• Novice smokers may experience symptoms associated with nicotine poisoning as their bodies adjust to nicotine. These include nausea, dizziness and will increased heart rate and raised blood pressure. If you are just starting to smoke, be careful excessive smoking in a short time can result in vomiting.
• Aside from the health risks, smoking cigarettes will tend to leave an odor on you that some people find offensive. A regular smoker tends to become less sensitive to the smell of cigarette smoke and may not realize how strong it is.
• Never smoke or light up around gasoline or any other volatile flammable substance.
• Nicotine increases stomach acidity, which may worsen the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, duodenal ulcers, and others.
• Smoking raises blood pressure and heart rate. This puts you at a much higher risk of having a heart attack and can cause strokes. In chronic smokers this can cause heart disease.
• Smoking may cause birth defects, premature birth, and miscarriages in pregnant women.
• Smokers experience decreased appetite due to the effects of nicotine and satisfaction or oral “need”. Weight control is a common reason people cite for continuing smoking.
• Do not smoke on an empty stomach, as this could provoke a feeling of nausea.
• Smoking can cause sexual or reproductive problems for both men and women. Men can experience erection problems and decreased sperm count, while women can experience infertility and menopause at a younger than average age.
• Passive smoking may affect the health of those around you, especially those with chronic heart conditions or lung disorders such as asthma. Limit smoking to a single room if you are able to. Smoke outside if you are in any doubt. Smoking in indoor public places and/or workplaces has been made illegal in many places. This can include company cars and substantially enclosed outdoor structures. In most cases, “no smoking” signs should be displayed to inform you of the law.
• Nicotine is physically and psychologically addictive. Both of these addictions may begin from the first cigarette. Cigarettes contain additives to enhance tobacco’s addictiveness, and many people are unable to quit smoking despite repeated attempts.
• Tobacco smoke is carcinogenic and can cause cancer of the lungs, throat, mouth, larynx, oesophagus, pancreas, and other areas of the body.
• Although the physical effects of nicotine are pleasant, major psychological effects occur which don’t cause any noticeable “high” sensation. The primitive, and unconscious, brain receives a false “reward” from the effects of the nicotine. The brain responds to this “reward” by developing a very strong primitive response which is nicotine addiction. Physical changes occur. Uptake receptor growth causes a chemical imbalance in the brain which make the user feel depressed and anxious when nicotine levels are low. This is caused by the brain attempting to compensate for the release of so many “reward” chemicals.
• Smoking increases the chance of emphysema, chronic bronchitis and other lung diseases. Smokers are more susceptible to lung and throat infections due to the lining of the lungs and throat being irritated by the smoke.
• An adult who buys tobacco products for a minor may be in danger of paying a large fine, prosecution, and even a prison sentence, depending on local regulation.
• Smoking is a fire hazard. Make sure all smoking materials and ashtrays are fully extinguished when finished and take proper precautions while smoking to avoid burns.
• Smoking diminishes your ability to taste and smell over time.

What about electronic cigarettes? aren’t they safe?

Camel crush cigarettes favored by teen smokers, increasing market share by over 20 percent

Electronic cigarettes or e cigarettes are designed to look like cigarettes, right down to the glowing tip. When the smoker puffs on it, the system delivers a mist of liquid, flavorings, and nicotine that looks something like smoke. The smoker inhales it like cigarette smoke, and the nicotine is absorbed into the lungs. The e cigarette is usually sold as a way for a smoker to get nicotine in places where smoking is not allowed. Some people think they can be used to help people give up tobacco.

The makers of e cigarettes say that the ingredients are “safe,” but this only means the ingredients have been found to be safe to eat. Inhaling a substance is not the same as swallowing it. There are questions about how safe it is to inhale some substances in the e cigarette vapor into the lungs. And e cigarettes are not labeled with their ingredients, so the user doesn’t know what’s in them. The amounts of nicotine and other substances a person gets from each cartridge are also unclear.

A study done by the FDA found cancer causing substances in half the e cigarette samples tested. Other impurities were also found, including one sample with diethylene glycol, a toxic ingredient found in antifreeze.

Studies have shown that e cigarettes can cause short term lung changes that are much like those caused by regular cigarettes. But long term health effects are still unclear. This is an active area of research, but the safety of these products is currently unknown.

We do know that electronic cigarettes are designed to deliver nicotine, and nicotine is addictive. This strongly suggests that e cigarette use will lead to dependence, unless the user weans him or herself from them. A CDC survey published in 2013 showed that e cigarette use in middle school and high school students doubled between 2011 and 2012, with 10% of high school students and 3% of middle school kids using them and risking addiction to nicotine. Among high school students, 80% smoked regular cigarettes and used e cigarettes at the same time.

Because the American Cancer Society doesn’t yet know whether e cigarettes are safe and effective, we cannot recommend them to help people quit smoking. There are proven methods available to help people quit, including pure forms of inhalable nicotine as well as nasal sprays, gums, and patches.

Until electronic cigarettes are scientifically proven to be safe and effective, ACS will support the regulation of e cigarettes and laws that treat them like all other tobacco products.

The e cigarette boom is now spawning sales of electronic cigars, e hookahs (see the section “What about more exotic forms of smoking tobacco, such as clove cigarettes, bidis, and hookahs?”), and other special devices designed to reproduce different types of smoking using vaporized liquids. Even less is known about their ingredients and safety than about e cigarettes. Like e cigarettes, these new products need to be researched and regulated.