It is not easy.

With every cigarette you smoke your body takes in a miniscule quantity of nicotine. Nicotine increases the levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter, in the brain. This helps you feel good.Soon the body craves for nicotine for a feel good. This is what keeps you smoking through the day. When you smoke a cigarette nicotine disperses rapidly and reaches the brain. You probably take 10 puffs from a cigarette. And if you smoke 20 cigarettes a day, brain is taking 200 “hits” of nicotine. Your cigarette is an effective drug delivery system. To give this up is not easy.

Even if your mind has decided to do it, your body is going to rebel against it.

There are nearly 4000 chemicals in a cigarette. Atleast 43 of the ingredients are carcinogenic (cancer causing). Here is a sampling:

Acetic Acid (Corrosive to respiratory tract)
Acetone (used in nail polish removers.)
Ammonia. (Used in floor and toilet cleaners)
Arsenic (a poison)
Cadmium (Car battery Fluid)
Carbon Monoxide (interferes with the supply of oxygen in the blood to the rest of the body)
DDT/ dielderon (Insecticides)
Ethanol (Alcohol)
Formalin (used in preserving human tissue and fabric)
Hexamine (used in explosive compounds)
Hydrogen Cyanide (Poison)
Methane (Petroleum Gas)
Naphthalene (used in moth balls)
Nicotine (Schedule 6 Poison)
Nitro Benzene (a petrol additive)
Phenols (used in disinfectants)
Stearic Acid (used in candle wax)
Toluene (Industrial solvent)
Vinyl Chloride (used in PVC)

What is tar? Does a low tar cigarette decrease health risk?

Tobacco is more addictive than hashish.

Major health issue for smokers:

1. They die younger. If you check the number of dead in the younger age groups, there are more smokers than non smokers. Death risk increases in proportion to number of cigarettes smoked, number of years smoked, and earlier the age at which smoking is started.
   
   

2. Cancer. Cancer causing substances are readily absorbed into the body of non smoker. There is no safe level of exposure. Cigarette smoking increases risk of lung cancer. The risk for moderate smokers is 12 times and for heavy smokers 24 times as non-smokers. Other cigarette related cancers are mouth cancer, laryngeal and pharyngeal cancer esophageal cancer, stomach cancer and bladder cancer.
   
   

3. Heart Attack (Cigarette smokers have 70% more heart attacks than non-smokers.)
   
   

4. Chronic Bronchitis
   
   

5. Emphysema
   
   

6. Pulmonary infections
   
   

7. Stroke
   
   

8. Cataract