Brain and Mental Effects: Respiration and Lungs:

• Stroke • Lung Cancer

• Addiction/nicotine withdrawal • COPD (includes chronic bronchitis
• Altered brain chemistry and emphysema)

• Anxiety about harm caused by • Cough and sputum

smoking • Shortness of breath
Eyes: • Colds and flu

• Eyes that sting, water and blink more • Pneumonia

• Macular degeneration • Asthma

• Cataracts • Complicates Tuberculosis

Nose: Heart:

• Less sense of smell • Harms, blocks and weakens arteries of

the heart
Thyroid
• Heart attack
• Graves Disease Liver:
• Thyroid Disease
• Cancer
Skin:
Abdomen:
• Wrinkles
• Stomach and duodenal ulcers
• Premature aging
• Cancer of stomach, pancreas and
Teeth: colon
• Discoloration and stains • Aortic aneurysm
• Plaque Kidneys and bladder:
• Loose teeth • Kidney cancer
• Gum disease (gingivitis) • Bladder cancer
Mouth and Throat: Bones:
• Cancers of the lips, mouth, throat and • Osteoporosis
larynx
• Spine and hip fractures
• Cancer of the esophagus
Spine:
• Sore throat
• Reduced sense of taste • Degenerative Disc Disease

• Breath smells of smoke Male reproduction:

Hands: • Sperm: deformity, loss of motility,

reduced number
• Poor circulation(cold fingers)
• Infertility
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Impotence
Tar stained fingers
Female reproduction:

• Period pains
• Earlier menopause
• Cancer of cervix
• Infertility and delay in conception
Blood:

• Leukemia
Legs and Feet:

• Gangrene
• Peripheral vascular disease
• Beurger Disease
Immune System:

• Weakened immune system

The effects of smoking hold additional risks
for women. Those who smoke throughout
their pregnancies increase the risk of:

• Spontaneous abortion/miscarriage
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Abruptio placentae
• Placenta previa
• Premature rupture of the membranes
• Premature birth
Risks to the fetus include:

• Smaller infant(for gestational age)

• Stillborn infant
• Birth defects, e.g. congenital limb
reduction
• Increased nicotine receptors in baby's
brain
• Increased likelihood of child smoking
as a teenager
• Possible predisposition to adult
anxiety disorders
Secondary Smoke and Pregnancy
What are the risks of secondary/passive smoke to the
unborn baby? What to do if you live or work in a smoking
environment during your pregnancy.
Dec 1, 2006 Brenda Lane
Although more is known about the direct effects of smoking on the baby if the mother
smokes, how does secondary smoke affect the baby?

Effects on the baby when mother smokes

Smoking has been shown to cause low birthweight in babies. Some experts believe that since
smoking constricts blood vessels, it can decrease the amount of oxygen getting to the baby.
Women who smoke also increase their risk of miscarriage, placental abruption and pre-term
birth.
Smoking during pregnancy pre-disposes the baby to SIDS. In fact, if the mother smokes, she
increases her baby's risk of SIDS by three times. Smoking can also cause respiratory problems
such as asthma, which can affect the baby even if the mother quits smoking after her baby is
born.
What if the mother lives with a smoker?
Secondary smoke can also be a factor if you live with or spend a lot of time with someone
who smokes. Risks from secondary smoke include increasing the chance of having a low
birthweight baby. Research also shows that secondary smoke doubles the baby's risk of SIDS.
A smoking environment leads to more health problems for the child. Children who live in a
smoking environment suffer from more illnesses such as bronchitis and pneumonia as well as
chronic respiratory problems such as asmtha. If either of the parents smoke, it greatly
increases the chances that the child will become a smoker when they are older. Obviously the
risk of lung cancer is also higher in families who are affected by secondary smoke.
What should mothers do to prevent effects of secondary smoking?
As inconvenient as it might be for a heavy smoker, mothers should be adamant about
protecting their baby from the effects of secondary smoking in the home. Smoking should not
be allowed in the home at all or in the presence of infants or children. Mother should request
to be seated in non-smoking areas in restaurants. If other patrons violate the non-smoking
section, speak up politely and ask the server to be seated elsewhere or to ask the other patron
to refrain from smoking in the non-smoking section.