Health Hazards of Smoking

Harmful Substances in Tobacco Smoke

Tobacco smoke contains harmful substances such as nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide. In fact, more than 7000 chemicals (e.g. cyanide, arsenic), of which at least 69 are carcinogens (e.g. nitrosamine, aldehyde, chromium), were identified in the smoke. These substances will harm nearly every organ in the body and severely harm our health.

Nicotine	Addictive, narrows blood vessels
Tar	Carcinogenic, irritates airways, causes yellowish nails and teeth
Carbon monoxide	Reduces oxygen carrying capacity of blood, depletes oxygen, accelerates ageing

Smoking causes diseases and disabilities. Smoking only one cigarette a day will still increase the risk of cancers and premature death.

Short-term Impact

Smokers will notice the damage that smoking causes to the body within a short period. The symptoms include:

What you feel*	What it could mean
Shortness of breath, coughing, and more mucus buildup	Signs of lung damage
Skin looks leathery and wrinkly, losing elasticity, and skin being stained	Sign of skin damage due to lowered blood flow and slowed healing
Stained teeth, bad breath	Signs of mouth problems such as increased risk of gum disease and oropharyngeal cancer

*Consult a doctor if you are feeling unwell.

Long-term Impact

Evidence shows that smoking is a causative agent of many fatal diseases and cancers. It is confirmed that at least 12 types of cancer are caused by smoking. Besides, disorders and problems such as impotence, infertility, wrinkling, and halitosis can also be caused by smoking. Diseases that are caused by smoking include:

Cancers	Lung cancer, oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, cervical cancer, leukemia and colorectal cancer
Cardio-cerebral-vascular diseases	Coronary heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral vascular disease
Eye diseases	Blindness, cataract, age-related macular degeneration
Respiratory diseases	Pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, tuberculosis, respiratory symptoms such as cough and phlegm
Pregnancy-related diseases	Ectopic pregnancy, fetal growth restriction, orofacial clefts, premature delivery, miscarriage and other complications during pregnancy
Other diseases	Impotence, infertility, osteoporosis, peptic ulcer, and periodontitis, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis

Nonetheless, smoking not only harms your health but also leads to economic and social losses. The harms that second- and third-hand smoke bring will even affect your family!

Smoking Cessation Services

At present, there are a number of smoking cessation services provided by the Department of Health (DH), the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, the United Christian Nethersole Community Health Service, the Pok Oi Hospital, the Hospital Authority and various organisations. Some family doctors and private hospitals also provide smoking cessation services. Members of the public can call the DH's Integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline at 1833 183 or click here for more information.

Smoking is the major preventable cause of death. For yourself and your family’s health, quit smoking now.