What makes cigarettes harmful

The liquid in these devices is heated and creates an aerosol of tiny particles sometimes called a "vapor" that is inhaled by users. Instead, it's an aerosol that consists of propylene glycol plus flavor ingredients, and it can be harmful. E-cigarette aerosol can also contain nicotine and other substances that are addictive and can cause lung disease, heart disease, and cancer.

It's especially important to know that all JUULs and most other e-cigarettes contains nicotine, the same addictive drug that is in regular cigarettes, cigars, hookah, and other tobacco products. Because their use is so recent, little is known about the possible harms of long-term e-cigarette use. Studies in lab animals have documented lung damage and some chromosomal abnormalities that may signal a risk for cancer. Because this is such a rapidly evolving field, there is no consensus yet about the harms of vaping.

More research is needed over a longer period of time to know what the long-term health effects may be. There have been reports of severe lung illnesses in some people who vape. Most but not all of these cases have been linked to the vaping of off-market cannabis products that contain vitamin E acetate oil. The American Cancer Society is closely watching for new research about the effects of using e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products.

Clove cigarettes, also called kreteks KREE-teks , are a tobacco product with the same health risks as cigarettes. Kreteks are imported from Indonesia. They contain tobacco, ground cloves, clove oil, and other additives. Like other flavored cigarettes, kreteks are used mostly by younger people. The false image of these products as clean, natural, and safer than regular cigarettes seems to attract some young people who might otherwise not start smoking. But they are not safer than cigarettes, and researchers are looking into whether the cloves might even cause additional problems.

Kreteks have been linked to lung problems, such as lower oxygen levels, fluid in the lungs, and inflammation. People who smoke regular kreteks have up to 20 times the risk for abnormal lung function blocked airways or poor oxygen uptake compared with people who don't smoke. They are hand-rolled in an unprocessed tobacco, tendu, or temburi leaf plants native to Asia and may be tied with colorful strings on the ends. They tend to cost less than regular cigarettes and they give the person using them a quick buzz from the high levels of nicotine.

What's in an e-cigarette? Get the facts about nicotine, flavorings, colorings and other chemicals found in e-cigarettes. Find out more. Make a Donation Your tax-deductible donation funds lung disease and lung cancer research, new treatments, lung health education, and more. Make a Donation. Sign Up for Email Updates Join over , people who receive the latest news about lung health, including COVID, research, air quality, inspiring stories and resources. It can also cause age-related macular degeneration AMD.

AMD is damage to a small spot near the center of the retina, the part of the eye needed for central vision. Quitting and Reduced Risks. Quitting smoking is one of the most important actions people can take to improve their health.

This is true regardless of their age or how long they have been smoking. Visit the Benefits of Quitting page for more information about how quitting smoking can improve your health.

Department of Health and Human Services. Atlanta: U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 08 ; Actual Causes of Death in the United States. Rockville MD : U. The amount of nicotine that gets into the body is determined by the way a person smokes a tobacco product and by the nicotine content and design of the product. Nicotine is absorbed into the bloodstream through the lining of the mouth and the lungs and travels to the brain in a matter of seconds.

Taking more frequent and deeper puffs of tobacco smoke increases the amount of nicotine absorbed by the body. All forms of tobacco are harmful and addictive 4 , There is no safe tobacco product. In addition to cigarettes, other forms of tobacco include smokeless tobacco , cigars , pipes , hookahs waterpipes , bidis , and kreteks.

There is no safe level of smoking. Smoking even just one cigarette per day over a lifetime can cause smoking-related cancers lung, bladder, and pancreas and premature death 24 , Quitting smoking reduces the risk of cancer and many other diseases, such as heart disease and COPD , caused by smoking.

Data from the U. National Health Interview Survey show that people who quit smoking, regardless of their age, are less likely to die from smoking-related illness than those who continue to smoke.

Regardless of their age, people who quit smoking have substantial gains in life expectancy, compared with those who continue to smoke.

National Health Interview Survey also show that those who quit between the ages of 25 and 34 years live about 10 years longer; those who quit between ages 35 and 44 live about 9 years longer; those who quit between ages 45 and 54 live about 6 years longer; and those who quit between ages 55 and 64 live about 4 years longer 6.

Also, a study that followed a large group of people age 70 and older 7 found that even smokers who quit smoking in their 60s had a lower risk of mortality during follow-up than smokers who continued smoking. Quitting smoking reduces the risk of developing and dying from cancer and other diseases caused by smoking.

Although it is never too late to benefit from quitting, the benefit is greatest among those who quit at a younger age 3. The risk of premature death and the chances of developing and dying from a smoking-related cancer depend on many factors, including the number of years a person has smoked, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and the age at which the person began smoking.

Quitting smoking improves the prognosis of cancer patients. It also lowers the risk of pneumonia and respiratory failure 1 , 3 , In addition, quitting smoking may lower the risk that the cancer will recur, that a second cancer will develop, or that the person will die from the cancer or other causes 27 , 29 — Menu Contact Dictionary Search. Understanding Cancer. What Is Cancer? Cancer Statistics. Cancer Disparities. Cancer Causes and Prevention.

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