Nicotine Dependence
Health Risks

Tobacco use is responsible for about one in five deaths annually in the United States.

Smoking can damage virtually all systems of your body and can cause:

Cardiovascular Disease

• Abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Coronary artery disease (angina pectoris, ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction)
• Cerebrovascular disease (transient ischemic attacks, stroke)
• Peripheral arterial disease

Lung Disease

• Acute lung disease, such as pneumonia
• Chronic lung disease, such as emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Cancer

• Acute myeloid leukemia
• Bladder and kidney
• Cervical
• Gastrointestinal
• Laryngeal, pharyngeal, oral cavity and esophageal
• Lung
• Pancreatic
• Increased risk of breast cancer
• Increased risk of cancer recurrences in general

Reproductive Conditions

• Increased rate of impotence and sperm abnormalities in men
• Infant mortality
• Poor pregnancy outcomes such as low birth weight and preterm delivery
• Reduced fertility in women

Other Conditions

Other conditions related to smoking include:

• Cataracts
• Osteoporosis
• Periodontitis or gum disease
• Peptic ulcer disease

Second-hand Smoke

Second-hand smoke can cause premature death and disease in both children and adult non-smokers.

Children exposed to second-hand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and may also develop:

• Acute respiratory infections
• Ear problems
• More severe asthma
• Respiratory symptoms and slowed lung growth if parents smoke

Adults exposed to second-hand smoke are at increased risk for coronary heart disease and lung cancer. Second-hand smoke may also have an immediate negative effect on your cardiovascular system.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.