Cigarette smoking is a toxin. In fact, it contains several different toxins, such as carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, nicotine, and toluene. There have been 4,000 toxic substances attributed to cigarette smoking.

As a hot, volatile gas, cigarette smoke is, at the very least, a harsh irritant to your airways. However, this is just the start of the detrimental effect of cigarette smoke.

Cigarette smoke destroys the normal function of your lungs by increasing the production of mucus, making it difficult to clear this mucus out of your lungs, and destroying your lung tissue.

Cigarette smoke is the leading cause of lung cancer and can contribute to various other cancers as well.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed environmental smoke (passive smoking) as a cancer-causing agent.

Environmental tobacco smoke may contribute to asthma and increased respiratory infections in children.