Heart Disease and Stroke
Smoking causes fatty deposits to build up in the blood vessels, leaving them narrow or blocked. This leads to heart disease or stroke. About 40% of deaths due to heart disease before the age of 65 are related to smoking.
Cancer
Cigarette smoke contains more than 50 cancer-causing substances.
Smoking is the most common, preventable cause of lung cancer. Smokers are 22 times more likely to develop lung cancer. 90% of all lung cancer cases in Singaporean males occur among smokers.
The longer one smokes, the greater the risk of developing cancers such as cervical and breast cancer, cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, pancreas, kidney and bladder.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) / Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COLD)
Smoking narrows the airways and destroys the air sacs in the lungs. This makes breathing difficult. Smoking is the most common cause of COPD/COLD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. COPD/COLD is the 6th largest cause of death in Singapore.
Bone Loss and Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to lose density and become brittle, leading to hip, spine and wrist fractures.
Women who smoke are 50% more likely to suffer from osteoporosis than non-smokers.
Re-productive and Sexual Health
Smoking increases the risk of infertility in both men and women.
Men
Smokers are 50% more likely to suffer from impotence or erectile dysfunction.
Smoking reduces the volume of ejaculation, lowers sperm count, distorts sperm shape and impairs sperm mobility.
Women
Women who smoke may experience early menopause and more menopausal symptoms.
Smoking may lead to decreased egg counts due to destruction of eggs in the ovaries before the eggs reach maturity.
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm delivery, and low birth weight. The smoke inhaled (either directly from a cigarette or from second-hand smoke) by a pregnant woman goes directly to her baby’s lungs. It prevents as much as 25 % of oxygen from reaching the placenta.
Second-hand Smoke
About 90% of the smoke from every cigarette ends up in the air as environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).
ETS
Causes lung cancer in people who have never smoked before.Â
Causes heart attack, especially among the spouses of smokers.
ETS also increases the risk of repeated heart attacks if one has suffered from heart attack before.
Increases the risk of heart disease, lung disease, asthma, allergies, sinus problems, blood vessel disease or worsen the symptoms if one is already suffering from these.
