How it happens is that the chemicals present in cigarettes cause the fine capillaries under your skin to contract and constricts the blood flow to your skin.

Reason #3

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), a smoker is two to four times likelier to suffer from coronary artery disease and stroke than a non-smoker. Moreover, people who smoke have a 25 times greater risk of suffering from lung cancer. Here’s how; the chemicals present in cigarette smoke affects the entire composition of your blood; making it thicker and more prone to formation of blood clots

Reason #4

Cigarettes have a large number of chemicals which leave a considerable amounts of residue in your lungs, airways and your entire body in general. All this residue ends up clogging your lungs leading to  breathing problems and lowered lung function. This lack of fresh oxygen and blood to various parts of your body causes fatigue and breathlessness.

Reason #5

ejaculation is quite commonly seen in younger men who smoke. That is because the habit leads to a lack of blood flow, lowered sensation in the penis, heart disease and lack of stamina. All these factors put together lead to the lack of proper function of the male reproductive system, causing premature ejaculation. Apart from that, research conducted at the University of Arizona found that smoking directly impacts a man’s sexual desire, stamina and overall interest in sex.

Reason #6

If you have been finding it difficult to maintain an erection of late, it’s probable your cigarettes are to blame. According to a paper published by the NHS on the link between smoking and erectile dysfunction; smoking leads to the constriction of blood vessels that directly leads to the inability to maintaining an erection (since smoking lowers the amount of blood that flows to the penis)

Reasons # 7

A large number of studies have found that smoking leads to loss in bone density by increasing the amount of calcium leeched from the bones. This loss in bone density leads to early onset of osteroporosis (especially in women since smoking affects the amount of oestrogen produced), joint pain and even loss of teeth due to excessive loss of bone density in the jaws.

Reason # 8

Cigarettes contain tar, a chemical that coats your teeth lending them a yellowish tinge. This tar is difficult to clean with brushing and usually forms permanent stains on a smoker’s teeth. Apart from that the habit also kills the good bacteria in your mouth, increases the amount of saliva secreted and causes a higher amount of tartar formation on your teeth

Reason # 9

This not only relates to the commonly known ‘smoker’s breath’, but in some cases may lead to severe and persistent bad breath. Apart from killing off the good bacteria in your mouth, smoking is also known to cause problems with digestion, throat infections and build up of chemicals within the oral cavity (an unhealthy throat and stomach are one of the key reasons for bad breath, apart from poor oral hygiene). 

Reason # 10

Thought smoking only affects your lungs? Well, here is an eye opener for you (pun intended); smoking also affects your vision. According to the CDC smoking increases one’s risk of suffering from cataracts, age related macular degeneration and optic nerve damage and can actually make you go blind.