Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, which are present either naturally in the tobacco and transfer into the smoke or are formed when the tobacco is burnt.  Some of these chemicals include acetone, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, nicotine, carbon monoxide, shellac and formaldehyde – which are used in laboratories to preserve dead animals.  
 
Inhaling the smoke of a tobacco cigarette can have negative effects on almost every aspect of your health.  More recent studies have shown that smoking can also negatively affect the health of those exposed to the smoke- whether or not the cigarette is in their hand.  For victims of second hand smoke, complications can range from lung cancer to difficulties with pregnancy.

Smoking Myths (from www.givingupsmoking.co.uk):

• Cigarettes help a person to relax.  On the contrary!  Nicotine is a stimulant, which speeds up all of your bodily functions- heart rate in particular. 
• Smoking is sexy.  Smoking causes just as much outer damage as it does inner damage.  Your skin, hair and teeth all suffer from smoking and there aren’t too many people out there who like smoke being blown in their faces or who enjoy a kiss that tastes like an ashtray.
• Smoking keeps me slim.  Cigarettes do not keep your weight down; in fact they can cause cellulite.

Smoking Hazards

1. Increases the risk for lung, mouth, breast, bronchial and other forms of cancer
2. Increases the risk of emphysema
3. Increases the risk for high blood pressure and cardio-vascular disease
4. Decreases your abilities to smell and taste
5. Bad breath
6. Gum disease
7. Stomach ulcers
8. Mood changes
9. Headaches
10. Narrowed arteries
11. Thickened blood
12. Poor circulation (causing the cold feeling in extremities)
13. Prematurely ages the skin
14. High cost of cigarettes
15. Yellowing teeth
16. Increased risk of damaging a fetus
17. Smoking during pregnancy causes dangerously low birth weights in babies
18. Impotence problems
19. Affects to the immune system