There are millions of teenagers who take up smoking every year. It is very unfortunate but many begin their smoking addiction due to peer pressure, because their parents smoke, because they want to look “cool”. But do you really know what you are doing to your body?
- One cigarette contains over 500 different chemicals. Each one contributes to the massive list of diseases which smokers can be at risk of developing.
- Because you inhale smoke into your lungs, they are the organs which are at risk the most even though smoking can also be linked to diseases of the throat, eyes, heart, digestive organs, bones, joints and skin.
- Nicotine is the addictive drug contained in cigarettes. It reaches the brain within 10 seconds of inhaling, stimulating both the brain and nervous system. A VERY addicted smoker is a person who feels as if their body needs a regular supply of nicotine to function properly.
- Another major part of cigarettes is tar. Tar will damage your mouth, throat and lungs. It can cause lung cancer, emphysema and bronchitis type diseases.
- The filter at the top of the cigarette was originally designed to reduce the amount of harmful substances (like tar) from entering your body. But many cigarette manufacturers put extra nicotine in the filter to increase addiction.
- Cigarette smoke causes breathing problems for up to 80% of asthmatics. They don’t necessarily have to be smoking the cigarette to experience them. Second hand smoking is also putting more people at risk of diseases and so if you are going to smoke, think of those around you too.
- It is illegal to sell cigarettes to someone under 16 in the UK and under 18 in the USA and under 19 in Canada.
The average smoker smokes about 10-20 cigarettes a day. Think about that on a larger scale…
| ONE DAY | 10 cigarettes |
| ONE WEEK | 70 |
| ONE MONTH | 280 |
| ONE YEAR | 3,360 |
| ONE DECADE | 33,600 |
| ONE LIFETIME | 235,200 (assuming you live for 70 years) |
Scary isn’t it? I hope you don’t take the risk.