Your Health

Cigarettes contain some ingredients you may not expect!

Click on the different shapes in the graphic to see just a few of the nasties that can be found in a cigarette.
Smoking kills 8 million people globally each year!

The tar in cigarettes (a by-product from burning them) clogs up the alveoli in the lungs and causes coughing. It reduces the amount of air that smokers can breathe in and can lead to serious respiratory problems such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Smoking also narrows the arteries around your heart, making it work harder and increasing your risk of heart disease.

Over 70 of the 7,000 chemicals in cigarettes can cause cancer

Think smoking only causes lung cancer? Click the graphic to see the many types of cancer you are at risk from when you smoke.

Misconceptions

FALSE: Damage to your health from smoking doesn’t occur until you are much older.

Second-hand smoke exposure

Breathing in other people’s smoke is known as exposure to second-hand smoke or passive smoking. When you smoke, it’s not just your health that’s put at risk, but the health of anyone around you.

Smoking during pregnancy can lead to a baby with a lower birth weight. If a mother smokes when pregnant, their baby smokes too and can suffer from more coughs and colds when they are born.

Nicotine addiction is
a vicious circle!

The more you smoke, the more nicotine you need to feed your addiction. This makes it hard to quit smoking because your brain craves the nicotine effect, which doesn’t last.

 

Misconceptions

FALSE: One cigarette or occasional smoking won’t lead to addiction.

Some young people become addicted from their very first cigarette.

Stress and smoking

The day-to-day life of a teenager can be stressful and emotional. But turning to tobacco isn’t the solution – it will only add to your problems. Having a cigarette can make smokers feel relaxed so they think that cigarettes relieve stress, when in fact they cause it in the first place!

Dependence on nicotine has been associated with impulsivity, mood disorders, anxiety and depression. The addictive nature of nicotine means that it can make these problems worse. Stress can actually be caused by the brain craving a top-up of nicotine.

 

You can handle stress without using tobacco! You could try:

  • Talking about how you feel with friends or family.
  • Taking slow, deep breaths.
  • Exercising.
  • Listening to calming music.
Misconceptions

FALSE: Smoking reduces stress.

Cigarettes (and most vapes) contain nicotine, which is addictive and creates a temporary sense of relaxation that soon gives way to withdrawal effects and increased cravings.

Find out more
Your Money and the Wider Impacts of Smoking