| Most of us are aware that people who have smoked | | | | non-smokers. Smoking lowers your hormone levels. |
| for a while can get lung cancer and emphysema and | | | | When smokers catch a cold, they are more likely than |
| eventually die, but many don't know about all of the | | | | non-smokers to have a cough that lasts a long time. |
| bad things that smoking can to them right now. If you | | | | They are also more likely than non-smokers to get |
| smoke, you owe it to yourself to find out about the | | | | bronchitis and pneumonia. Teen smokers have smaller |
| effects of smoking on your life now. This guide | | | | lungs and a weaker heart than teen non-smokers. |
| provides some information about what smoking is | | | | They also get sick more often than teens that don't |
| doing to your body and some of the common reasons | | | | smoke. Every time you inhale smoke from a cigarette, |
| why people keep smoking even though they know it | | | | you kill some of the air sacks in your lungs, called |
| are bad for them. These are important things to think | | | | alveoli. These air sacks are where the oxygen that |
| about to help you decide if you should continue | | | | you breathe in is transferred into your blood. Alveoli |
| smoking. | | | | don't grow back, so when you destroy them, you have |
| Everyone knows that smoking can cause cancer | | | | permanently destroyed part of your lungs. This means |
| when you get older, but did you know that it also has | | | | that you won't do as well in activities where breathing |
| bad effects on your body right now? They also want | | | | is important, like sports, dancing, or singing. Smoking |
| to learn How to Stop Smoking A cigarette contains | | | | paralyzes the cilia that line your lungs. Cilia are little |
| about 4000 chemicals, many of which are poisonous. | | | | hairline structures that move back and forth to sweep |
| Some of the worst ones are: | | | | particles out of your lungs. When you smoke, the cilia |
| Nicotine: a deadly poison | | | | can't move and can't do their job. So dust, pollen, and |
| Arsenic: used in rat poison | | | | other things that you inhale sit in your lungs and build up. |
| Methane: a component of rocket fuel | | | | Also, there are a lot of particles in smoke that get into |
| Ammonia: found in floor cleaner | | | | your lungs. Since your cilia are paralyzed because of |
| Cadmium: used in batteries | | | | the smoke and can't clean them out, the particles sit in |
| Carbon Monoxide: part of car exhaust | | | | your lungs and form tar. We could say that every |
| Formaldehyde: used to preserve body tissue | | | | smoker should think to quit smoking. |
| Butane: lighter fluid | | | | Smoking can have serious effects on your life. The |
| Hydrogen Cyanide: the poison used in gas chambers | | | | longer you smoke the more damage you do to your |
| Every time you inhale smoke from a cigarette, small | | | | body and your health. Most people who begin smoking |
| amounts of these chemicals get into your blood | | | | as teens say that they wish they had never started. |
| through your lungs. They travel to all the parts of your | | | | The decision to start or continue smoking is all up to |
| body and cause harm. Smoking makes you smell bad, | | | | you and no one can make you stop, but you should |
| gives you wrinkles, stains your teeth, and gives you | | | | think really hard about whether it is the best thing for |
| bad breath. Smokers get 3 times more cavities than | | | | your body and your life. |